Host Fish and Life Cycle of the Round Pigtoe Mussel (Pleurobema coccineum)

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Host Fish and Life Cycle of the Round Pigtoe
Mussel (Pleurobema coccineum)
www.weichtiere.at/Mollusks/ Muscheln/suesswasser.h
tml

• Meggie Marzec

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Introduction

• Mussels filter water
• They serve an important role in the health of the
  river system

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Introduction
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Goals

• Identify host fish for the Round Pigtoe
• Determine if glochidia without tissue and with
  tissue are stages in the life of the mussel

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Previous Research

• 1997 St. Louis study showed Spotfin Shiner,
  Northern Redbelly Dace and Bluntnose Minnow are
  host fish
• No studies have been done in more northern waters
• No studies have been done about glochidia without
  and with tissue

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Procedure

• Collected potential host fish
• Collected gravid female Round Pigtoes and test
  their glochidia for maturity
• Infested potential host fish with glochidia

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Procedure

• Siphoned each aquarium, observed siphonates, and
  recorded the number of glochidia without tissue,
  glochidia with tissue and juveniles
• Concluded study when three or more siphonates
  show no glochidia or juveniles

Picture taken by Ms. Fruen
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Spotfin Shiner
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Common Shiner
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Hornyhead Chub
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Golden Shiner
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Creek Chub
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Green Sunfish
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Discussion

• After initial infestation, glochidia without
  tissue decreased and glochidia with tissue
  increased
• Glochidia with tissue increased as juveniles
  increased
• Glochidia without tissue peaked 13 days before
  glochidia with tissue
• Glochidia with tissue peaked 2 days before
  juveniles

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Future Studies

• Repeat study for marginal host fish and
  incomplete studies
• Repeat study for fish in the same genera as the
  definite host fish
• Repeat with larger population of each fish species

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Future Studies

• Examine fish gills for glochidia and siphonate
  for juveniles
• Use different mussel species
• Count glochidia without and with tissue before
  infestation
• Monitor the gravid mussel and record when it
  releases its glochidia naturally
• Histological study to determine the life stages
  and time periods of each stage

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Acknowledgements

• Mark Hove
• Lois Fruen
• Dr. Jake Miller
• Mark Ledford
• Team Research

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Host Fish and Life Cycle of the Round Pigtoe
Mussel (Pleurobema coccineum)
www.weichtiere.at/Mollusks/ Muscheln/suesswasser.h
tml

• Meggie Marzec