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Patterns of genetic differentiation and conservation of the slabside pearlymussel, Lexingtonia dolabelloides (Lea, 1840) in the Tennessee River drainage

The restoration and recovery of imperiled mussel species will require the re-establishment of populations into historically occupied habitats. The possible existence of genetic differentiation among populations should be considered before inter-basin transfers are made. Eighty individuals of the federal candidate species Lexingtonia dolabelloides were sampled from populations in the North Fork Holston, Middle Fork Holston, Clinch, Paint Rock and Duck rivers of the Tennessee River basin in the southeastern United States. We sequenced 603 base-pairs of a mitochondrial DNA gene (ND-1) and 512 base-pairs of a nuclear DNA gene (ITS-1). Analyses of molecular variation (AMOVA) values for both genes indicated that the majority of variation in L. dolabelloides resided within populations (82.9-88.3%), with 11.7-17.1% of variation among populations. Haplotype frequencies differed significantly among populations for both genes sequenced. Clustering of haplotypes in minimum-spanning networks did not conform stringently to population boundaries, reflecting high within-population and low between-population variability. Maximum parsimony analysis did not identify any population as a monophyletic lineage. A Mantel test showed no significant correlation between geographical stream distance and genetic distance, thus not supporting a pattern of isolation-by-distance. Overall, results provided support to manage fragmented populations of L. dolabelloides in the Tennessee River drainage as two management units (MUs), but did not provide evidence for the existence of ESUs following published molecular criteria. ?? The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Studies on behalf of The Malacological Society of London, all rights reserved.

Journal of Molluscan Studies

Evaluation of relocation of unionid mussels to in situ refugia

The aim of this study was to evaluate the recovery and survival of four species of unionid mussles [pimpleback, Quadrula pustulosa pustulosa (I. Lea, 1831); spike, Elliptio dilatata (Rafinesque, 1820); Higgins eye, Lampsilis higginsii (I. Lea, 1857); and pocketbook, Lampsilis cardium (Rafinesque, 1820)] that were experimentally relocated to in situ refugia in the St Croix River of Minnesota and Wisconsin, USA. In 1996, 150 mussels of each of the first three species (450 total) were relocated to three 5 ?? 5 m study grids (Site A), one near Lakeland, Minnesota, which served as a source-site control, and two in the experimental refuge 48 km upstream, near Franconia, Minnesota. In a second relocation in 1997, L. cardium was substituted for L. higginsii and 150 mussels of this and each of the other two species (450 total), were relocated to two study grids (Site B). The source site control was near Sunrise, Minnesota and the experimental refuge was 14 km downstream near Almelund, Minnesota. Mussel recovery, survival and substratum characteristics were evaluated annually at Site A for 2 years and for 3 years at Site B. Mean annual recovery of all three species ranged from 90 to 100% at Site A, and from 34 to 70% at site B. The mean annual survival of recaptured mussels ranged from 85 to 100% at Site A, and from 88 to 100% at Site B. The textural characteristics of the substratum differed significantly between the control and the two refuge locations at the beginning of the study, but did not differ from this initial status among subsequent years at Site A. At Site B, there was a significant shift in textural characteristics from large to smaller fractions over the four years. The relatively high survival of mussels during this study demonstrates the importance of proper handling and transport protocols when relocating mussels and the selection of suitable relocation habitat with stable substratum. When established correctly, in situ refugia may be a viable tool for preserving unionid mussels.

Journal of Molluscan Studies

Shifts in stable-isotope signatures confirm parasitic relationship of freshwater mussel glochidia attached to host fish

The parasitic nature of the association between glochidia of unionoidean bivalves and their host fish (i.e. the role of fish hosts in providing nutritional resources to the developing glochidia) is still uncertain. While previous work has provided descriptions of development of glochidia on fish hosts, earlier studies have not explicitly documented the flow of nutrition from the host fish to the juvenile mussel. Therefore, our objective was to use stable isotope analysis to quantitatively document nutrient flow between fish and glochidia. Glochidia were collected from nine adult Lampsilis cardium and used to inoculate Micropterus salmoides ( n = 27; three fish per maternal mussel) that produced juvenile mussels for the experiment. Adult mussel tissue samples, glochidia, transformed juvenile mussels and fish gill tissues were analysed for δ 15 N and δ 13 C isotope ratios. We used a linear mixing model to estimate the fraction of juvenile mussel tissue derived from the host fish's tissue during attachment. Our analyses indicate a distinct shift in both C and N isotopic ratios from the glochidial stage to the juvenile stage during mussel attachment and development. Linear mixing model analysis indicated that 57.4% of the δ 15 N in juvenile tissues were obtained from the host fish. This work provides novel evidence that larval unionoideans are true parasites that derive nutrition from host fish during their metamorphosis into the juvenile stage.

