Prevalence and effects of a parasitic trematode on the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, in the Boston Harbor.

The blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, is a keystone species in the North Atlantic that plays critical roles in nutrient cycling, water filtration, and habitat creation. Blue mussel populations have declined significantly throughout the North Atlantic due to various factors, including habitat loss, pollution, increasing water temperature, and parasites. One parasite is Proctoeces maculatus, a digenetic trematode, which uses M.