From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
A marine and freshwater bivalve, which feeds on plankton, usually found living high on the shore, clumped together as a form of protection; most abundant in cooler waters and found all over the world. The two varieties most commonly found on the market are: the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, also called the black or Mediterranean mussel, found along the Atlantic coast; and the New Zealand green-lipped mussel, Perna canaliculus, which is also known as the green or green-shelled mussel. Cultivated mussels have darker, thinner shells than wild mussels, grow five times faster and yield three times more meat.
