Asian green mussel

Scientific name

Perna viridis

Key features

Key features of Asian green mussel include:

• juvenile is bright green
• older shells dark green to brown
• smooth shell with evenly spaced grooves
• adults 8-16cm long.

Habitat

The Asian green mussel:

• attaches to hard surfaces like vessels, wharves, aquaculture equipment, buoys, intake pipes etc.
• can be found from high tide mark to 40m
• generally, is a tropical species but can be transported on vessels.

Impacts

The Asian green mussel:

• forms dense colonies and outcompetes native species
• clogs water intake pipes on vessel engines.

Known established populations

The Asian green mussel is currently not present in Victoria.