Fish hosts of four species of lampsiline mussels (Mollusca: Unionidae) in Big Moccasin Creek, Virginia

Abstract

Collections of stream drift and fishes were made weekly from May to November 1979 and twice monthly from December 1979 to June 1980 to define the periods when glochidia of four mussel species (subfamily Lampsilinae) were in the drift or attached to host fishes. Representatives of all families and most genera of fishes in the stream, including all naturally infected species, were artificially exposed in the laboratory to glochidia of the four species to enable positive identification of host species. The lampsiline mussels displayed a high degree of host specificity. The host fishes were as follows: Villosa nebulosa, smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui), and rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris); Villosa vanuxemi, banded sculpin (Cottus carolinae); Medionidus conradicus, redline darter (Etheostoma rufilineatum), and fantail darter (E. flabellare); and Lampsilis fasciola, smallmouth bass. Periods of natural infestation on fishes corresponded with the occurrence of glochidia in the drift and were different for each mussel species. Duration of the period of attachment on host fishes in the laboratory depended on mussel species, water temperature, and the time when glochidia were obtained from gravid female mussels.