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orth America’s tremendous richness of pearly freshwater mussels is unique. Numbered profile drawings, grouped as COMMERCIAL THREATENED/ This poster was made possible by: Kspeeciymens are shown above, correspond to 1. Amblema plicata , threeridge 16. Cyclonaias tuberculata , purple wartyback NBiologists have identified nearly 300 species of mussels living in our streams numbered species names. Mussels are not shown 2. Fusconaia flava , Wabash pigtoe 17. stegaria , fanshell 18. Ellipsaria lineolata , butterfly in equal proportion to actual size. Photographs 3. Megalonaias nervosa , washboard Illinois Department of and lakes. Freshwater mussels are bivalved mollusks with two hard outer shells 19. Elliptio dilatata , spike by Kevin S. Cummings; except Ptychobranchus 4. quadrula , mapleleaf 20. triquetra , snuffbox Natural Resources and soft tissues inside. Prehistoric American Indians ate the soft tissues and used fasciolaris by Robert E. Warren. 21. fasciola , wavy-rayed lampmussel Division of Education COMMON SPECIES 22. cyphyus , sheepnose the lustrous shells for making tools and ornaments. Historically, the shells have 1 Illinois State Museum 2 3 5. Lampsilis cardium , plain pocketbook 23. clava , clubshell been prized as raw material for manufacturing buttons and are currently used in 6. Obliquaria reflexa , threehorn wartyback 24. Ptychobranchus fasciolaris , kidneyshell 4 8 25. Quadrula cylindrica , rabbitsfoot 5 6 7 7. Quadrula pustulosa , pimpleback the production of cultured pearls. 26. Villosa iris, rainbow 8. Truncilla donaciformis, fawnsfoot 9 10 11 12 13 9. Truncilla truncata , deertoe EXTINCT SPECIES 27. , leafshell Many mussels are sensitive to changes in their environment. Populations of mus - 10. Utterbackia imbecillis , paper pondshell 14 28. , round combshell Illinois Department 15 16 sels have declined alarmingly in recent decades because of siltation , pollution, and 17 18 29. , Tennessee riffleshell of Transportation UNCOMMON/RARE SPECIES competition from exotic mollusks like the . Of the 80 mussel species 20 30. , tubercled blossom 19 21 22 11. Alasmidonta marginata , elktoe 23 INTRODUCED * SPECIES native to Illinois, more than half are currently threatened , endangered , extirpat - 12. Lampsilis teres , yellow sandshell 25 31. Dreissena polymorpha , zebra mussels (attached Text: Robert E. Warren, Illinois State Museum 24 ed , or extinct . We can protect mussels and other aquatic wildlife by cleaning up 26 27 13. Quadrula metanevra , monkeyface to alatus , pink heelsplitter) Kevin S. Cummings, Illinois Natural History Survey 29 14. Tritogonia verrucosa , pistolgrip 32. Corbicula fluminea , Asian clam our streams and lakes to create healthy where these can thrive. 28 31 30 32 15. Venustaconcha ellipsiformis , ellipse *See glossar y. Design: Illinois State Museum Freshwater mussels are mem - Freshwater mussels have an Freshwater mussels are commercial - bers of the Phylum , elaborate reproductive sys - ly important. Beginning in 1891, Class , and Order tem. This system not only mussels were harvested to manufac - Unionoida. They have a soft provides a way for mussels to ture shell buttons for clothing. inner body and hard outer generate offspring; it also Many towns along the Mississippi shells consisting of two valves, helps each species increase its and Illinois rivers had button facto - one on the left side and one range. Mussels generally have ries or buying stations where mus - on the right side. The shells separate sexes (male and selors sold their shells. The shell- are joined by an elastic liga - female). However, some mus - button industry thrived until the ment that stretches across a sels are hermaphrodites , in 1940s, when plastic replaced shell hinge at the top (dorsal mar - which each individual has as the preferred raw material for buttons. In the early days, no one attempted to gin). The shells of different both male and female repro - manage or control the mussel harvest, and many of the mussel “beds” were severely species vary in size, shape, ductive organs in its body. depleted or destroyed. thickness, color, and in the During spawning , males presence or absence of sculp - release sperm into the water. Mussel harvesting resumed in the 1960s to provide the shell implant or “nucleus” for turing (ridges or bumps) on The sperm are drawn inside a producing cultured pearls. Harvesting continues in the and some of the outer surface. The struc - female’s shell, where they fertilize eggs in her body. The fertilized eggs develop into its tributaries. Over seven-million pounds of mussels, valued at more than six-million ture of the hinge also differs. larvae (glochidia ) and are stored for a time in the female’s gills. When the glochidia dollars, were harvested in 1990. No one knows if mussels can survive at current harvest - Some species have interlock - mature, the female generally expels them into the water where they must attach them - ing rates. Several states in the Midwest are developing new, uniform harvest regulations ing “teeth” ( pseudocardinal selves as parasites to the gills or fins of fishes. In some species, part of the female’s man - to better manage this important natural resource. and lateral teeth) that ensure tle resembles a swimming minnow that lures potential host fish and increases the proper alignment of the chance that her larvae will attach to a suitable fish and survive. Larvae remain on the valves. In other species the hinge teeth are reduced or absent. host fish for a period of weeks or months. During this time the larvae metamorphose ILLUSTRATIONS and develop adult organs and structures. Young mussels then detach from their hosts Above: “Mussel fishing on the Illinois River, Pearl, ILL.” (photo courtesy of Marshall Mussels’ soft tissues include an enveloping mantle that secretes the shell, a single and drop to the bottom of the body of water. Thanks to the swimming fish, they may County Historical Society). large foot for moving short distances, and adductor muscles for keeping the valves now be far away from their parents. Below left: Drilled yellow sandshell mussel ( Lampsilis teres ) and button blanks, and tightly closed. Mussels also have two pairs of multipurpose gills. The gills are used buttons (photo by R. E. Warren, Illinois State Museum). for respiration, for moving microscopic food particles to the ’s mouth, and Mature mussels spend most of their lives, which range from 10 to 100 years, partially Below right: Cultured pearl necklace (photo by R. E. Warren, Illinois State also for housing and nourishing mussel larvae (glochidia ) in females. or wholly buried in the bottoms of streams and lakes. Mussels often have specialized Museum). preferences. Many species cannot live in muddy streams with excess amounts ILLUSTRATIONS of silt. Above: Medial and lateral views of a mapleleaf mussel ILLUSTRATIONS ( ) Above: Generalized life cycle of showing the anatomical freshwater mussels (from features of the shell (from Cummings and Mayer 1992: 2). Cummings and Mayer Right: Mantle-flap lure of pocket - 1992: 7). book mussel ( Lampsilis ovata ; from Right: Soft-tissue anatomy Stolzenburg 1992:21; photo by (from Burch 1973: 7). Richard J. Neves).

