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First record of bearded horse mussel, Modiolus barbatus (Bivalvia: Mytiloida: Mytilidae) from the south-western coast of India

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 August 2015

S.P. Shynu ,
S. Shibu  and
V. Jayaprakas
S.P. Shynu*
Affiliation:
Department of Aquatic Biology & Fisheries, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram 695581, Kerala, India
S. Shibu
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, SN College, Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
V. Jayaprakas
Affiliation:
Department of Aquatic Biology & Fisheries, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram 695581, Kerala, India
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: S.P. Shynu, Department of Aquatic Biology & Fisheries, University of KeralaThiruvananthapuram 695581, Kerala, India email: shynusprabha1@gmail.com

Abstract

The new occurrence of a mytilid, Modiolus barbatus is recorded for the first time in Kerala based on a single specimen associated with the seaweed, Ulva lactuca in the intertidal zones of the Vizhinjam coast. The distributional range of this species is extended from the south-eastern coast to the south-western coast of India. Currently, seven species of the genus Modiolus, including Modiolus barbatus, are recognized from the Indian coast.

Keywords

bearded horse musselmytillidsVizhinjamassociated faunaepifaunabiocoenosis

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 8 , 2015 , e121
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2015 

INTRODUCTION

Sea mussels belong to the family Mytilidae, of the order Mytiloida, in the class Bivalvia. They are also known as ‘weaving mussels’ as they attach themselves to the substratum by means of thin byssus threads. They commonly occur in rocky intertidal zones, estuarine mudflats and shallow subtidal areas (Suchanek, Reference Suchanek, More and Seed1985). They are also abundantly found in the coastal and estuarine waters of India (Jones, Reference Jones and Rao1970). Among the sea mussels of India, the genus Modiolus Lamarck, 1799 is so far represented by the following 15 species (Ramakrishna & Dey, Reference Ramakrishna and Dey2010; Pati et al., Reference Pati, Rao and Balaji2011): Modiolus albicosta Lamarck, 1819, Modiolus arborescens (Dillwyn, 1817), Modiolus aratus (Dunker, 1857), Modiolus argentea Reeve, 1857, Modiolus auriculatus (Krauss, 1848), Modiolus curvatus (Dunker, 1857), Modiolus cymbula Preston, 1908, Modiolus flavidus (Dunker, 1857), Modiolus metcalfei (Hanley, 1843), Modiolus philippinarum (Hanley, 1843), Modiolus striatulus (Hanley, 1843), Modiolus traillii Reeve, 1857, Modiolus tulipa (Lamarck, 1819), Modiolus undulatus (Dunker, 1856) and Modiolus zebra (Preston, 1908). Among these many species are those that are either placed under a different genus name or synonymized with other species. For example, Modiolus albicosta is known as Gibbomodiola albicosta, Modiolus arborescens as Amygdalum dendriticum Megerle von Mühlfeld, 1811, Modiolus aratus as Jolya arata, Modiolus argentea as Gregariella coralliophaga (Gmelin, 1791), Modiolus curvatus as Brachidontes mutabilis (Gould, 1861), Modiolus cymbula as Modiolus auriculatus, Modiolus flavidus as Modiolatus flavidus, Modiolus metcalfei as Modiolus modulaides (Röding, 1798), Modiolus striatulus as Brachidontes striatulus, Modiolus tulipa as Modiolus americanus (Leach, 1815), Modiolus undulatus as Brachidontes undulatus and Modiolus zebra as Modiolus gubernaculum (Dunker, 1856) (WoRMS, 2015).

The bearded horse mussel Modiolus barbatus (Linnaeus, 1758) is an important edible bivalve (Mladinceo et al., Reference Mladinceo, Peharda, Orhanovic, Bolotin, Vrancic and Treursic2007) that lives in the low intertidal and sublittoral zones, also found in offshore waters (Anon, 2014). Ramakrishna & Dey (Reference Ramakrishna and Dey2010) have not listed Modiolus barbatus in their checklist of Indian marine molluscs. However, the occurrence of this species has already been reported by Herdman (Reference Herdman1903–1906), Hornell (Reference Hornell1951) and Mahadevan & Nayar (Reference Mahadevan and Nayar1967) from the south-eastern coast of India (Palk Bay, Gulf of Mannar and Tuticorin). Here, we report the first occurrence of Modiolus barbatus from the south-western coast of India (Vizhinjam). With the present record, seven species of Modiolus, namely Modiolus americanus, Modiolus auriculatus, Modiolus barbatus, Modiolus gubernaculums, Modiolus modulaides, Modiolus philippinarum and Modiolus traillii are now recognized in India.

