page_title: Lithophaga lithophaga
section_title: Habitat and biology
hierarchical_section_title: Lithophaga lithophaga / Habitat and biology
caption_attribution_description: English: A shell of Lithophaga lithophaga on display at Museo di Storia Naturale di Pavia
context_page_description: Lithophaga lithophaga, also known as date shell or date mussel, is a species of Bivalvia belonging to the family Mytilidae.
context_section_description: These bivalves live mainly in the area battered by the waves, but they can reach depths of 125 to 200 m. They bore into marine rocks, producing a boring called Gastrochaenolites. Their growth is very slow, and to reach the 5 cm length, they require 15 to 35 years. They feed on plankton, algae and debris by filtering them from the water. They reach the sexual maturity after about two years. The number of eggs that are released in a season reach about 120,000 to about 4.5 million. The fertilization takes place in the open water.
caption: A shell of Lithophaga lithophaga
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