The status of unionid and dreissenid mussels in northwestern Pennsylvania inland lakes.
Project Author
Issue Date
2006
Authors
Butkas, Katrina J.
Ostrofsky, Milton L.
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Keywords
Unionids , zebra mussels , Pennsylvania lakes , Corbicula , Dreissena
Distribution
Abstract
A survey of the native unionid fauna of the eight natural lakes in the glaciated region of northwestern Pennsylvania suggests that the documented species richness of regional lotic habitats cannot be extended to lentic habitats. Richness ranged from 0 to 5 species per lake, and population densities (<0.03 individuals/m²) are low. The most frequent and abundant species were Pyganodon grandis and Utterbackia imbecillis, each occurring in five lakes, and making up 50% and 15% respectively of all unionids collected. Two of the lakes have been successfully colonized by Dreissena polymorpha, with evidence of an unsuccessful introduction in a third. In Sandy Lake, 78% of the unionids were fouled by Dreissena, with an average density of 271 Dreissena/unionid. Although none of the seven species of native unionids found in this survey are regionally endangered, the prognosis for lake populations is poor.
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Department
Biology
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License
This article is published with a creative commons license.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/
Citation
Butkas, K.J., and Ostrofsky, M.L. (2016). The status of unionid and dreissenid mussels in northwestern Pennsylvania inland lakes. The Nautilus 120(3): 106-111.
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Published article
Honors
Publisher
Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum