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Forming complex reef structures, the horse mussel provides a habitat for many epi and infaunal species. These long-lived individuals are particularly susceptible to physical damage from mobile fishing gear, and may never fully recover.
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Mollusca Molluscs e.g. snails, slugs, mussels, cockles & clams
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Pelecypoda
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Found off all British coasts. Extensive beds are most common on northern or western coasts but absent south of the Irish Sea and Humber estuary.
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Found part buried in soft sediments or coarse grounds or attached to hard substrata, forming clumps or extensive beds or reefs. May be found on the lower shore in rock pools or in laminarian holdfasts but more common subtidally to ca 280 m.
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The shell is solid, swollen, approximately oblong or irregularly triangular in shape, with blunt umbones. The shell is dark blue or purple in colour, however the perisostracum gives adults a glossy yellow or dark brown appearance. In young animals the shell appears bluish and the periostracum is extended into long, smooth spines. The shell bears clear growth lines, and a sculpture of fine concentric lines and ridges. The inside of the shell is white, with a wide pallial line, a large anterior adductor muscle scar and small posterior adductor muscle scar. Adults are usually more than 10cm in length, although very large specimens may reach up to 22cm.
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