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Mussel looking for baby sitter

Started by Guest_centrarchid_* , Jun 01 2012 06:36 AM

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7 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_centrarchid_*

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Posted 01 June 2012 - 06:36 AM

The following video is to be edited but still interesting.

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#2 Guest_Usil_*

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Posted 01 June 2012 - 09:45 AM

I have never seen this. Good video. Is it my imagination but did the oscillation of the flaps on the muscle look like a fish with a head and eye and a tail?

Usil

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#3 Guest_centrarchid_*

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Posted 01 June 2012 - 10:59 AM

I guess it as been selected to look like a fish (darter / minnow) or even young salamanders occuring in stream. The probable target for the deception is smallmouth bass about 6" long occuring in same reaches of stream.

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#4 Guest_Usil_*

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Posted 01 June 2012 - 11:14 AM

Why would a mussel's selection process want to attract predators?

Usil

Edited by Usil, 01 June 2012 - 11:32 AM.

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#5 Guest_centrarchid_*

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Posted 01 June 2012 - 11:42 AM

The mussel's relationship with smallmouth bass is not one of prey and predator, rather parasite and host. The mussel wants to get the bass to host is offspring in the latters gills. The baby mussels (aka glochidia) attach themselves to the gill filaments of the bass where they are protected and can feed off fish's blood. The bass may also promote dispersal of the baby mussels. See link below.

http://molluskconser...eproduction.jpg

Bass does not benefit from arrangement and must be dooped into allowing glochidia in. Bass is tricked in biting near opening where mother mussel can eject young at / into mouth of bass. Those that do not attach die.

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#6 Guest_jblaylock_*

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Posted 02 June 2012 - 11:07 AM

Here's a good example.

And a Logperch too

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#7 Guest_IsaacSzabo_*

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Posted 06 June 2012 - 03:36 PM

Cool video Centrarchid. I have yet to observe this behavior. Is there a certain time of year when they are most likely to be doing this?

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#8 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 06 June 2012 - 04:21 PM

If anyone is interested in more such pictures and videos of our cool native bivalves, the Unio Gallery of Missouri State University has many: http://unionid.missouristate.edu/

and this article, "Clam-pirism: the underhanded tactics of parasitic mussels": http://bogleech.com/...clampirism.html

Edited by EricaWieser, 06 June 2012 - 04:25 PM.