Rafinesque, 1815
Shell elongate, equivalve; inequilateral, beaks at anterior end, terminal or subterminal; rarely almost equilateral. Periostracum usually conspicuous, typically darker than shell, with or without spines. Hinge line without teeth, rarely with small crenulations, continuous with shell margin. Ligament internal, or external in a narrow groove and inconspicuous. Adductor muscle scars unequal, anterior muscle scar reduced. No pallial sinus. Attached by a diffuse, fibrous byssus.
Source: Hayward, 1990.
The following subtaxa of this family occur in the region:
Genus Crenella
Crenella decussata
Genus Idas
Idas simpsoni
Genus Modiolarca
Modiolarca subpicta
Genus Modiolula
Modiolula phaseolina
Genus Modiolus
Modiolus barbatus
Modiolus modiolus
Genus Musculus
Musculus costulatus
Musculus discors
Musculus niger
Genus Mytilus
Mytilus edulis
Mytilus galloprovincialis