About Trichomya hirsuta (Lamarck, 1819)
The hairy mussel, Trichomya hirsuta (Lamarck, 1819), grows to a length of about 55 millimetres (2.2 in). The lower valve of its shell is covered densely with short hairs. This species is found around the coasts of Tasmania, and along the southern and eastern coasts of Australia as far north as Cairns. It inhabits exposed reefs, rocky areas, and areas with seaweed in the intertidal and subtidal zones, and attaches itself to hard surfaces using its byssus threads. It is an important part of seabed fauna, where it forms dense beds of tangled material that create habitat for other species.
