My Name: Steve Acevedo
Species: Simpsoniconcha ambigua (Say, 1825)
Basionym: Alasmodonta ambigua Say,1825
Common Names: Salamander Mussel, Mudpuppy Mussel
Classification:
Phylum Mollusca, Class Bivalvia, Order Unionoida, Family Unionidae
The author of this species was Thomas Say. He was an American naturalist who
was born in Philadelphia on June 27,1787. Thomas Say passed away on October 10,
1834. Throughout his life he went on many expeditions, one which included the Rocky
Mountains where he served as a zoologist. He is best known for his study on
Entomology. He has described many insects but most of his work was done on
describing more than 1,000 species of beetles. Many consider Thomas Say as the
father of Entomology.
The salamander mussel has the shape of an ellipse and can grow up to 5.2cm.
The shell is one way of telling the males and females apart. When it comes to the
males, the shell is more compressed and flat, whereas the females have a shell that is
more inflated. For both genders, the shell is thin. This organism feeds by pumping water
into the incurrent siphon where the particles in the water are caught. To get the right
particles that it eats, everything is sorted by the labial palps. Particles are then brought
to the mouth. It has been cultured on algae which tells us they can eat algae but many
believe they can also feed on bacteria, protozoans or even other organic particles. The
salamander muscle does have some predators. Their predators include the muskrats,
otters, raccoons and even some birds. Also, when they are juveniles, their predators
can also consist of freshwater drums, redhorses, pumpkinseeds, and the lake sturgeon.
This species is found in freshwater habitats. It concedes with where its host
Necturus maculosus (Rafinesque, 1818) lives. It preferably lives in swift current and in
the sand or silt under stones of rivers or lakes. This species lives in the United States of
America in lakes and rivers in Southern Michigan, North Alabama and in Iowa. The
populations of this species are generally in the same location as that of their hosts.
Local (southern California) related species:
A related species of Simpsoniconcha ambigua would be Anodonta
californiensis Lea, 1852. Because of the dwindling of lakes and rivers in southern
California, its geographic region of inhabitance has dwindled. It inhabits northern
California and the Fall and Pit rivers in Shasta County, California. Anodonta
californiensis is also in the family Unionidae.