Curatorial Report Number 8 Museum 1747 Summer Street Freshwater Halifax Nova Scotia Mussels in the Nova Scotia Museum Collection

By Ursula Grigg December 1972 Curatorial Report Number 8 Nova Scotia Museum 1747 Summer Street Freshwater Halifax Nova Scotia Canada Mussels in the Nova Scotia Museum Collection

By Ursula Grigg December 1972 ,l I

NOVA SCOTIA MUSEUM '-1 J l CURATORIAL REPORTS ,J \ l

The CUratorial Reports of the Nova Scotia Museum contain information on the collections and preliminary results of research projects carried out under the program of the museum. The reports may be cited in publications but their manuscript status should be clearly indicated. l

l l l l l ,l l l i 1 r r r INTRODUCTION Freshwater mussels are large bivalve It is usually accepted that glochidia molluscs, sametfmes seven inches long, of different species of mussel are r found in the ponds, lakes, streams obligatory parasites of certain species and of Nova Scotia, different or genera of fish: the correlation is species being characteristic of especially good, for instance, between r d~fferent habitats. They remain buried the mussel Margaritifera margaritifera in the bottom with their posterior ends (L.) and salmonid fish. There is specu­ projecting, and are usually collected lation that the relationship between as dead shells from strand lines and mussel and fish may depend on the r muskrat houses, though same are found feeding habits of fish bringing them alive by swimmers. into contact with the mussels and on the immunity of certain species to the r They are not economically important in parasite. Athearn and Clarke (1962) Nova Scotia although elsewhere they comment that in Nova Scotia 11 the are fished commercially for pearls or distribution of freshwater mussels r for use in the manufacture of mother­ corresponds roughly to the pattern of-pearl ornaments or buttons. There observed by Livingstone (1951) for is a tale of Canadian raftsmen collecting the freshwater fishes, i. e., an them on bundles of brush tied behind the irregular but progressive decrease in r rafts, but this probably did not refer the number of species present with to the Maritimes. The mussels are increased distance from the Isthmus supposed to have snapped onto the brush of Chignecto" • However, the extent r when it dragged over shallows, of collecting effort has decreased in and were then taken off and eaten. A the same way. Athearn, Clarke and Prince Edward Island resident who has Rick apparently made no collections in eaten M. margaritifera described the Shelburne or Pictou Counties, and made r meat as tasteless, watery and gritty. few collections in same others, including Lunenburg, Queens, Yarmouth It is possible that the grittiness was and Digby. A new detailed study of this r due to the presence of glochidia in the group in the province, with special tissues. Glochidia are larval mussels; attention to correlations with the fish they develop in the gill pouches of fauna and the physical and chemical r female mussels and are expelled through characteristics of the waters would be the exhalent siphon. They are external extremely interesting. parasites of fish, and are usually armed with hooks with which they cling The freshwater mussel collection of the r to the host, which subsequently encysts Nova Scotia Museum consists mostly of them. The usual sites are the gills dry shells. Earlier acquistions were and fins. While on the fish the the scanty results of casual collecting, r glochidia metamorphose, undergoing often without adequate records. D. A~ internal rearrangement to the adult Livingstone deposited a considerable pattern. When they are sloughed off, number of specimens collected during r often some distance from the place his survey of the fish fauna, but much where they were picked up, they are of the material was preserved in formalin, ready to start an independent life on which has spoiled the shells, and same · r the bottom. of ~the shells are missing entirely, only r r l