Historically, Illinois had as many as 80 mussel species in its rich network of streams and bivalve mollusk with a shell made of two hinged valves lakes. However, recent stream surveys in Illinois and throughout the United States have documented drastic declines in channelization the straightening and/or deepening of a river channel mussel populations. Today mussels endangered a species faced with the danger of may be the most endangered group of animals in North America. Of extinct a species that no longer exists the 80 species that once lived in Illinois waters, only 59 have been extirpated a species that has been eliminated from a particular area found in the state since 1970. but still exists somewhere else Eleven of the remaining 59 species are now known from only a single exotic from another part of the world; foreign river system or population, and glochidium the larva of a freshwater mussel (Superfamily Unionoidea) they may disappear by the end of that generally lives as a temporary parasite on a host fish the next decade. Illinois hermaphrodite an animal or plant normally having both male and Many factors are responsible for the female reproductive organs decline of freshwater mussels, including siltation , pollution, loss introduced brought in and established in a new place or surroundings of habitat, channelization of streams, and competition from larva the newly hatched, immature form of an animal that exotic species like the zebra mussel undergoes metamorphosis , differing markedly in form (Dreissena polymorpha ). or appearance from the adult

ILLUSTRATIONS metamorphosis a marked change in the form or structure of an animal Above: Bar chart of percent occurring after birth or hatching (vt. metamorphose ) decline of species diversity in mollusk soft-bodied animal with a muscular head and foot and a selected Illinois streams (data from Illinois Natural History Survey). mantle, which usually secretes a protective shell Right: Base map of streams in parasite an organism that grows, feeds, and is sheltered on or in Illinois (from Smith 1979: xvi). a different organism (host) while contributing nothing Below: Colony of zebra mussels to the survival of the host attached to a pink heelsplitter (Potamilus alatus) (photo by Kevin S. pseudocardinal teeth structures resembling teeth used in some species to hold Cummings). the shell together siltation deposition of fine mineral particles (silt) on the beds of streams or lakes spawn to deposit sperm or eggs directly into the water threatened a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future

General References Illinois References More information is available about freshwater mussels in Illinois. The Illinois Department of Natural Baker, F. C. 1928. The fresh water Mollusca of Wisconsin, Part II, Pelecypoda. Bulletin Resources’ (IDNR) Division of Fisheries regulates commercial mussel harvest in the state and licenses of the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey 70(2): i–vi + 1–495. commercial mussel collectors and shell dealers. Staff members at the Illinois Natural History Survey Baker, F. C. 1898. The Mollusca of the Chicago area, Part I: The Pelecypoda. Bulletin University of Wisconsin, Madison. (INHS) study current mussel populations in the state and maintain a large research collection of mol - of the Chicago Academy of Science 3(1): 1–130 + 27 plates. Burch, J. B. 1975. Freshwater unionacean clams (Mollusca: Pelecypoda) of North America . lusks. The INHS also maintains a field station for their Long-Term Resource Monitoring Program that is studying the impact of zebra mussels ( Dreissena polymorpha ) in the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. Staff Baker, F. C. 1906. A catalogue of the Mollusca of Illinois. Bulletin of the Illinois State Malacological Publications, Hamburg, Michigan. xviii + 204 pp. at the Illinois State Museum (ISM) study ancient mussel assemblages from archaeological and geologi - Laboratory of Natural History 7(6): 53–136 + 1 map. Cicerello, R. R., and G. A. Schuster. 2003. A guide to the freshwater mussels of cal sites and maintain a shell collection as part of the Landscape History Program. The ISM also pro - . Scientific and Technical Series Number 7. Kentucky State Nature Cummings, K. S. 1991. The aquatic Mollusca of Illinois. In Our living heritage: the vides tours and educational services through the Education Section. The IDNR Division of Education Preserves Commission, Frankfort, Kentucky. biological resources of Illinois, edited by L. M. Page, and M. R. Jeffords, pp. has aquatic educational materials available for use by teachers, including the Aquatic Illinois resources 429–439. Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin 34(4): 357–477. Cummings, K. S., and D. L. Graf. 2009. Mollusca: Bivalvia. In Ecology and classifica - trunk. Visit http://dnr.state.il.us/education for more information. Publications may be ordered through tion of North American freshwater invertebrates , edited by J. H. Thorp and A. P. the order form at http://dnr.state.il.us/teachkids. Cummings, K. S. 1995. Illinois’ most endangered species. The Illinois Steward 4(1): 6–8 . Covich. Third Edition. Academic Press, Inc., New York.

Cummings, K. S., and C. A. Mayer. 1992. Field guide to freshwater mussels of the Nalepa, T. F., and D. W. Schloesser (editors). 1993. Zebra mussels: biology, impacts, and Illinois Department of Natural Resources Midwest . Manual 5. Illinois Natural History Survey, Champaign. 194 pp. control . Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, Florida. 810 pp.

