The 2004 Mussels of the Month.
December 2004
 Anodonta cygnea (Unionidae, Palearctic)
The December 2004 Mussel of the Month is Anodonta cygnea, the swan mussel. A. cygnea is one of the most widespread freshwater mussels on earth: it is found from the British and Irish Isles east to Siberia, and south to northern Africa! |
November 2004
 Haasodonta fannyae (Unionidae, Australasian)
The November 2004 Mussel of the Month is Haasodonta fannyae. Haasodonta is an odd genus of freshwater mussel endemic to the island of New Guinea. |
October 2004
 Margaritifera monodonta (Margaritiferidae, Nearctic)
The October 2004 Mussel of the Month is Margaritifera (+ Cumberlandia) monodonta. M. monodonta, a North American species, is one of only about a dozen in the family Margaritiferidae. |
September 2004
 Nephronaias scamnata (Unionidae, Nearctic)
The September 2004 Mussel of the Month is Nephronaias scamnata. N. scamnata is one of two unionids found on the Caribbean island of Cuba. |
August 2004
 Castaliella sulcata (Hyriidae, Neotropical)
The August 2004 Mussel of the Month is Castaliella sulcata. Castaliella is part of the diverse assemblage of South American freshwater mussels, known from Surinam and Guyana. |
July 2004
 Schistodesmus lampreyanus (Unionidae, Oriental)
The July 2004 Mussel of the Month is Schistodesmus lampreyanus. Schistodesmus is part of the diverse freshwater mussel fauna of China. |
June 2004
 Hyridella menziesi (Hyriidae, Australasian)
The June 2004 Mussel of the Month is Hyridella menziesi. Hyridella menziesi is one of the few species of freshwater mussels found in New Zealand.
|
May 2004
 Lampsilis cardium (Unionidae, Nearctic)
The May 2004 Mussel of the Month is Lampsilis cardium. L. cardium (= L. ventricosa) is widespread in eastern North America and is one of the characteristic species of the formerly glaciated areas of the Great Lakes, Upper Mississippi and Ohio basins. |
April 2004
 Pseudospatha tanganyicensis (Unionidae, Ethiopian)
The April 2004 Mussel of the Month is Pseudospatha tanganyicensis. Pseudospatha is a monotypic genus endemic to Lake Tanganyika in Central Africa. |
March 2004
 Ptychobranchus subtentum (Unionidae, Nearctic)
The March 2004 Mussel of the Month is Ptychobranchus subtentum. P. subtentum is endemic to the Cumberland Plateau in the United States. |
February 2004
 Aspatharia rugifera (Iridinidae, Ethiopian)
The February 2004 Mussel of the Month is Aspatharia rugifera. A. rugifera is a member of the strictly African freshwater mussel family Iridinidae. |
January 2004
 Alasmidonta heterodon (Unionidae, Nearctic)
The January 2004 Mussel of the Month is Alasmidonta heterodon. A. heterodon is one of 70 North American freshwater mussels protected by the U.S. Endangered Species Act. |
