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Topic: Freshwater mussel

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	Pacific Northwest Native Freshwater Mussel Workgroup
		The status of the seven species of freshwater mussels native to the Pacific Northwest has received very little attention, despite the fact that freshwater mussels are considered to be the most endangered group of animals in North America.
		On February 19, 2003, a workshop on freshwater mussels was held in Vancouver, Washington that consisted of presented papers and a panel discussion.
		The purpose of the workshop was to initiate discussion on the regional population status of freshwater mussels.
	www.fws.gov /columbiariver/musselwg.htm (155 words)

	Mussels
		A conspicuous organism in the benthos of the Connecticut River is the freshwater mussel.
		The gross anatomy of North American freshwater mussels is characterized by the presence of an anterior adductor muscle (AA), a posterior adductor muscle (PA), a labial palp (P) for transporting food to the mouth, and a large muscular foot (F) which is used for digging and anchorage.
		The Unionidae are characterized by the possession of gill septa in the demibranchs and a complex diaphragm.
	www.bio.umass.edu /biology/conn.river/fwmussel.html (640 words)

	mussel. The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-05
		Mussels are able to move slowly by means of the muscular foot.
		Freshwater mussels are chiefly of two kinds: the large, dark-shelled burrowing mussels, a source of pearls and of mother-of-pearl; and the tiny “fingernail clams” found on the bottoms of clear pools and brooks.
		Freshwater mussels (family Unionidae), sometimes called clams, pass through a parasitic larval state, living on the fins, gills, and bodies of fishes.
	www.bartleby.com /65/mu/mussel.html (311 words)

	West Virginia DNR - Freshwater Mussels (Site not responding. Last check: )
		Mussels live in a variety of aquatic habitats, but all require areas where the running water has a high oxygen content and supplies a rich food source of organic particles and micro- organisms (single-celled animals, bacteria and diatoms).
		Mussel shells are composed of 3 layers, the outer two being formed by glands at the edge of the mantle, and the inner, pearly iridescent or nacre layer is secreted by the entire mantle surface.
		Because freshwater mussels are filter feeders, often dependent on one species of fish for reproduction, and are basically sedentary and quite long lived, they are adversely affected by long-range water quality problems (pollution), physical barriers such as dams and locks, and changes in the abundance of fish, algae and other microorganisms.
	www.wvdnr.gov /Wildlife/Mussels.shtm (1276 words)

	COA :: North American Freshwater Mussels - part1
		Many states that have allowed commercial harvesting of mussels may have had their stocks depleted past the point of profitability to the industry, and some harvesters are forced to find other sources for mussels.
		The zebra mussel was found in the Detroit River in 1988, apparently the result of a cargo ship emptying ballast water it had taken on in Europe -- along with planktonic zebra mussel larvae.
		Freshwater mussels are one of North America's main claims to fame in terms of natural history.
	www.conchologistsofamerica.org /articles/y1994/9406_watters.asp (2277 words)

	Help Save America's Pearly Mussels
		Freshwater mussels are similar in appearance to their saltwater cousins--the oysters and clams -- from which they have originated.
		Freshwater mussels are found living on the bottoms of lakes and streams throughout the world.
		Mussels are directly killed when they are crushed or removed from the stream channel, as dredging for stream gravel and sand or channeling to straighten streams occur.
	www.ext.vt.edu /pubs/fisheries/420-014/420-014.html (3576 words)

	MUSSEL Project \| Home
		The MUSSEL Project (MUSSELp, for short) is an on-going study aimed at the global revision of the classification of the Unionoida, otherwise known as freshwater mussels.
		Preliminary Reevaluation of the Freshwater Mussels (Bivalvia: Unionoida) of the Congo Region, Africa.
		Freshwater Mussels (Bivalvia: Unionoida) of the Angola Region.
	clade.acnatsci.org /mussel (447 words)

	Statewide Mussel Survey - Division of Ecological: Minnesota DNR (Site not responding. Last check: )
		Freshwater mussels, commonly called clams, occur throughout the world, but reach their greatest diversity in North America, where about 300 species are found.
		Freshwater mussels are important components of aquatic ecosystems and are increasingly being regarded as the aquatic "canaries in the coal mine".
		Mussels are primarily sedentary in nature and often spend their entire life in a small area of the stream bed, filtering food and oxygen from the water.
	www.dnr.state.mn.us /ecological_services/nhnrp/mussel_survey/index.html (1491 words)

	Mussel Biodiversity
		The freshwater mussel (Mollusca, Bivalvia, Unionidae) fauna of North American rivers and streams is the most diverse in the world, but is highly threatened and declining at an alarming rate.
		The Oklahoma Biological survey is surveying freshwater mussels, and the macroinvertebrate fauna associated with assemblages of mussels, in rivers throughout the Ouachita Mountains Physiographic Subprovince in central and western Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma, U.S. with funding from the Biotic Surveys and Inventories Program of the National Science Foundation.
		Mussel and benthic macroinvertebrate voucher specimens are being deposited in appropriate museums and mussel tissue samples are being deposited with the U.S.G.S. Leetown Science Center genetic tissue repository and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Heart of the Hills Research Station.
	www.biosurvey.ou.edu /mussel.html (641 words)

	Mussels - What is a Frehwater Mussel
		Freshwater mussels are members of one of the largest groups of animals on the planet – the phylum Mollusca.
		Freshwater mussels are sessile filter feeders that burrow into the substratum via a large muscular foot that can also be used for rudimentary locomotion; generally, most bivalves spend their entire lives in a small area (Pearse and others 1987).
		Mussels are sexually dimorphic and must live as an ectoparasite for at least part of their life cycle.
	el.erdc.usace.army.mil /mussels/freshwater.html (558 words)

	North Carolina Mussel Atlas
		The glochidia of most freshwater mussels are obligate parasites of fish.
		Some mussel species completely release the conglutinate, and it drifts into the water column or onto the substrate, looking much like a worm or insect, where it is "eaten" by the fish host.
		The freshwater biovalve Mollusca (Unionidae, Sphaeriidae, Corbiculidae) of the Savannah River Plant, South Carolina.
	www.ncwildlife.org /pg07_WildlifeSpeciesCon/pg7b1a.htm (1271 words)

	Young Naturalists: Mussels - Minnesota Conservation Volunteer: Minnesota DNR
		As their names suggest, mussels can be eye-catching, yet they remain unfamiliar to most people because they spend their lives partially buried in river and lake bottoms, where they can be mistaken for rocks.
		Freshwater mussels and clams are both bivalve mollusks, but they differ in important ways.
		Mussels prefer streams, rivers, and lakes with wind-driven currents because the flowing waters help bring in food particles and oxygen and carry away wastes.
	www.dnr.state.mn.us /young_naturalists/mussels/index.html (1762 words)

	1029 Freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera - SAC selection species account
		The freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera population, which is estimated to have a minimum number of 10,000 individuals, is confined to 6 km of undisturbed river channel in the middle section of the river.
		Freshwater pearl mussels Margaritifera margaritifera are plentiful in the Moidart, from Loch nan Lochan downstream.
		Pearl mussels are present from downstream of a hydro-electric dam to the confluence with Loch Ness.
	www.jncc.gov.uk /ProtectedSites/SACselection/species.asp?FeatureIntCode=S1029 (2180 words)

	Background information on the Freshwater mussels
		Freshwater mussels are considered to be "environmental monitors" of rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes.
		Since freshwater mussels are towards the bottom of the food chain, toxic chemical spills, chemical runoff from fields, and other chemical pollutants will be present within their tissue.
		Predation of the polluted freshwater mussels could eventually lead to biomagnification of the pollutant within the predator thus leading to the death of the predator.
	www.marietta.edu /~biol/mussels/backgrnd.html (832 words)

	Freshwater Mussel Rearing
		Freshwater mussels (unionidae) have been considered one of the most sensitive faunal groups to enrichment from sewage treatment plant effluents, as well as domestic and agricultural runoff (Goudrea et al, 1993; Strayer, 1993; Michaelson and Neves, 1195).
		To assess the stamina of mussels during their impending relocation as a result of mass cultivation a study was performed by Waller, et al on a section of the upper Mississippi during 1992 and 1993.
		Quantitatively assess the feasibility of restocking diminished freshwater mussel populations with mesocosm reared juveniles.
	www.fred.net /acepoff/mussel/mussel.html (3762 words)

