Morphological featuresThe mussel body is synthesized by 2 completely symmetrical shell flaps, slightly elliptical in shape. The ventral margin is curved. There is a raised shell apex near the dorsal side of the flap shell. There is a ligament on the posterior edge of the shell top, which connects the flap shells to each other. Around the top of the shell there are a number of concentric lines, known as growth lines, indicating the age of the mussel growth. The surface of the shell is blackish green. The pearl layer on the inner surface of the shell is flesh-white, extremely bright and iridescent. The top surface of the shell of the old body peeling, often white.

Mussels are widely distributed in rivers, lakes, reservoirs, ponds and rice paddies and other bodies of water, usually living in the sediment underwater. In the natural state, only the back end of the body of the mussels from the sediment exposed, inlet and outlet pipes are often open, in order to maintain the body of the water flow, to maintain the normal conduct of life activities. Mussels usually live in shallow water in groups in patches or bands, preferring flowing, clean, fertile water. In the large rivers in small numbers, only in the shallow waters of the distribution of the bay. There are not many types of mussels in ponds, but the number is large, while the number in paddy fields is smaller.

Mussels are generally suitable for living in neutral or weakly acidic or alkaline water, but different species have different requirements. Dorsal hornless mussels and pleated crown mussels can live between pH 5~9; while triangular sail mussels often need to be stabilized in water of pH 7~8. Mussels do not require high dissolved oxygen, the low limit is about 3 mg / liter, but if the long-term lower than this limit, the mussels will die in large numbers. Mussels drought resistance is strong, generally buried in the soil mussels, drought half a month or so will not die, but exposed to the air, especially in summer under the hot sun, a few hours will die.

The mussel's movement ability is very weak, mainly by the axe foot in the mud and sand underwater slowly plow line. Movement of the mussel body shallow buried in the sediment, stretching out the axe foot forward into the sediment, a lot of blood congestion so that the axe foot expansion and mucus attached to the sediment, and then muscle contraction traction mussel body sliding forward a few centimeters. Mussels are mostly active at night, rare during the day, but also often active on cloudy days.