Freshwater Mussels?

Hey all,
I am a student studying American freshwater mussels. I live in Massachusetts where unfortunately there are not that many mussels to find. I am looking for people who come across the little (sometime not so little) buggers when outdoors. I would love anyone who finds the muskrat middens on the side of the rivers/lakes (or how ever they come across the mussels) to box up a bunch of paired fellas big and small and send them my way. I am only looking for dead/spent shells, not live ones. I collect and study and write about all the different species. I'm not concered about big or small, the more different ones the better. Anyone who would be able to help me with my studies by just picking up a bunch of the ones you find while fishing would be a HUGE help in my studies. I would certainly compensate you for your effort and of course pay for shipping too. The only requirements would be that you provide matching paired (not single) valves and that they are not totally broken (they don't have to be absolutely perfect with no chips at all, but the cleaner with their natural "skin" the better). I've been trying to make contacts with people across the country that naturally run into mussels while out fishing or hiking that might be able to just pick up shells they come across without it being a big hassle for them. I can't thank enough anyone who would consider assisting me with this project. You can contact me through this site or directly at [EMAIL="[email protected]"][email protected][/EMAIL]. Thank You!!!!! And good fishing!!!
-Kevin

I should be able to help with your efforts. I will get some tomorrow so check your email later in the day on Friday. I usually only find one certain species, which I do not know the name of. How many examples would you like?

I might be able to help too...when it warms up.

The creek I fish in is littered with shells, some bigger then your hand and some have a really cool lavender color on the inside.

On a side note, Ive never seen one alive? How could I find one of those giant ones alive? Id be interested in seeing them!

[QUOTE=JD7.62;350436]I might be able to help too...when it warms up.

The creek I fish in is littered with shells, some bigger then your hand and some have a really cool lavender color on the inside.

On a side note, Ive never seen one alive? How could I find one of those giant ones alive? Id be interested in seeing them![/QUOTE]
_______

Look in the shallow waters along sandbars and gravel beds.

There are huge mussels in the Tombigbee River in AL and they live in the shallow waters along sandbars and gravel beds; I have also seen them in creeks. They are dark color, have an oval shape, and look like huge creek gravel underwater. Their shells open and close similar to oysters and, although I've never tried it, I am told they taste like raw oysters. I've seen people walking along the shallows picking up the mussels and opening them with a knife. They cut the mussel loose from the shell, sprinkle it with either salt or hot sauce and eat it like oyster on the half-shell. It is usually washed down with Jack Daniels or Budweiser. "mussel fil le' drunk." lol I don't think I could get drunk enough to swallow one of those things.

There are "gazillions" of things that look like zebra mussels in the Holston River in TN. I guess that's what they are called, they're about the size of a quarter, black with white stripes on the shells. I'm not sure but I think it may be the same type of mussels that are blocking intakes of city water supplies in some cities. Have heard those little buggers will hitch rides on boats and other watercraft but I don't know if that's true. Some birds like cranes, herron, and other waterfoul eat them.

hello the donger,
pm sent.
-thanks, Kevin

[quote=JD7.62;350436]I might be able to help too...when it warms up.

The creek I fish in is littered with shells, some bigger then your hand and some have a really cool lavender color on the inside.

On a side note, Ive never seen one alive? How could I find one of those giant ones alive? Id be interested in seeing them![/quote]


Hello JD7,
those are definitely native freshwater mussels and I would love if you could send some my way when it warms up. If you are finding the shells everywhere then the live ones are probably right there too (or very close by). Native pearly mussels tend not to live in really deep water. And even when they do, they usually live throughout the shallow banks as well. Like most animals, they do their best to hide by blending in. They will be covered just like rocks with the mud/sand and algae. They can be completely buried with just their siphons revealing their presence at the surface or partially sticking out of the ground. In the area you find the dead shells, look in the nearby water with a face mask or glass bottom bucket and chances are you will see a bunch of them sticking up out of the bottom like little elongated pointy rocks. Its a good sign if there are a lot of them where you fish. This means the water is relatively healthy, and thats good for the fish you eat too! Let me know if you find some shells for me. It would be a huge help in my studies.
-Thanks again, Kevin

Kevin Czaja
37 Dracut Street
Dorchester, MA 02124

Well, I am saddened to hear that zebra mussels are in the Holsten River. I've read reports on the excellent native mussels that occur in that river, and zebra mussels do nothing better than squeeze out and smother native species. Its a crazy problem in the Great Lakes (not just for mussels but for everything including us). They spread like wildfire clogging and smothering everything in their path.

