Brown mussels (Perna perna) are a native species to several countries but invasive in others. They reproduce through external fertilization, with spawning triggered by seasonal coastal temperature drops. P. perna lives in habitats with hard surfaces like jetties and platforms, filtering plankton for food.

1. Life Cycle of Perna perna
(Brown Mussels)
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2. Introduction
• Brown Mussel is a native species for Sri Lanka,
India, Madagascar, Venezuela and Brazil. But
they are invasive for Mexico and USA.
• The brown mussel is a bivalve marine species.
• Mussels have good nutritional value and
economical value as a sea food.
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3. Taxonomic Classification
Scientific Classification
Perna perna
Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Mollusca
Class : Bivalvia
Subclass : Pteriomorphia
Order : Mytiloida
Family : Mytilidae
Genus : Perna
Species : perna 3

4. Identification
• Perna perna is a smooth-shelled elongate low-
shelled bivalve.
• It is recognized by its brown colour (hence the
name brown mussel), its best identifying
characteristic is an internal divided posterior
retractor mussel scar
• The shell of P. perna is thin around the edges
and thickens posteriorly
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5. Life cycle
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6. Reproduction
• Perna perna consists of two separate sexes
that can be distinguished during breeding
season by the mantle colour
• The mussels spawn through external
fertilization by releasing eggs and sperm into
the water column
• Spawning is thought to be triggered by a 3-4°C
drop in temperature brought on by coastal
upwellings during the winter months
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7. Habitat
• Perna perna has been found colonising jetties,
navigation buoys, petroleum platforms,
wrecks and other artificial hard substrata, as
well as natural rocky shores
• This species' long-term, incipient lower and
upper thermal limits were 7.5degreeC and
30degreeC, similar to the seasonal ambient
water temperature range of 10-30degreeC
reported for other populations worldwide.
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8. Feeding
• Like its more popular cousin, Perna viridis,
Perna perna is a filter feeder, feeding mainly
on phytoplankton
• Food availability is an important factor that
determines its growth rate
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9. Reference
• http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/species.php?sc
=742
• https://invasions.si.edu/nemesis/browseDB/S
peciesSummary.jsp?TSN=568077
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10. Thank you.. !!
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