Asian mussels are a type of freshwater bivalve mollusc found in rivers and lakes in Asia. They are an important source of food for fish, birds and mammals, and are also used in traditional Asian medicine.
Asian mussels have a wide variety of shapes and sizes, but all have a hard shell that is attached to the substrate by a strong muscular foot. The shell is usually dark brown or black in colour, with a glossy surface. The interior of the shell is lined with a layer of nacre (mother-of-pearl).
The body of an Asian mussel consists of two main parts: the mantle and the visceral mass. The mantle is a thin tissue that covers the internal organs and produces the shell. The visceral mass contains the heart, stomach, intestines and other organs.
Mussels are filter feeders; they draw water into their bodies using their gills, which trap small particles of food such as algae and plankton. Mussels can live for up to 10 years in the wild.
As well as being an important food source for animals, Asian mussels are also used in traditional Chinese medicine. The shells are used to make beads for bracelets and necklaces, which are believed to have medicinal properties. The meat of the mussel is also consumed as a tonic foodstuff or made into soup.