Journal of Molluscan Studies

Influence of shell morphology on distributions of unionids in the upper Mississippi River

Attempts to predict the distribution of unionids from readily measurable microhabitat descriptors (i.e. water depth, current velocity, stream size, sediment type) have been largely unsuccessful, but certain biological and calculated hydraulic variables have recently shown some predictive power. We used historic and recent data on unionids (from 1987 to 2003) and hydraulic conditions at 438 sample locations over a 38-km reach of the Upper Mississippi River (Navigation Pool 8) to compare the distribution of unionids with different shell morphologies. We evaluated whether sculptured, thick-shelled (STK) species would be found in areas with higher velocity and shear stress, compared to nonsculptured, thin-shelled (NSTN) species. We used classification trees to model the presence and absence of STK and NSTN species to determine which variables were most likely to predict their distribution. Candidate predictor variables included sampling gear, field substrate, water depth (bathymetry), slope, velocity, shear stress and Froude number under low, moderate and high discharges. Our models predicted that STK mussels would occupy a larger portion of the total aquatic area in this reach of the river than NSTN mussels. However, our data demonstrated that NSTN species used areas of higher shear stress and velocity than STK species, but were also present in backwaters with low energy, thus rejecting our hypothesis. The presence of NSTN species over a wide range of shear stress and velocity was probably due to the wide array of life histories displayed within this guild. Overall, these results are consistent with the flow refuge concept in which unionids are more prevalent in areas with low to moderate hydraulic stresses, regardless of shell morphology, and demonstrate the importance of incorporating abiotic and biotic variables into predictive models.

Journal of Molluscan Studies

Intragenomic sequence variation at the ITS1 - ITS2 region and at the 18S and 28S nuclear ribosomal DNA genes of the New Zealand mud snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Hydrobiidae: mollusca)

Molecular genetic analysis was conducted on two populations of the invasive non-native New Zealand mud snail ( Potamopyrgus antipodarum ), one from a freshwater ecosystem in Devil's Lake (Oregon, USA) and the other from an ecosystem of higher salinity in the Columbia River estuary (Hammond Harbor, Oregon, USA). To elucidate potential genetic differences between the two populations, three segments of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA), the ITS1-ITS2 regions and the 18S and 28S rDNA genes were cloned and sequenced. Variant sequences within each individual were found in all three rDNA segments. Folding models were utilized for secondary structure analysis and results indicated that there were many sequences which contained structure-altering polymorphisms, which suggests they could be nonfunctional pseudogenes. In addition, analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) was used for hierarchical analysis of genetic variance to estimate variation within and among populations and within individuals. AMOVA revealed significant variation in the ITS region between the populations and among clones within individuals, while in the 5.8S rDNA significant variation was revealed among individuals within the two populations. High levels of intragenomic variation were found in the ITS regions, which are known to be highly variable in many organisms. More interestingly, intragenomic variation was also found in the 18S and 28S rDNA, which has rarely been observed in animals and is so far unreported in Mollusca. We postulate that in these P. antipodarum populations the effects of concerted evolution are diminished due to the fact that not all of the rDNA genes in their polyploid genome should be essential for sustaining cellular function. This could lead to a lessening of selection pressures, allowing mutations to accumulate in some copies, changing them into variant sequences.

