Identification of settling and early postlarval stages of mussels (Mytilus spp.) from the Pacific Coast of North America, using prodissoconch morphology and genomic DNA

Research demonstrates that prodissoconch of the sea and bay mussels exhibit morphological differences retained through settlement of the post metamorphic juveniles on the benthos. Data suggest that such morphological traits coupled with genome analysis accurately distinguish the two types of mussels, which coexist in the west coast of North America.