the bodies rema1n1ng. The bulk of The museum collection has recently been l the collection was deposited by H. D. reorganized and catalogued: for this, Athearn, who collected in the province the two papers mentioned above have between 1946 and 1954. His collections been used as the authority. In partial l formed the basis of the paper by accordance with the finding of Clarke Athearn and Clarke (1962), followed by and Rick, Athearn • s specimens Anodonta , Clarke and Rick (1964); these two cataracta brooksiana (Van der Schalie) 1 papers form the definitive work on have been relabelled Anodonta cataracta Nova Scotian unionids. The last fragilis (Lam.); later additions of , specimens to be added were collected Anodonta cataracta have not been assigned I during the systematic surveys started to a subspecies, and one specimen from by the museum staff in 1969. Quite a Debert Lake labelled A. grandis? has lot of Athearn's material was been left so labelled pending the , collected in New Brunswick, including revision of this genus in eastern I 3 specimens of Alasmidonta heterodon North America. Lea, which has not been found in this , province. The museum collections also include a few specimens from Ontario, New York and South Carolina. J l l ,l 1 J l l ,i I l I l r REFERENCES r r Athearn, H. D. and A. H. The freshwater mussels of Nova Clarke, (1962). Scotia. Contributions to Zoology 1960-61. Nat. Mus. of Canada Bulletin No. 183. pp. 11-41 r 4 plates. r Clark, A. H. and A. M. Supplementary records of Unionacea Rick, (1964) from Nova Scotia with a discussion r of the identity of Anodonta fragilis Lamarck. Contributions to Zoology 1963." Nat. Mus. of Canada Bulletin r No. 199. rl r r r r r r r r r l r r l

UNIONACEA Family MARGARI'l'IFERIDAE 1 Subfamily MARGARI'l'IFERINAE l Margaritifera margaritifera ~rgaritifera .(Linnaeu$) l

ANNAPOLIS COUNTY Nictaux River, Middleton: no date

HALIFAX COUNTY Little Salmon River, l Lower Sackville: 9 IX 1923 , W. of Musquodoboit Harbour: - VII 1946 Musquodoboit River, 2 mi. l above Elderbank: 8 VII 1954 , Lower Sackville 4 VI 1970

GUYSBOROUGH COUNTY St. Mary's River, Sherbrooke: - VII 1946

ANTIGONISH COUNTY J South River, Antigonish: 4 VII 1952 West River, Route 7, 2 mi. s. of Antigonish: 4 VII 1954 l

PICTOU COUNTY East River, St. Mary's: no date l , Beaver Brook: 1 VII 1951 River, 5 mi. \ above Stewiacke: 1 VII 1951 Tatamagouche River, Routell, 2 mi. above Tatamagouche: 15 VII 1954

CUMBERLAND COUNTY , 3 mi. below l Halfway River, West Lake: 4 VII 1954 at Oxford: 20 IX 1971

RICHMOND COUNTY River Framboise, 3 mi. N. of Framboise: 4 VII 1952 , 2 mi. above l Grand River: 4 VII 1952 l l r r INVERNESS COUNTY r River Inhabitants, 3 mi. s-sw of Glendale: 5 VII 1952 N. E. , 1 mi. above r Northeast Margaree: 5 VII 1952 NEW BRUNSWICK Turtle Creek, Albert County: 4 VII 1954 r Nevers Brook, 8 mi. N-NW of Salisbury, Kent County: 16 VII 1948 Petitcodiac River, 2 mi. above r Salisbury, Albert County: 3 VII 1951 Pollett River, 2 mi. ESE of River Glade, Westmorland County: 3 VII 1951 r Renous River, Renous, Northumberland County: 6 VII 1948 Black River, Glenelg Twp., Northumberland County: 6 VII 1948 r Kennebecasis River, Penobsquis, Cardwell Twp., King's County: 3 VII 1951 Kennebecasis River, Norton, rl King's County: 3 VII 1951 Studholm Brook, Fenwick, 3 mi. N-NW of Sussex, King's County: 4 VII 1953 Plaster Rock, Victoria County: no date r Grant's Lake, Millstream~ r Northumberland County: no date r r Subfamily UNIONINAE r Elliptio complanatus (Selander)

DIGBY COUNTY r CUpits Lake, Hectanooga, Lake 1 mi. SE of North Range: 6 VII 1953 Bonang's Lake, 1 mi. NE of r Hectanooga: 6 VII 1953 SHELBURNE COUNTY r Horseshoe and Clam Lakes: no date r r , I