Journal of Molluscan Studies

Biochemical composition of three species of unionid mussels after emersion

Freshwater mussels are emersed (exposed to air) during conservation activities such as surveys and relocations. Success of these activities depends upon the ability of mussels to survive emersion and to re-burrow in the substratum. We evaluated the acute sublethal effects of emersion on three species of unionid mussels [pocketbook, Lampsilis cardium (Rafinesque, 1820); pimpleback, Quadrula pustulosa pustulosa (I. Lea, 1831); spike, Elliptio dilatata (Rafinesque, 1820)] by measuring three biochemicals (carbohydrate, lipid, protein) indicative of biochemical function and energy storage. Mussels were acclimated in water at 25??C and exposed to five air temperatures (15, 20, 25, 35 and 45??C) for 15, 30 and 60 min. After emersion, mussels were returned to water at 25??C and observed for 14 days. Samples of mantle tissue were taken after the 14-day postexposure period and analysed for carbohydrate, lipid and protein. Three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) did not reveal consistent trends in carbohydrate, lipid or protein concentrations due to sex of mussels, duration of emersion, air temperature or their interaction terms that indicated biological compensation to stress. Overall mean carbohydrate concentrations were greatest (range 447-615 mg/g dry wt) among the species, followed by protein (179-289 mg/g dry wt) and lipids (26.7-38.1 mg/g dry wt). These results have positive implications for conducting conservation activities, because emersion over the range of temperatures (15-35??C) and durations (15-60 min) examined did not appear acutely harmful to mussels.

Journal of Molluscan Studies

Pleistocene fishes from Alameda County, California

Six types of freshwater fishes were recovered from an early Pleistocene (Irvingtonian) locality on the east side of San Francisco Bay, Alameda County, Calif. The fauna includes one centrarchid, one salmonid, three cyprinids, and one catostomid. The fauna indicates fluvial and slow-moving or lacustrine aquatic environments. One of the cyprinids and the catostomid are assigned to provisional genera because of the inadequate amount of material available for study and the obvious differences between these fossils and known fossil or recent fishes. They are new additions to the Pleistocene fish fauna of California. Paleogeographic distribution of some of these fishes indicates former fluvial or lacustrine connections between Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, and California. The Pliocene and Pleistocene fossil fish faunas indicate the widespread occurrence of genera now endemic to California. A similar picture is presented by the molluscan evidence.

California

New molluscan assemblages from the upper member of the Twin River Formation, western Washington: Significance in Neogene chronostratigraphy

New molluscan assemblages of provincial early Miocene age from a previously unrecognized fossiliferous interval of 400 to 500 metres in the uppermost part of the Twin River Formation, western Washington, are referable to the upper part of the "Blakeley" [or Matlockian] Stage. The new biostratigraphic data provide, for the first time, definition of the uppermost part of the "Blakeley" Stage and the boundary between it and an unnamed stage of late early Miocene age represented by the Clallam Formation and its megafauna. In contradistinction to earlier studies, the upper boundary of the "Blakeley" Stage does not coincide with the upper boundary of the Zemorrian Stage of the foraminiferal chronology, the "Blakeley" boundary being at least 45 m higher and possibly much more. Nearly 60 species of mollusks from the upper few hundred metres of the Twin River Formation are recognized herein, and 40 of these are illustrated. Six species are previously undescribed.

Washington

Pseudomulceodens: A Mississippian Rostroconch from Mexico

This finding of Pseudomulceodens in Mississippian-age rocks of the Santiago Formation provides the first evidence of the molluscan class Rostroconchia in Mexico. Elsewhere in North American Mississippian rocks the class occurs in Arkansas (Hoare et al., 1982, 1988); Illinois (Weller, 1916); Indiana (Beede, 1906); Iowa (White and Whitfield, 1862); Michigan (Winchell, 1870); Montana and Nevada (Pojeta and Runnegar, 1976); Ohio (Hyde, 1953; Hoare, 1990); and Oklahoma (Branson, 1958). Pseudomulceodens cancellatus (Hyde, 1953) confirms the Osagean age (Early Mississippian) of the Santiago Formation, and reinforces the conclusion that there is paleobiogeographic similarity between faunas of the Nochixtlan region of Oaxaca, Mexico and the midcontinent of the USA during Early Carboniferous time. It seems likely that there was a close connection between southwestern Mexico and the Mid-Continent Paleoprovince, located in the east and central regions of the United States. Prior to this study the rostroconch genera Aphelakardia and Pseudomulceodens were placed in the family Hippocardiidae; they are here transferred to the family Conocardiidae.

Journal of Paleontology