Both the Asian clam and zebra mussel are prolific breeders and have caused severe problems for industries and municipalities that utilize lake or river water by clogging intake lines and blocking the flow of water. The zebra mussel in particular is having a major impact on our native mussel species. Zebra mussels will attach themselves to any firm object, including freshwater mussels. A colony of zebra mussels attached to a freshwater mussel will impede the flow of water, food, and oxygen and will eventually kill it. Researchers are investigating ways to control these unwanted pests without further endangering other species found in our rivers and lakes.
Maps Knowing where a specimen was collected can be very helpful when trying to identify it.
Mussels endemic to the Ozarks or those that reach the northern limit of their range in southern Missouri are not included but can be found in Missouri Naiades. Many of the species found in the Midwest are also present in the Great Lakes and their tributaries. Unfortunately, specific distributional information is unavailable, and maps depicting the range of species found in the Great Lakes drainage in Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio are not included. However, nearly all of the mussels found in the Great Lakes drainage are described and illustrated in this book. The maps on the following pages show the approximate historic ranges of mussels in the Midwest.