Cummings, K. S., and C. A. Mayer. 1997. Distributional checklist and status of Oesch, R. D. 1995. Missouri naiades: a guide to the mussels of Missouri . Missouri Division of Education Division of Fisheries Illinois State Museum Department of Conservation, Jefferson City. viii + 271 pp. One Natural Resources Way One Natural Resources Way Landscape History Program Illinois freshwater mussels (Mollusca: Unionacea). In Conservation and manage - Springfield, IL 62702-1271 Springfield, IL 62702-1271 1011 East Ash Street ment of freshwater mussels II: initiatives for the future , edited by K. S. Cummings, Parmalee, P. W., and A. E. Bogan. 1998. The freshwater mussels of Tennessee . University of 217-524-4126 217-782-6424 Springfield, IL 62703 217-785-0037 A. C. Buchanan, C. A. Mayer, and T. J. Naimo, pp. 129-145. Upper Mississippi Tennessee Press, Knoxville. [email protected] River Conservation Committee, Rock Island, Illinois. 293 pp. Illinois State Museum Stolzenburg, W. 1992. The mussels’ message. Nature Conservancy 42(6): 16–23. Education Section Nÿboer, R. W., J. R. Herkert, and J. E. Ebinger (editors). 2006. Endangered and 502 South Spring Street Tiemann, J. S., K. S. Cummings, and C. A. Mayer. 2007. Updates to the distribution - Springfield, IL 62706 threatened species of Illinois: status and distribution. Volume 2: Animals . Illinois al checklist and status of Illinois freshwater mussels (Mollusca: ). 217-782-5993 Endangered Species Protection Board, Springfield, Illinois. 181 pp. Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of Science 100: 107-123.

Parmalee, P. W. 1967. The fresh-water mussels of Illinois . Popular Science Series Vol. 8. Warren, R. E. 1991. Freshwater mussels as paleoenvironmental indicators: a quantita - Illinois Natural History Survey Illinois State Museum, Springfield. 108 pp. tive approach to assemblage analysis. In Beamers, bobwhites, and blue-points: trib - utes to the career of Paul W. Parmalee , edited by J. R. Purdue, W. E. Klippel, and B. Center for Biodiversity Starrett, W. C. 1971. A survey of the mussels (Unionacea) of the Illinois River: a pol - W. Styles, pp. 23–66. Scientific Papers Vol. 23. Illinois State Museum, Springfield. 1816 South Oak Street luted stream. Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin 30(5): 267–403. Champaign, IL 61820 Watters, G. T. 1994. An annotated bibliography of the reproduction and propagation of 217-333-6880 Thiel, P. A., and A.W. Fritz. 1993. Mussel harvest and regulations in the Upper the Unionoidea (primarily of North America) . Miscellaneous Contributions No. 1. Mississippi River system. In Conservation and management of freshwater mussels , Ohio Biological Survey, Columbus. 158 pp. Long-Term Resource Monitoring Program Proceedings of an UMRCC Symposium, 12–14 October 1992, St. Louis, 704 North Schrader Avenue Williams, J. D., A. E. Bogan, and J. T. Garner. 2008. Freshwater mussels of Alabama Havana, IL 62644 Missouri, edited by K. S. Cummings, A. C. Buchanan, and L. M. Koch, pp. and the Mobile Basin in Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee . University of Alabama 309-543-6000 11–18. Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee, Rock Island, Illinois. Press, Tuscaloosa. 189 pp. Equal opportunity to participate in programs of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and those funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies is available to all individuals regardless of race, sex, national origin, disability, age, religion or other non-merit factors. If you believe you have been discriminated against, contact the funding source’s Williams, J. D., M. L. Warren, Jr., K. S. Cummings, J. L. Harris, and R. J. Neves. civil rights office and/or the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, IDNR, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271; 217/785-0067; TTY 217/782-9175. This information may be Warren, R. E. 1995. Illinois mussels: the silent storytellers. The Living Museum 57(2): 1993. of the freshwater mussels of the United States and provided in an alternative format if required. Contact the DNR Clearinghouse at 217/782-7498 for assistance. Printed by the Authority of the State of Illinois. 19–22. Canada. Fisheries 18(9): 6–22. PRT XXXXXXX – 10M – 1/09 • IOCI 0583-09 Illinois Mussels © 2008, Illinois Department of Natural Resources