Mucket - Actinonaias ligamentina
Federal Status: Not listed (Watters 1995)
Ohio Status: Extirpated (Waters 1995)
Key characters: Relatively large, oblong, thick shell, yellowish brown, with green rays and a relatively shallow beak cavity (Cummings, Mayer 1992).
Similar species: Plain pocketbook, fatmucket, Higgins eye, pink mucket, elephant-ear, ellipse, hickorynut (Cummings, Mayer 1992).
Description: Shell large, elliptical or oblong, thick, usually heavy, and compressed to moderately inflated. Anterior end rounded, posterior end bluntly pointed. Umbos slightly elevated above the hinge line. Beak sculpture of a few fine, double-looped ridges, usually visible only in young shells. Periostracum smooth, yellowish brown, with numerous green rays. Large shells dark brown with faint green rays or rayless. Length to 7 inches (17.8 cm) (Cummings, Mayer 1992).
Pseudocardinal teeth large, slightly elevated and serrated; two in the left valve, one in the right. Lateral teethm straight to slightly curved, thin, and moderately long. Beak cavity shallow to moderately deep. Nacre white, occasionally tinged with pink or salmon, iridescent posteriorly (Cummings, Mayer 1992).
Hosts: Black and white crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, largemouth, small, rock, and white bass, sauger and yellow perch (Watters 1995).
Habitat: A river species in riffles and runs (Watters 1995).
Return to the Introduction of Freshwater Mussels
Return to the Biology Home Page
Return to the Marietta College Home Page