What is Mytilus (genus)?
{{italic title}} {{Taxobox | name = ''Mytilus'' | fossil range = {{fossil range|Jurassic|Recent}} | image = CornishMussels.JPG | image_width = 250px | image_caption = ''[[Mytilus edulis]]'' in the [[intertidal zone]] in [[Cornwall]], England | regnum = [[Animalia]] | phylum = [[Mollusca]] | classis = [[Bivalvia]] | subclassis = [[Pteriomorphia]] | ordo = [[Mytiloida]] | familia = [[Mytilidae]] | genus = '''''Mytilus''''' | genus_authority = [[Linnaeus]], 1798}} [[File:Mytilus with byssus.jpg|thumb|180px|''Mytilus'' mussel in [[California]], showing the [[byssus]] threads]] '''''Mytilus''''' is a common [[genus]] of medium to large-sized [[ocean|marine]] [[mussel]]s. They are [[bivalve]] [[mollusc]]s of the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Mytilidae]].<ref>Powell A.W.B. 1979. ''New Zealand Mollusca'', Collins, Auckland. {{ISBN|0-00-216906-1}}</ref> Mussels are edible, and are used in various [[stew]]s and [[soup]]s. In life, they are attached to the [[substrate]] (rocks etc) by [[byssus threads]]. ==Species== Species within the genus ''Mytilus'' include: * the [[Mytilus edulis|''Mytilus edulis'' complex]]: ** ''[[Mytilus edulis]]'' <small>[[Linnaeus]], 1758 </small> – blue mussel, edible blue mussel *** ''[[Mytilus edulis platensis]]'' <small>[[d'Orbigny]], 1846 </small>= ''[[Mytilus chilensis]]'' <small>(Hupé, 1854)</small> – Chilean mussel (controversial) ** ''[[Mytilus galloprovincialis]]'' <small>[[Lamarck]], 1819 </small> – Mediterranean mussel ** ''[[Mytilus trossulus]]'' <small>[[Augustus Addison Gould|Gould]], 1850 </small> – foolish mussel * ''[[Mytilus californianus]]'' <small>Conrad, 1837 </small> – [[California]] mussel * ''[[Mytilus coruscus]]'' <small>[[Augustus Addison Gould|Gould]], 1861 </small> ==Human use== ''Mytilus'' [[mussel]]s are widely used as food. In California they were eaten by coastal [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]] people for almost 12,000 years.<ref>Erlandson, Jon M. ''et al'' 2008. Human impacts on ancient shellfish: a 10,000 year record from San Miguel Islan