MATERIALS EXAMINED

A single juvenile specimen of Modiolus barbatus was collected from the Vizhinjam coast (8°22′N 76°59′E) (Figure 1) of Kerala on 3 November 2012. This specimen was found on an intertidal rocky area, associated with the seaweed Ulva lactuca (Linnaeus, 1753). The seaweed, along with the mussel, was brought to the laboratory in live condition. The mussel was carefully removed from the seaweed, identified (ben Rejab, Reference ben Rejeb2012), preserved in 70% ethyl alcohol and deposited in the museum collections of the Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India (accession number: DABFUK-MOL-BIV-09). The live colouration of the specimen was noted. Measurements of the shell length and width were carried out using a slide calliper.

Fig. 1.

Map showing where the single specimen of Modiolus barbatus was found, Vizhinjam coast (8°22′N 76°59′E).

RESULTS

SYSTEMATICS

Class BIVALVIA Linnaeus, 1758
Order MYTILOIDA Férussac, 1822
Family MYTILIDAE Rafinesque, 1815
Genus Modiolus Lamarck, 1799
Modiolus barbatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
(Figures 2 & 3)
Fig. 2.

Modiolus barbatus (Linnaeus, 1758) specimen from Vizhinjam coast.

Fig. 3.

Close-up of the Modiolus barbatus specimen. Yellow arrow points to the posterior periostracal hairs with serrated edges.

DIAGNOSIS

Shell length: 17 mm; shell width: 11 mm. Shell modioliform, equivalve, yellowish red in colour, strongly inequilateral; beaks very close to the anterior margin; umbones, slightly inflated; periostracum bears flat bristles, each bristle with serrated edge (Figures 2 & 3).

DISTRIBUTION

Global distribution: Clyde Sea Area (Hayward & Ryland, Reference Hayward and Ryland1990); France (Muller, Reference Muller2004); Italy (Terlizzi et al., Reference Terlizzi, Scuderi, Fraschetti and Anderson2005); Mediterranean Sea (Hayward & Ryland, Reference Hayward and Ryland1990; Enzenross & Enzenross, Reference Enzenross and Enzenross2001; Langar et al., Reference Langar, El Khouja, Ben Abdallah and Choub2007; Koukouraw, Reference Koukouraw2010; Aloui-Bejaoui & Afli, Reference Aloui-Bejaoui and Afli2012); North Atlantic Ocean (Gofas et al., Reference Gofas, Le Renard, Bouchet, Costello, Emblow and White2001; Guiry & Guiry, Reference Guiry and Guiry2011; Medin, 2011); North Sea (Backeljau, Reference Backeljau1986); Tunisia (Langar et al., Reference Langar, Shuba, Ajjabi Chebil, Mrabet and El Abed2011); United Kingdom and Africa (Hayward & Ryland, Reference Hayward and Ryland1990); Ceylon (Herdman, Reference Herdman1903–1906). India: Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar (Standen & Leicester, Reference Standen and Leicester1906); Tuticorin (Mahadevan & Nayar, Reference Mahadevan and Nayar1967); Vizhinjam (present record).

DISCUSSION

The present report extends the distributional range of Modiolus barbatus from the south-eastern coast to the south-western coast of India.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors are deeply indebted to Dr Bijukumar, Head of the Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala for providing adequate laboratory facilities in the department to carry out the research work. Financial support from the UGC (RGNF) is duly acknowledged (grant no. F-14-2(SC)/2010 (SA-111), May 2011). Thanks are due to Mr Kabeer for field collections. Thanks are due to Steve Wilkinson, (web master) conchologist, The Conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and Robert G. Forsyth and Rick M. Harbo, Research Associates, Invertebrate Zoology, Royal BC Museum, Victoria BC for confirming identification of the mussel.

References

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Figure 0

Fig. 1. Map showing where the single specimen of Modiolus barbatus was found, Vizhinjam coast (8°22′N 76°59′E).

Figure 1

Fig. 2. Modiolus barbatus (Linnaeus, 1758) specimen from Vizhinjam coast.

Figure 2

Fig. 3. Close-up of the Modiolus barbatus specimen. Yellow arrow points to the posterior periostracal hairs with serrated edges.