How is a mussel born?

Answer

Hi Serge,

The attached adult mussels, there are males and females, simultaneously release large amounts of sperm cells and eggs into the seawater where fertilization takes place. From the fertilized egg a free-swimming larva develops, it has two instars, which swims around with the plankton for about 4 weeks. The larva already forms a small shell and prefers to settle on a firm surface, usually between other mussels on a so-called mussel bed. At that time, the mussel is only a few millimeters in size. Mussels that are one year old and about a centimeter long are called ‘mussel seed’ and are expanded.

Kind regards,

Rudy