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Media type:
E-Article
Title:
Life history and population biology of the endangered tan riffleshell (Epioblasma florentina walkeri) (Bivalvia: Unionidae)
Contributor:
Rogers, Susan O.;
Watson, Brian T.;
Neves, Richard J.
imprint:
2001
Published in:Journal of the North American Benthological Society
Language:
English
ISSN:
0887-3593;
1937-237X
Origination:
Footnote:
Description:
<title>Abstract</title>
<p>The tan riffleshell (<italic>Epioblasma florentina walkeri</italic>) is listed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as endangered, and is restricted to only 1 reproducing population in Indian Creek of the upper Clinch River, Virginia. We investigated its fish hosts, efficacy of infestation methods, suitability of host populations, and population demographics. Fish were collected and infested with tan riffleshell glochidia to examine potential hosts. Juveniles transformed on at least 5 of the tested species: fantail darter (<italic>Etheostoma flabellare</italic>), greenside darter (<italic>E. blennioides</italic>), redline darter (<italic>E. rufilineatum</italic>), snubnose darter (<italic>E. simoterum</italic>), and 1 or 2 cottids: banded sculpin (<italic>Cottus bairdi</italic>) or mottled sculpin (<italic>C. carolinae</italic>). Fantail darters from 4 drainages were collected and infested with glochidia to compare the suitability of various populations of the most successful host. The number of juvenile mussels obtained from fantail darters collected from Indian Creek (<italic>x̄</italic>± 1 SD = 59.22 ± 10.01) was significantly higher than those transformed on fantail darters from the Roanoke River (<italic>x̄</italic>= 9.45 ± 10.64), where the tan riffleshell does not occur. Variation in transformation success supports the hypothesis that host fish suitability is mediated by varying immune responses, and that coadaptation of sympatric host fish and mussel populations seemingly enhances compatibility. No significant difference (ANOVA,<italic>p</italic>= 0.39) existed between the numbers of juvenile tan riffleshells produced by fish using 2 different infestation techniques. The population of tan riffleshells in Indian Creek was ∼2000 adults using Schumacher’s modification of Schnabel’s maximum likelihood estimator. Sex ratio was near 1:1, and size-frequency distributions of males and females were not significantly different. Maximum age of the population, determined by thin-sectioning of valves, was 11 y; ∼70% of the population was <6 y.</p>