FW Mussels in Maryland

Elliptio fisheriana - Northern Lance  P1200033.JPG   2.06MB   0 downloads
Anodonta (=Pyganodon) implicata - Alewife floater  P5050064.JPG   2.18MB   0 downloads
Elliptio complanata - Eastern elliptio  P5060090.JPG   2.12MB   0 downloads
Leptodea ochracea - Tidewater mucket  P5060093.JPG   2.24MB   0 downloads

Very nice! I especially like the in-situ E. complanata.

Cool Matt!

Matt, How do you tell implicata vs cataracta on a live specimen?
(Or are you relying on location?)

Gerald

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).

Edited by ashtonmj, 14 October 2010 - 02:51 PM.