Elliptio fisheriana - Northern Lance
P1200033.JPG 2.06MB
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Anodonta (=Pyganodon) implicata - Alewife floater
P5050064.JPG 2.18MB
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Elliptio complanata - Eastern elliptio
P5060090.JPG 2.12MB
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Leptodea ochracea - Tidewater mucket
P5060093.JPG 2.24MB
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FW Mussels in Maryland
Started by
Guest_ashtonmj_*
, Oct 08 2010 01:58 PM
4 replies to this topic
#1 Guest_ashtonmj_*
Posted 08 October 2010 - 01:58 PM
#2 Guest_Newt_*
Posted 08 October 2010 - 04:11 PM
Very nice! I especially like the in-situ E. complanata.
#3 Guest_natureman187_*
Posted 08 October 2010 - 10:15 PM
Cool Matt!
#4 Guest_gerald_*
Posted 14 October 2010 - 09:51 AM
Matt, How do you tell implicata vs cataracta on a live specimen?
(Or are you relying on location?)
Gerald
(Or are you relying on location?)
Gerald
#5 Guest_ashtonmj_*
Posted 14 October 2010 - 02:41 PM
Gerald that is an AWESOME question, one I get quite a bit actually. No I don't go by location, and actually they are both at this location since it is literally right at head of tide. Oddly enough, there are even a few places in Maryland where they are well above head of tide, likely the result of game fish stocking. I will look for some notes I just wrote out for other staff last week and include some good details later. I also have more pictures to put up, but since its been raining, I've been in the report writing mood.
In the simpliest way I use two or three gross characteristics. One, is relative placement of the umbo. Two, is shape and length of the anterior end. Three, is the direction of the posterior ridge. Occassionally, the length-height ratio can be handy, but I always make those first two stops. I also think the A. implicata I included earlier isn't the greatest specimen (in fact it is probably a terrible specimen) I saw this summer compared to the many others. I cheated and took a little peak inside and looked at the foot color, which tends to be a little on the creamsicle colored side as opposed to white.
I'll look for some additional pictures from that area, though I have a feeling I'm going to come up empty handed. For now, here is a little A. implicata that was pulled out of a Coastal Plain stream on Maryland's eastern shore this spring (Andover Branch-Chester River basin).
In the simpliest way I use two or three gross characteristics. One, is relative placement of the umbo. Two, is shape and length of the anterior end. Three, is the direction of the posterior ridge. Occassionally, the length-height ratio can be handy, but I always make those first two stops. I also think the A. implicata I included earlier isn't the greatest specimen (in fact it is probably a terrible specimen) I saw this summer compared to the many others. I cheated and took a little peak inside and looked at the foot color, which tends to be a little on the creamsicle colored side as opposed to white.
I'll look for some additional pictures from that area, though I have a feeling I'm going to come up empty handed. For now, here is a little A. implicata that was pulled out of a Coastal Plain stream on Maryland's eastern shore this spring (Andover Branch-Chester River basin).
Attached Files
Edited by ashtonmj, 14 October 2010 - 02:51 PM.
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