A light green shell with brownish -purple wavy lines. The shell is oval and tapered at one end.

Found on soft shores is extremely high numbers. The mussels can form very dense mats excluding other species. It is found from low tide to depths of 20m.

A filter feeder, feeding on particles in the water.

This is an invasive species, likely introduced to NZ as larvae in the ballast water of ships. The first records of it were in the 1970s. Thus far it is only found in Northern NZ.

Photo Credit: Rod Morris. Photos available from www.rodmorris.co.nz