Freshwater Mussels of Texas report, 24Jan2020

On January 24, 2020, three people did a random shoreline freshwater mussel search along Inks Lake, one of the Highland Lakes in Burnet County, Texas. Water levels were approximately eight feet below normal due to an intentional drawdown by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) for continued dock maintenance and cleanup after historic flooding in the fall of 2018. The weather was warm and sunny.
The monitoring period was 2:00 – 3:00 PM, and we walked approximately 900 feet east of the fishing pier in the Day Use Area of Inks Lake State Park (at approximately 30.74431, -98.36480). The substrate was mostly sand. Non-native Asian Clams were observed, but no non-native Zebra Mussels were observed. Five native freshwater mussel species were observed:

  • Giant Floater – 5 shells;
  • Southern Mapleleaf – 1 shell, 2 valves;
  • Tampico Pearlymussel – 1 shell, 1 valve;
  • Paper Pondshell – 2 shells; and,
  • Threeridge – 2 shells.
    We then spent half an hour surveying a stretch of beach at the western end of the park, but no new species were observed. Survey participants were Kathy, April, and Mike. Many thanks to Marsha May for again providing remote assistance with identification (via texting photos) that afternoon.

Posted on January 26, 2020 08:09 PM by k_mccormack k_mccormack

Observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea)

Observer

k_mccormack

Date

January 2020

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

too numerous to count

Photos / Sounds

What

Giant Floater (Pyganodon grandis)

Observer

k_mccormack

Date

January 2020

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

5 shells

Photos / Sounds

What

Mapleleaf (Quadrula quadrula)

Observer

k_mccormack

Date

January 2020

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

1 shell, 2 valves

Photos / Sounds

What

Tampico Pearly Mussel (Cyrtonaias tampicoensis)

Observer

k_mccormack

Date

January 2020

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

1 shell, 1 valve
more robust pseudocardinal teeth than Bluefer

Photos / Sounds

What

Paper Pondshell (Utterbackia imbecillis)

Observer

k_mccormack

Date

January 2020

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

2 shells
beak low and not above hinge line (vs. beak moderately raised above hinge line in Yellow Sandshell)
tan with green tint (vs. yellow to tan in Yellow Sandshell)

Photos / Sounds

What

Three-ridge Mussel (Amblema plicata)

Observer

k_mccormack

Date

January 2020

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

2 shells

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