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Scioto
River
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P. O. Box 1501 |
| MISSION: To preserve and protect the Scioto River for future generations | ||
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MollusksBased on their shells, mollusks can be divided into two groups - bivalves and Mussel Life HistoryFreshwater mussels are the aquatic champions. They depend on fish to become
adults. After becoming fertilized, female mussels hold their young (glochidia)
before expelling them to attach to a suitable fish host to MusselsMussels filter the water and convert microscopic plants and bacteria to animal
matter. They are an important food source for muskrats, fish and other
wildlife. All mussels in Ohio are legally protected so populations can recover
from serious declines caused by dams, pollution, and the spread of harmful Fingernail ClamsFingernail clams are generally less than an inch in length and are an important food for a variety of stream wildlife. Ohio has 30 species of fingernail clams. Snails and LimpetsSnails and limpets are usually less than an inch in length. They are most common in shallow water where they graze over rocks and surface feed on diatoms and other aquatic plants. Snail predators include fish, salamanders, turtles, ducks and even some species of insects and leeches. Most snails lay eggs in masses of protecting jelly on stones and plants, however, some bear their young alive. Ohio has over 100 species of aquatic snails.
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univalves. Mussels with two similar shells are bivalves. Snails are univalves
because they have one large shell that protects most of the animal. Mollusks
have no head or eyes and move about by extending a muscular foot.
complete
the next step of their life cycle. Once the young mussel transforms into a
juvenile mussel, it breaks out of the capsule and falls to the bottom of the
stream to live the remainder of its life. Some mussels can life for more than
70 years!
non-native species. Mussels range in size from as large as a dinner plate to
less than an inch in length. They feed by filtering microscopic algae out of
the water. Pigtoes, wartybacks, papershells and heelsplitters are a few of the
descriptive names of more than 75 species of Ohio mussels.
P. O. Box 1501