1l

ANNAPOLIS COUNTY , Lawrencetown: 5 VII 1953 Springfield Lake, Springfield: 4 VII 1953

KINGS COUNTY Aylesford Lake: 26 VIII 1960 , South end of Gaspereau Lake: 17 X 1969 I QUEENS COUNTY Ponhook Lake, 4 mi. s-SE of , South Brookfield: 5 VII 1953

LUNENBURG COUNTY LaHave River: no date Lake Lawson, New Ross: 18 VI 1969 l Lake William near New Germany: 12 X 1969

HANTS COUNTY l , 3 mi. above Clarksville: 5 VII 1954 , I HALIFAX COUNTY Second Dartmouth Lake, N. end, 2 1/4 mi. N. of Dartmouth: about 1895 I \ Rawdon River, south end of Grand Lake, Wellington: 19 IV 1902 , Enfield: 15 VII 1948 Musquodoboit River, 2 mi. above l Musquodoboit Harbour: 7 VII 1954 Fish Lake, R. R. #2, 2 mi. s. of Waverley: 13 VII 1954 l Lower Egmont Lake at outlet: 13 VII 1954 Lake William at outlet, Waverley: 13 VII 1954 Rocky Lake, 5 mi. NE of Bedford: 13 VII 1954 Gay•s River: 13 VII 1954 Fish Lake, 2 mi. s. of Waverley: 13 VII 1954 ~ Musquodoboit River, 2 mi. above I Elderbank: 8 VII 1954 Petpeswick Lake, near Musquodoboit Harbour:· 5 VIII 1969 Shubenacadie Grand Lake, Enfield, 1 Oakville: 27 VI 1969 Grand Lake (Shubenacadie Lake): 1970 , Musquodoboit River, 1 mi. N. of Musquodoboit Harbour: 14 VII 1971 1,

GUYSBOROUGH COUNTY McKeen Lake, 1 mi. South of Aspen: 17 VI 1969 l St. Mary•s River, N. of Sherbrooke: 10 VIII 1971 , ANTIGONISH COUNTY I I Lochaber Lake (by route 7): 17 VI 1969 l r r r Garden of Eden Lake: no date Forbes lake: no date Grant's Lake: - 1946 r Chance Harbour: no date COLCHESTER COUNTY , 5 mi. above r Stewiacke: 1 VII 1951 CUMBERLAND COUNTY r Halfway River, West Lake, 1 mi. s. of Newville: 1 VII 1951 River Hebert at Halfway River: 11 VII 1953 River Hebert, 3 mi. below Halfway r River, West Lake: 4 VII 1954

RICHMOND COUNTY r Shaw Lake, Isle Madame: 30 X 1969 VICTORIA COUNTY r N. E. Margaree River System: 5 VII 1952 INVERNESS COUNTY Mcintyre Lake, 8 mi. ENE of r Port Hawkesbury: 4 VII 1952 Mcintyre Lake, 8 mi. ENE of r Port Hawkesbury: 30 X 1969 NEW BRUNSWICK Petitcodiac River, R. Glade Westmorland County: 3 VII 1951 r Lake Utopia, Charlotte County: sununer 1967 Kennebecasis River, Norton, King • s County: 3 VII 1951 r Canaan River, 9 mi. W. of Havelock, Queen's County: 16 VII 1948 Grand Lake, Jemeg, Queen's County: 9 VII 1969 r Nashwaak River, Penniac, York County: 5 VII 1948 Pokiok River, 1/2 mi. below George Lake, York County: 3 VII 1951 Aroostook River Mouth, Aroostook, r Victoria County: 5 VII 1948 r Plaster Rock, Victoria County: no date r r r ,l

