Reproductive characteristics of a population of the washboard mussel Megalonaias nervosa (Rafinesque 1820) in the upper Mississippi River
We examined monthly and age-specific gametogenic development of the washboard mussel, Megalonaias nervosa , from April 1986 to March 1987 in navigation Pool 10 of the upper Mississippi River. We found M. nervosa to be a late tachytictic breeder. Female marsupia contained eggs or glochidia primarily from August (17°C) through October (9°C). Males were mature from July through October. Most females released their glochidia in October. Only one female was gravid in November (3°C). Most mussels were sexually mature at 8 years of age and then had an estimated average size of 68 mm (shell height). Only 8% of individuals ≤ 4 years of age showed any degree of reproductive development, while > 90% of age 5 and older individuals had recognizable reproductive material present. In host specificity studies, we verified three fish species as hosts for the glochidial stage. Green sunfish ( Lepomis cyanellus ), black bullhead ( Ictalurus melas ), and channel catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus ) produced juveniles after 26–28 days at 17°C. White suckers ( Catastomus commersoni ) and yellow perch ( Perca flavescens ) retained glochidia from 23 up to 26 days, but no juveniles were produced. Glochidia remained attached to common carp ( Cyprinus carpio ) and fathead minnows ( Pimephales promelas ) ≤ 3 days. Channel catfish were retested at 12°C and produced juveniles after 56 days.