Divers have discovered an extremely rare giant mussel, described as a fan mussel, on the seabed off Valentia Island in County Kerry, near the coast. Reports say the species is among the largest and rarest bivalve molluscs in Europe and is considered critically endangered.
The discovery is credited to divers from Sea Synergy, who found the animal in the marine area near Valentia. Both outlets frame the find as significant for conservation, given the mussel’s very limited presence and threatened status in Europe. While one account characterises the species as “critically endangered” and “extremely rare,” the other emphasises that it is endangered and threatened, but both agree on the location and the nature of the species discovered.
The reports focus on the initial discovery and the rarity of the mussel, without detailing further information such as population size, exact coordinates, or immediate follow-up actions.