1\ Subfamily ANODONTINAE

Alasmidonta undulata (Say) , l RANTS COUNTY , Kennetcook River, 3 mi. above I Clarksville: 5 VII 1954 Rawdon River, s. end of , Grand Lake: 15 IV 1902 1 HALIFAX COUNTY Shubenacadie River, Enfield: 15 VII 1948 Musquodoboit River, 2 mi. above Musquodoboit Harbour: 7 VII 1954 Fish Lake, 2 mi. s. of Waverley: 13 VII 1954 Gay's River: 13 VII 1954 Outlet, Fish Lake, at Route 2, 2 mi. s. of Waverley: 13 VII 1954

CUMBERLAND COUNTY River Hebert, 3 mi. below Halfway R., West Lake: 4 VII 1954 , l NEW BRUNSWICK North R., 4 mi. N. W. of Salisbury, I Westmorland County: 30 VI 1946 I Petitcodiac River, R. Glade, Westmorland County: 3 VII 1951 Nashwaak River, Penniac, 1 York County: 5 VII 1948 Aroostook River mouth, Aroostook, Victoria County: 5 VII 1948 , Alasmidonta varicosa (Lamarck) I

GUYSBOROUGH COUNTY ~ I St. Mary's River, Sherbrooke: - VII 1946

NEW BRUNSWICK Petitcodiac River, 2 mi. above · Salisbury, Westmorland County: 3 VII 1951 Renous River, Renous, Northumberland County: 6 VII 1948

1 j r r r Alasmidonta heterodon (Lea) r NEW BRUNSWICK North River, 5 mi. NW of r Salisbury, Westmorland County: 16 VII 1948 r r Anodonta implicata Say KINGS COUNTY , 1/2 mi. above r Whiterock Mills: 6 VII 1952 Gaspereaux Lake, Welton: 23 X 1968 South end of Gaspereau Lake, r Forest Home: 17 X 1969 RANTS COUNTY Little Lake of Shubenacadie, r Grand Lake: 8 XI 1970

HALIFAX COUNTY r Shubenacadie River, Enfield: 15 VII 1948 Musquodoboi t River, 2 mi. above Musquodoboit Harbour: 7 VII 1954 r Lake William at outlet, Waverley: 13 VII 1954 Fish Lake, its outlet, 2 mi. s. of Waverley: 13 VII 1954 r ANTIGONISH COUNTY Lochaber Lake (by route 7) , Antigonish: 17 VI 1969 r CAPE BRETON COUNTY Grand , 30 mi. s. of Sydney: 4 VII 1952 McMullin Lake, 3 mi. above r Victoria Bridge: 4 VII 1952

INVERNESS COUNTY r Mcintyre Lake, 5 mi. NE of r Port Hawkesbury: 30 X 1969 r r NEW BRUNSWICK :=-: Branch of Denny Stream at dam, ,~ Route 3, 1 1/2 mi. N. w. Moores }.·., Mill, Charlotte County: 3 VII 1953 St. John River, at small creek ~ next below longs Creek, I Kingsclear, York County: 3 VII 1951

Anodonta catarac.ta (including subspecies cataracta Say and fragilis Lamarck) ~ I

DIGBY COUNTY Lake, Sissaboo River system, 6 VII 1953 , 13 mi. SW of : Cupits lake, Hectanooga: 6 VII 1953 I

SHELBURNE COUNTY , Horseshoe Lake: no date i YARMOUTH COUNTY 'i Killam Lake, 3 1/2 mi., N. E. I of Port Maitland: 6 VII 1953

KINGS COUNTY , 1 1/4 mi. above waterville: 9 VII 1953 j LUNENBURG COUNTY I Lake Lawson, New Ross: 18 VI 1969 HANTS COUNTY l Uniacke Lake: 24 VII 1968 !