	Freshwater Mussel Surveys
		Although freshwater mussels are most diverse in North America, where there are 281 species and 16 subspecies, they are among the most rapidly declining animal groups on the continent.
		Freshwater mussel extinctions and declines can be attributed to several factors, including habitat degradation, construction of dams and subsequent loss of host fishes, and expansion of exotic mollusks such as the zebra mussel and Asian clam.
		Freshwater mussels, or pearly mussels as they are sometimes called, are among the oldest living organisms on Earth.
	www.state.nj.us /dep/fgw/mussels.htm (604 words)

	EEK! - Critter Corner - Freshwater Mussel
		Freshwater mussels have a hard and strong shell that helps protect them from predators such as birds, raccoons, and turtles.
		Small pieces of freshwater mussel shells are sent overseas where they are inserted into oysters as the ‘seeds’ that will become cultured pearls.
		In the Mississippi River, native mussel populations have declined greatly due to harvesting, as well as the introduction of exotic zebra mussels.
	www.dnr.state.wi.us /org/caer/ce/eek/critter/watercritter/mussel.htm (245 words)

	VDGIF > Wildlife > Freshwater Mussels
		Freshwater mussels are mollusks and are similar to their marine clam and oyster cousins.
		It is estimated that 70 percent of the mussel fauna in the U.S. is in peril.
		Adult mussels are housed in round tanks containing a mix of gravel and pebble similar to that found on the stream bottom.
	www.dgif.state.va.us /wildlife/freshwater_mussels.html (1339 words)

	McClung Museum - Tennessee Freshwater Mussels
		Background illustrations depict the life cycle of a freshwater mussel, from the larvae (glochidia) being expelled into the water by the female mussel, and their parasitic stage on the gills of a fish, to the free-living stage on the bottom of a lake or river.
		Literally millions of freshwater mussels were gathered by the prehistoric aboriginal peoples who lived along the major rivers in Tennessee.
		During historic times, freshwater mussels were harvested for their shells, which were used in the manufacture of pearl buttons and later (after 1950) in the cultured pearl industry.
	mcclungmuseum.utk.edu /permex/mussels/mussels.htm (365 words)

	USFWS - Freshwater Mussels of the Upper Mississippi River System - Teacher Resources - Life Cycle of a Freshwater Mussel
		Students are guided through the life cycle of a freshwater mussel.
		Many mussels are "host specific" in that their glochidia can only survive on a specific species of fish.
		Mussel beds are often located in areas inhabited by a wide variety of fish species.
	www.fws.gov /Midwest/mussel/teacher/life_cycle.html (488 words)

	Missouri's Freshwater Mussels
		Mussels are biological indicators of water quality because they are long-lived and relatively immobile, and they accumulate contaminants present in water and sediment that can be scientifically analyzed.
		Freshwater mussels have a complex life cycle in which the larval stage is parasitic on a host, typically a fish.
		Mussels can close their shells to avoid temporary slugs of pollutants coming downstream, but eventually they have to open up to breathe and feed, so long-term water quality problems in a watershed will eventually kill them.
	www.mdc.mo.gov /conmag/1999/08/40.htm (2107 words)

	Dwarf Wedge Mussel Fact Sheet (Site not responding. Last check: )
		The dwarf wedge mussel is a small freshwater mussel that rarely exceeds 1.5 inches (38 mm) in length.
		The dwarf wedge mussel is sexually dimorphic, with separate sexes, unlike some mussels which are hermaphroditic, with individuals having both male and female reproductive organs.
		Dwarf wedge mussels appear to select or are at least tolerant of relatively low levels of calcium in the water.
	www.dec.state.ny.us /website/dfwmr/wildlife/endspec/dwmufs.html (689 words)

