Identification of settling and early postlarval stages of mussels (Mytilus spp.) from the pacific coast of North America, using prodissoconch morphology and genomic DNA. Martel, A. L., Auffrey, L. M., Robles, C. D., & Honda, B. M. Marine Biology, 137(5-6):811–818, December, 2000.
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Detailed inventories of the benthos and field studies of the settlement and recruitment processes of marine benthic invertebrates require accurate identification of newly settled larvae and early juvenile stages. We provide morphological criteria, visible under a good quality dissecting stereomicroscope, by which to discriminate between species of the settling larval and early postlarval stages (similar to 250 to 700 mum shell length) of mussels of the genus Mytilus on the west coast of Vancouver Island and Southern California. Compared to the bay mussel (M. trossulus), the sea mussel (M. californianus) has: (i) a shallower and flatter umbo, the latter corresponding to a significantly less pronounced prodissoconch I (PI) curvature and (ii) a greater PI length as well as (iii) a wider separation between the provincular lateral teeth (PLT). The PLT distance is a new term denoting the separation between the midpoint of two reddish pigment spots of the provinculum (larval hinge apparatus) region of settling larvae and early postlarvae of Mytilus spp. from the East Pacific Coast. These spots mark the larger provincular lateral teeth, situated at either end of the provinculum. We confirmed the validity of morphological criteria by comparing PCR products of genomic DNA of provisionally identified postlarvae. Furthermore, measurements of PI lengths and PLT distance from well-preserved postlarvae of sea mussels (M. californianus) and of bay mussels (hl. galloprovincialis) from Southern California indicate that the PI morphology and morphometry, and PLT distance criterion apply for that region as well. The criteria presented here can also apply to the advanced (competent) veliger stages, as the latter may settle (i.e. become the "settling" stage) upon encountering a suitable substrate. Our present and previously published work provide economical and effective identification methods that can be used to discriminate among early life history stages (similar to 250 mum to 5.0 mm shell length) of Mytilus spp. along the west coast of North America.
@article{martel_identification_2000,
	title = {Identification of settling and early postlarval stages of mussels ({Mytilus} spp.) from the pacific coast of {North} {America}, using prodissoconch morphology and genomic {DNA}},
	volume = {137},
	shorttitle = {Identification of settling and early postlarval stages of mussels ({Mytilus} spp.) from the pacific coast of {North} {America}, using prodissoconch morphology and genomic {DNA}},
	doi = {10.1007/s002270000442},
	abstract = {Detailed inventories of the benthos and field studies of the settlement and recruitment processes of marine benthic invertebrates require accurate identification of newly settled larvae and early juvenile stages. We provide morphological criteria, visible under a good quality dissecting stereomicroscope, by which to discriminate between species of the settling larval and early postlarval stages (similar to 250 to 700 mum shell length) of mussels of the genus Mytilus on the west coast of Vancouver Island and Southern California. Compared to the bay mussel (M. trossulus), the sea mussel (M. californianus) has: (i) a shallower and flatter umbo, the latter corresponding to a significantly less pronounced prodissoconch I (PI) curvature and (ii) a greater PI length as well as (iii) a wider separation between the provincular lateral teeth (PLT). The PLT distance is a new term denoting the separation between the midpoint of two reddish pigment spots of the provinculum (larval hinge apparatus) region of settling larvae and early postlarvae of Mytilus spp. from the East Pacific Coast. These spots mark the larger provincular lateral teeth, situated at either end of the provinculum. We confirmed the validity of morphological criteria by comparing PCR products of genomic DNA of provisionally identified postlarvae. Furthermore, measurements of PI lengths and PLT distance from well-preserved postlarvae of sea mussels (M. californianus) and of bay mussels (hl. galloprovincialis) from Southern California indicate that the PI morphology and morphometry, and PLT distance criterion apply for that region as well. The criteria presented here can also apply to the advanced (competent) veliger stages, as the latter may settle (i.e. become the "settling" stage) upon encountering a suitable substrate. Our present and previously published work provide economical and effective identification methods that can be used to discriminate among early life history stages (similar to 250 mum to 5.0 mm shell length) of Mytilus spp. along the west coast of North America.},
	number = {5-6},
	journal = {Marine Biology},
	author = {Martel, A. L. and Auffrey, L. M. and Robles, C. D. and Honda, B. M.},
	month = dec,
	year = {2000},
	keywords = {Mytilus californianus, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Mytilus trossulus},
	pages = {811--818},
}

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