HALIFAX COUNTY DeSaid Lake, 2 mi. N. of l Eastern Passage: 13 VII 1948 Lake William at outlet, Waverley; 13 VII 1954 , Outlet of Fish Lake, at Route 2, 2 mi. S. of Waverley: 13 VII 1954 Rocky Lake, 5 mi. N. E. of Bedford: 13 VII 1954· Lower Egmont Lake, at outlet, Lake Egmont: 13 VII 1954 Fish Lake, 2 mi. s. of Waverley: 13 VII 1954 Brine Lake, 1 mi. s. of French Village: 9 VII 1954 l Long Lake, at Narrows, 3 mi. N. w. of Preston: 14 VII 1954 ~ I r r r HALIFAX COUNTY Fish Lake , 2 mi. s. of Waverley: 13 VII 1954 Brine Lake, near Hubbards: 25 VI 1950, 23 V!I 1950 r Petpeswick Lake, near Musquodoboit Harbor: 5 VII 1969 r GUYSBOROUGH COUNTY Pond, 1 mi. W. of Mulgrave: 5 VII 1952 r PICTOU COUNTY Grant's Lake: no date, -- 1946, 10 VI 1946

COLCHESTER COUNTY r .Baird Brook, Crowe Mills: 11 VII 1953

CUMBERLAND COUNTY r Blair Lake: 23 VIII 1950 Halfway River West Lake (Fullerton Lake}, 1 mi. s. of Newville: 1 VII 1951 r River Hebert, Halfway River West: 11 VII 1953 RICHMOND COUNTY Loch Lomond, Middle Lake at r passage to Lower Lake: 4 VII 1952 VICTORIA COUNTY Pond on branch N. E. Margaree River Route 19, on county line, 2 mi. N. w. of Finlayson: 5 VII 1952 r INVERNESS COUNTY Mcintyre Lake, 8 mi. ENE of Port Hawkesbury: 4 VII 1952 r Pond on Northeast Margaree River, Route 19, 7 mi. SW of Northeast r Margaree: 4 VII 1952 NEW BRUNSWICK North River, 5 mi. N.W. of Salisbury, Westmorland County: 16 VII 1948 r Price's Brook, 6 mi. N. of Havelock, Westmorland County: 16 VII 1948 Pollett River, 2 mi. E-SE of River r Glade, Westmorland County: 1 v 1949 Branch, Denny Stream, 5 mi. SW of Lawrence Station, Charlotte r County: 3 VII 1954 r r ~ i I

NEW BRUNSWICK Lake Utopia, Charlotte County: sununer 1967 Pokiok River, 1/2 mi. below George ~ Lake, Prince William, ! York County: 3 VII 1951 Cranberry Lake, York County: 9 VII 1969 Baker Lake, Madawaska County: 4 VII 1948

Anodonta (grandis ? Say) I I

COLCHESTER COUNTY Debert Camp: - VIII 1961

NEW YORK Sphaerium Brook, McLean Res., Tompkins County: 4 v 1961 'i

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Subfamily LAMPSILINAE ~ I i Lampsilis ochracea Say

NEW BRUNSWICK St. John River, 4 mi. W. of Jemseg; St. John County: 16 VII 1954 Cranberry Lake, Harvey Sta., l York County: 9 VII 1969 , I Lampsilis radiata (including subspecies siliquoidea Barnes & radiata Gmelin)

HALIFAX COUNTY 1) Musquodoboit Harbour, 2.1 mi. below Crawford Bridge: 8 VII 1954 Lower Egmont Lake at outlet, l I Lake Egmont: 13 VII 1954

l ! l r r PICTOU COUNTY Chance Harbour: · no date r CUMBERLAND COUNTY Hebert River at Halfway River W: 11 VII 1953, 4 VII 1954 r RICHMOND COUNTY Potty Lake, Isle Madame: 13 X 1969 r NEW BRUNSWICK Lake Utopia, Charlotte County: summer 1967 Kennebecasis Bay, Nauwigewaulk, King's County: 3 VII 1952 r Grand Lake, Jemseg., QUeen's County: 9 VII 1969 Canaan River, 9 mi. N. w. of Havelock, Queen's County: 16 VII. 1948 r Forbes Lake, Northumberland County: no date Plaster Rock, Victoria County: no date