	Freshwater Mussel Restoration
		Monies from this fund are to be used to "plan, perform, monitor and oversee native, freshwater mussel restoration projects with in the Clinch River watershed" over a 12-year period.
		Mussels were released into an area with gentle flow and gravel substrate where they quickly burrowed into the river bottom.
		Freshwater mussel species released on June 17, 2005 in the Clinch River, Cedar Bluff, Tazewell County, Virginia.
	www.dgif.state.va.us /awcc/freshwater-mussel-restoration.asp (730 words)

	morph (Site not responding. Last check: )
		Freshwater mussels are sometimes called "two shelled " or bivalves (bi-valve).
		As the freshwater mussel grows it makes the shell bigger, so it never has to look for a new home.
		A freshwater mussel has a tooth on the inside of each shell or valve.
	www.uvm.edu /~pass/tignor/mussels/morph.htm (291 words)

	Freshwater pearl mussel
		The fresh water pearl mussel is an endangared species not only in Latvia, but also in the main part of the distribution area of this species globally.
		The freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera L. is included in the Bern Convention (Appendix III) the EU directive 92/43/EEC (II and V Appendices), since 1985, listed as a Category I species in the Latvian Red Data Book and included in the State list of protected animals since 1957.
		So, mussels are able to reproduce, and the main factor for population obsolescence is mortality of youngsters due to unsuitable living conditions.
	www.ldf.lv /pub/?doc_id=27971 (954 words)

	Gemstones - Pearls
		Freshwater pearls are noted for their wide range of color, they can be found in white, silvery white, pink, salmon, red, copper, bronze, brown, lavender, purple, green, blue, cream, and yellow.
		The shape of the nucleus and its position in the mussel determines the shape of the cultured pearl.
		Freshwater shell and pearl mussels are from the family Unionidae, from which about 20 different species are commercially harvested.
	minerals.usgs.gov /minerals/pubs/commodity/gemstones/sp14-95/pearls.html (1134 words)

	TPWD: Texas Mussel Watch -- Introduction
		Freshwater mussels are one of the most imperiled groups of animals in the U.S. Texas hosts more than 50 species of native freshwater mussels.
		Because scientists have only recently become aware of the severe decline in mussel populations, some species may have become extinct before their decline was even documented.
		Texas Mussel Watch is one of several projects offered by Texas Nature Trackers, a program of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department that invites "citizen scientists" to get involved in real research to provide needed data about species of concern.
	www.tpwd.state.tx.us /learning/texas_nature_trackers/mussel (219 words)

	Alaska Natural Heritage Program - Zoology Home Page
		Available literature and specimen data indicate that as many as four species of freshwater mussels may inhabit Alaskan rivers and lakes, but little is known about native mussel species distribution, and virtually nothing is known about non-native mollusk occurrence or distribution.
		Freshwater mussels are good indicators of environmental conditions because they are long lived, they bio-concentrate contaminants, and they are sensitive to changes in environmental conditions.
		Most freshwater mussel larvae are obligate parasites of specific host fish, so their existence is closely tied to certain fish populations.
	aknhp.uaa.alaska.edu /mussels/Mussels_Home.htm (302 words)

	Freshwater Clams and Mussels
		These bivalves fall under two main categories: the unionid clams that are commonly referred to as freshwater mussels, and the "fingernail clams," named for their small size and appearance.
		Many of the the species of freshwater mussels and clams found in New England are commonly found throughout the freshwater drainages of the eastern seaboard of the United States and Canada.
		Zebra mussels, Dreissena polymorpha, are different from the native bivalves and the Asian clam in that they tend to settle on and encrust hard surfaces, such as rocks or man-made structures, by adhesive threads called byssal fibers.
	seagrant.gso.uri.edu /factsheets/clams_fs.html (841 words)

	Freshwater mussel decline linked to ancient corn growing
		Worldwide, freshwater mussels have proven to be susceptible to human disturbance, and they are the most endangered group of organisms in North America, say Haag and Warren.
		Among freshwater mussels, members of the genus Epioblasma, known as riffleshells, are the most endangered.
		The researchers found that the relative abundance of riffleshell mussels in the rivers they studied declined gradually during the period between 5,000 and 1,000 years ago and the decline accelerated during the period between 1,000 and 500 years ago, when thousands of acres of land were cleared for farming.
	www.newfarm.org /news/2005/0605/061005/mussel.shtml (669 words)

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