Freshwater Mussels of the Choctawhatchee River Drainage in Alabama and Florida

Holly N. Blalock, Jeffrey J. Herod*, and James D. Williams
U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Florida Caribbean Science Center, 7920 NW 71st Street, Gainesville, FL 32653, Ph: (352) 378-8181 Fax: (352) 378-4956. E-mail: holly_blalock@usgs.gov or jeff_herod@usgs.gov or jim_Williams@usgs.gov

A freshwater mussel survey was conducted at 135 sites in the Choctawhatchee River Drainage in Alabama and Florida between 1998 and 1999. Unionids were found at 100 (74%) sites. The non-indigenous bivalve, Corbicula fluminea, was found at 91 (67%) sites, and was the only bivalve at 12 (9%) sites. Results from this inventory identified 23 species, of which 48% are considered rare. The rare species are: Anodontiodes radiatus, Elliptio arctata, Elliptio mcmichaeli, Fusconaia succissa, Lampsilis australis, Pleurobema strodeanum, Ptychobranchus jonesi, Quincuncina burkei, Strophitus subvexus, Villosa choctawensis, and Villosa villosa. Villosa lienosa was located at 70 (52%) sites, and was the most commonly encountered unionid species in this survey. Anodontoides radiatus, Glebula rotundata, P. jonesi and V. villosa were each located at only one site within the drainage basin. Future research will focus on collecting historical museum data and surveying historical sites.