NEW YORK 20 v 1961 r Oneida Lake: r r r r r r r r r l Table 1. Summary of collections from each county in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick l 1 ~ ~ II) Ill ~~ :::s "-! ~ ·..; ·..; "-! c: c: Ill Ill II) 1/) "-!"-! 0 Ill 0 Ill •..; •..; ·..; ·..; Ill IU"-1 IU"-1 Nova Scotia ·..; s:: 'I:S"-1 .g II) "-! Ill "-! (J ""''1/) ""''l1l s.. s.. "-! Ill •..; l1l ·..; 0 s:: (J ·..; .... 0 ·..; fll'I:S ·..;"'"' l E:r-t e o 6 ~ ~~ ·..;~""'' ~ 1/) ::s II)·..; 'I:S Ill ~s:: a.~ ~ ~ t-t e IU'I:S Ill ~ '8'a 0"'-' t-f s:: ""''l1l s:: e s:: Ill ~ ~ ~ ~ ·..; ~ 8 ::s ~ :> ~ (J ~~ ~~ l Digby 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 Yarmouth 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 Shelburne 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Annapolis 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 l Kings 0 1 0 0 3 1 0 0

Queens 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lunenb~rg 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 l Hants 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 Halifax 5 14 3 0 4 10 0 2 Guysborough 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0

Antigonish 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 l Pictou 1 5 0 0 0 1+1 0 2 Colchester 4 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 Cumberland 2 3 1 0 0 2 0 2 Richmond 2 2 0 0 0 3 0 1 l

Cape Breton 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Victoria 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Inverness 3 3 0 0 1 2 0 0 l l ~ ~ II) Ill Ill ~~ ::s "-! "-! ·..; ·..; "-! s:: s:: Ill Ill Ill 1/) New "-!"-! 0 l1l 0 Ill 0 Ill Ill "-! Ill "-! •..; ·..; "'"i ·..; ·..; c: 'I:S"-1 'I:S II) "-! Ill "-! (J m '""i l1l l Brunswick 1.1 ~ "-! Ill ·..; Ill ·..; 0 s:: (J ·..; (J ·..;....., l1l IU O..r-t er-~ e o 0 .... 6 ~ ""''1/) Ill 1/) Ill tntn .... Q. II) :::s 11)•..; 'I:S Ill ~·rot 1.1 s.. ""'~ e IU'I:S Ill ~ '87! 0"-1 r-t 0 r-t s:: s:: e s:: Ill i~ ~ ~ ~ (J ~ :::s :;! ~ ~ •..; ~ (J ..:I 0 ~~ l Westmoreland 3 1 2 1 0 3 0 0 Kent 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Northumberland 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Gloucester 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 l Restigouche 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Albert 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Saint John 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 l Charlotte 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 1 King's 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 l Queen's

Salisbury 0 0 0 l 0 0 0 0 0 York 0 2 1 0 0 2 1 0 Carleton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Victoria 0 l 0 0 0 0 0 0 Madawaska 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 l

l J l r r NOVA SCOTIA MUSEUM r r

N Lr r r r

60 10 Us. r ICIIo·. f ~ 20 CO cek=-z r 10 1o 60ml. r r r r r r r r r 1 Alasmidonta undulata l l l N , , l l

scala: 'bF~20~§140~60~80~===· l 0 10 20 40 80ml. l Alasmidonta varicosa l l ,l ,l l l l r r r r r N r r r

20 IOkm. r scale· '- 40 80 h=:a r "/)~10 20 40 &Omi. r r r r r r r r [ , .' J r

Lampsilis grandis ] l ]

N l J J J ] scale: tl==~20~~40~80~80~km;;. 0 10 20 40 80 mi. J Lampsilis radiata l l l 1 ] J l 1 ]