Freshwater mussels in Australia come exclusively from the Family Hyriidae of the Order Unionida. Their distribution is quite poorly studied given the size of the continent. Of course few study grants are ever offered and river water is mostly seen as just a raw material for agriculture on this hopelessly misled continent. Hyridella glenelgensis is Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List). Many others are listed as Vulnerable or their status is simply Unknown. This Project aims to gather images and record locations so that what we find now can be used as a measure of likely future carnage.

Recording living specimens should not involve disturbing them. Many species are so sensitive to being disturbed that the survival rate can be as low as 30%, so you should definitely avoid doing this. Don't even prod them - please just take underwater photos.

Most specific features can be seen on good photographs of dead shells you can gather on dried water courses or stream edges in low flow: the hinge area and the overall shape being diagnostic. There is no need to disturb and collect live mussels. Even without criminals pumping water for agriculture (in which Government agencies have been complicit) all Australian rivers have naturally low flows at times, mussel deaths are common enough, and bleached empty shells are easy to spot. less ↑