I figured now that this thread is getting attention and I've found kind people willing to help me, I should probably post a quick tutorial on the only 2 bivalves that I don't study that might be confused with the native freshwater mussels I do study. The first is the Asian clam (pic below). It rarely grows larger than 1 inch and does not have the tell tale pearly inside like our many native mussels. The second I do not study is the zebra mussel. This clam rarely reaches a inch in size and hasn't spread across America as far and wide as the previous invasive species from Asia (thank god!). Where its found, its a huge nuisance. Pretty much, if you find a mussel that is larger than a inch and pearly inside, its definitely a native mussel.

Here is examples of the Asian Clam:
[IMG]http://elrincondelmalacologo.iespana.es/Repetidas/Agua%20dulce/Corbicula%20fluminea.jpg[/IMG]


Here is zebra mussels:

[IMG]http://fl.biology.usgs.gov/Nonindigenous_Species/Zebra_mussel_FAQs/zm3.jpg[/IMG]
Here is a really nice pile of our native mussels:

[IMG]http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/virginia/images/va_protect_20.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://filebox.vt.edu/users/guyot/images/mussel/barhardt_mussels.jpg[/IMG]

After seeing those pictures, I'm not sure the mussels in Holston River are zebra mussels. These are black with white vertical stripes; maybe they are native to that river. I noted the pictures you posted were tan with brown horizontal stripes and the shape seemed different.

[quote=bassin_bug;350751]After seeing those pictures, I'm not sure the mussels in Holston River are zebra mussels. These are black with white vertical stripes; maybe they are native to that river. I noted the pictures you posted were tan with brown horizontal stripes and the shape seemed different.[/quote]

Hopefully they are not zebras. There are a few native mussels that are as small as a quarter (like the lilliput), but they usually grow bigger. I actually kind of curious what bivalve you are referring to? Can you take a digital photo and post it?

I was going through the replies today and I realized my tutorial above about the differences between invasive Asian Clams/Zebra mussels and the native pearly mussels I study has links that don't work. :confused: That's no good! Below are links that do work: :)

Here is examples of the Asian Clam:
[URL]http://www.europe-aliens.org/images/LimitedSize/240_58_1_Spp_Corbicula.jpg[/URL]

[URL]http://www.malacsoc.org.uk/The_Malacologist/BULL49/images/Corbicula_fluminea.jpg[/URL]


Here is zebra mussels:

[URL]http://www.fishingireland.net/environment/images/zebramussels.jpg[/URL]

Here is a really nice pile of our nativemussels:

[U][URL]http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/virginia/images/va_protect_20.jpg[/URL][/U]
[U][URL]http://filebox.vt.edu/users/guyot/images/mussel/barhardt_mussels.jpg[/URL][/U]

Hello JD7.62,
well, since I don't know exactly where you are posting from, I don't know if things have warmed up enough in your area to get out fishing. I know now that the ice has melted in Massachusetts, the fishing has certainly gotten under way in these parts. If you get a chance to find any of those mussels you described from the creek (or anywhere else), I would still be very interested! I hope all is well with you! :)
-Take care, Kevin



[quote=JD7.62;350436]I might be able to help too...when it warms up.

The creek I fish in is littered with shells, some bigger then your hand and some have a really cool lavender color on the inside.

On a side note, Ive never seen one alive? How could I find one of those giant ones alive? Id be interested in seeing them![/quote]