freshwater mussels
Stream-dwelling filter feeders
Freshwater mussels are bivalve mollusks that live in rivers, lakes, and streams, filtering water through their shells.
Unlike their saltwater relatives, they have a complex life cycle—larvae attach to fish gills before dropping to the riverbed.
Many species are endangered due to pollution and habitat loss.
The creek once supported dozens of freshwater mussel species.
- nacreIridescent shell coating
- freshwater pearlNon-marine nacre sphere
- shell buttonsClothing fasteners from mollusks
- larval stageEarly developmental form
- aquatic plantsVegetation growing in water
endangered species · bioindicator · filter feeder · filter feeding · invasive species · conservation efforts · pearl farming · floodplain · siphon · mollusk · sedimentation · restoration projects · clams · mantle · pearl · indigenous knowledge · riverbed · wetlands
- invertebratesinvertebrate, arthropod, arthropods, mollusk, crustacean
- bivalvesclams, clam, mussels, scallops, cockles
- mollusksclams, mollusk, mollusks, snail, snails
- pond lifetadpoles, fish, frog, frogs, algae
- New Zealand Naturekiwi, kakapo, tuatara, kaka, weta
- stream lifebrook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, sculpin, darter
freshwater musselsblue mussels
Marine bivalves with dark shells
sea scallops · oysters · cockles · geoducks
freshwater musselssquid
Ten-armed marine mollusk
octopus · cuttlefish · nautilus · sea slugs · nudibranchs