Freshwater Mussels?

[KMC]

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.

[KMC]

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:
http://elrincondelmalacologo.iespana...20fluminea.jpg


Here is zebra mussels:

http://fl.biology.usgs.gov/Nonindige...l_FAQs/zm3.jpg
Here is a really nice pile of our native mussels:

http://www.nature.org/wherewework/no...protect_20.jpghttp://filebox.vt.edu/users/guyot/im...dt_mussels.jpg

[bassin_bug]

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.

[KMC]

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.

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?