nimet breadcrumb-navigoinnissa
Lampsilis cardium was formerly known as Lampsilis ovata and Lampsilis ovata.
The middle lobe of the mantle edge has most of a bivalve's sensory organs. Paired statocysts, which are fluid filled chambers with a solid granule or pellet (a statolity) are in the mussel's foot. The statocysts help the mussel with georeception, or orientation.
Mussels are heterothermic, and therefore are sensitive and responsive to temperature.
Unionids in general may have some form of chemical reception to recognize fish hosts. Mantle flaps in the lampsilines are modified to attract potential fish hosts. Lampsilis cardium has a mantle flap resembling a minnow or darter to attrach host fish.
Glochidia respond to touch, light and some chemical cues. In general, when touched or a fluid is introduced, they will respond by clamping shut.
Communication Channels: chemical
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; vibrations ; chemical
Lampsilis cardium currently does not have any individual state conservation status. However, it is on the IUCN Red List as Lower Risk, Near Threatened.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: lower risk - near threatened
Fertilized eggs are brooded in the marsupia (water tubes) up to 11 months, where they develop into larvae, called glochidia. The glochidia are then released into the water where they must attach to the gill filaments and/or general body surface of the host fish. After attachment, epithelial tissue from the host fish grows over and encapsulates a glochidium, usually within a few hours. The glochidia then metamorphoses into a juvenile mussel within a few days or weeks. After metamorphosis, the juvenile is sloughed off as a free-living organism. Juveniles are found in the substrate where they develop into adults.
Development - Life Cycle: metamorphosis
There are no significant negative impacts of mussels on humans.
Mussels are ecological indicators. Their presence in a water body usually indicates good water quality.
Fish hosts are determined by looking at both lab transformations and natural infestations. Looking at both is necessary, as lab transformations from glochidia to juvenile may occur, but the mussel may not actually infect a particular species in a natural situation. Natural infestations may also be found, but glochidia will attach to almost any fish, including those that are not suitable hosts. Lab transformations involve isolating one particular fish species and introducing glochidia either into the fish tank or directly inoculating the fish gills with glochidia. Tanks are monitored and if juveniles are later found the fish species is considered a suitable host.
The main fish hosts for this species are probably centrarchids. Both natural infections and lab metamorphosis has been observed for the white crappie. In lab trials, Lampsilis cardium metamorphosed on bluegill, green sunfish, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass. Lab transformations were also observed for the banded killifish and walleye.
Ecosystem Impact: parasite
Species Used as Host:
In general, unionids are filter feeders. The mussels use cilia to pump water into the incurrent siphon where food is caught in a mucus lining in the demibranchs. Particles are sorted by the labial palps and then directed to the mouth.
Mussels have been cultured on algae, but they may also ingest bacteria, protozoans and other organic particles.
Plant Foods: algae; phytoplankton
Other Foods: detritus ; microbes
Foraging Behavior: filter-feeding
Primary Diet: planktivore ; detritivore
The pocketbook is found in the Mississippi River drainage, St. Lawrence drainage and southern drainages to Hudson Bay. It occurs west from eastern Manitoba south to nothern Oklahoma, east to eastern Tennessee and north to Nova Scotia.
In Michigan the pocketbook is found throughout the lower peninsula, and in the upper peninsula, from Marquette and Dickinson County to the east. Collection records do not show it in Alger, Schoolcraft and Chippewa counties, although it still may be in water bodies there.
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native )
The pocketbook is found in lakes, streams and rivers, in mud, sand, and gravel. In the Huron River, they mainly occupied areas above and below riffles in sand or gravel. In the Huron’s lakes it was found mainly on solid shoals of sand, gravel or marl.
Habitat Regions: freshwater
Aquatic Biomes: rivers and streams
The age of mussels can be determined by looking at annual rings on the shell. However, no demographic data on this species has been recorded.
The pocketbook is up to 17.8 cm (7 inches) long , and is round or quadrate in shape. The shell is thinner in young individuals, thicker in older individuals, and inflated. This species is sexually dimorphic. The anterior end is rounded and the posterior end gently rounded in females and bluntly pointed in males. The dorsal margin is straight to gently curved and the ventral margin is broadly rounded.
Umbos are broad, elevated above the hinge line, and turned forward. The beak sculpture has four or five elevated ridges and may be double-looped.
The periostracum (outer shell layer) is smooth, yellow to yellow-green with green rays, although sometimes rays are absent.
On the inner shell, the left valve has two pseudocardinal teeth, which are erect, compressed, and striated. The posterior tooth is usually short and triangular. The two lateral teeth are short, thin and striated. The right valve has one erect and stout pseudocardinal tooth with another erect compressed tooth anteriorly. The one lateral tooth is high, thin and short.
The beak cavity is broad and deep. The nacre is white and iridescent posteriorly.
In Michigan, this species can be confused with the mucket, fat mucket, or wavy-rayed lampmussel. The mucket is more compressed. The fat mucket is more elongated. The wavy-rayed lampmussel in general has wavy rays, and because it is smaller than the pocketbook, the growth lines will be closer together.
Range length: 17.8 (high) cm.
Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; heterothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: sexes shaped differently
Unionids in general are preyed upon by muskrats, raccoons, minks, otters, and some birds. Juveniles are probably also fed upon by freshwater drum, sheepshead, lake sturgeon, spotted suckers, redhorses, and pumpkinseeds.
Unionid mortality and reproduction is affected by unionicolid mites and monogenic trematodes feeding on gill and mantle tissue. Parasitic chironomid larvae may destroy up to half the mussel gill.
Known Predators:
Age to sexual maturity for this species is unknown. Unionids are gonochoristic (sexes are separate) and viviparous. The glochidia, which are the larval stage of the mussels, are released live from the female after they are fully developed.
In general, gametogenesis in unionids is initiated by increasing water temperatures. The general life cycle of a unionid, includes open fertilization. Males release sperm into the water, which is taken in by the females through their respiratory current. The eggs are internally fertilized in the suprabranchial chambers, then pass into water tubes of the gills, where they develop into glochidia.
Lampsilis cardium is a long-term brooder. In the Huron River in Michigan, the pocketbook was gravid from early August to mid-July. It probably breeds in June and July in Michigan.
Breeding interval: The pocketbook breeds once in the warmer months of the year.
Breeding season: In Michigan, the breeding season is probably June to July.
Range gestation period: 11 (high) months.
Key Reproductive Features: seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (Internal ); viviparous
Females brood fertilized eggs in their marsupial pouch. The fertilized eggs develop into glochidia. There is no parental investment after the female releases the glochidia.
Parental Investment: pre-fertilization (Provisioning); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female)
