November 7, 2025
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About:
- The marine biologists identified these species as Mytella strigata or Charru musselswhich are Native to South America.
- These mussels have invaded tidal wetlands in several parts of the world, including Vembanad in Kerala. This is spreading due to the discharge of ballast waters from ships visiting the ports of Kattupalli.
- After Cyclone Vardah in December 2016, the mussels began to intensify and spread far north towards the Pulicat waters.
- Human interference in the wetlands, pollution and nature’s actions have triggered the rapid spread of the species.
- Threats: These mussels spread like a carpet over the river bottoms and thus preventing prawns from grazing or burying themselves in the sediment.
- Its spread is wiping out the locally prevalent yellow clams and green mussels.
What is an invasive species?
- An invasive species is an non-native organism that is introduced into the local environment either intentionally or by chance.
- Its presence more often has a negative impact on the local ecosystem, completely altering it and bringing about environmental or economic damage.
Facts about the Charru Mussel
- A mussel is a common term for several families of bivalve molluscs primarily found in saltwater and freshwater habitats
- Charru Mussels are found in Panama, Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela. In the Philippines, Thailand and India however, they are invasive species.
- Charru Mussels are also speculated to be native to the Galapagos Islands and the Pacific Coast from Mexico to Ecuador.
- These species of mussels can survive bst in temperatures from 20℃ – 23℃but they have also been known to thrive in 13℃-36℃. They cannot survive beyond 36℃ and have lower chances of survival in colder temperatures.
- A Mytella Strigata spawns between the months of July and October. The embryos develop larvae before mauring into a bivalve veliger resembling small clams.
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