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Presented at the NABS Annual meeting, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2002
in Conservation Ecology
STATUS OF THE KIDNEYSHELL, PTYCHOBRANCHUS FASCIOLARIS, AND THE ROUND HICKORYNUT, OBOVARIA SUBROTUNDA, IN CANADA.
J.L. Metcalfe-Smith and D.T. Zanatta. Environment Canada, National Water Research Institute, P.O. Box 5050, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, Canada L7R 4A6
The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada currently lists six species of freshwater mussels as nationally endangered or extirpated. We have now completed assessments of the Kidneyshell and Round Hickorynut. Both species were historically known from the Grand, Thames and Sydenham rivers, Lake Erie, and Lake St. Clair; the Kidneyshell also occurred in the Ausable and Niagara rivers, while the Round Hickorynut was found in the Detroit and Welland rivers. Healthy populations of the Kidneyshell still occupy the Sydenham and Ausable rivers, and scattered specimens survive in shallow, sandy areas off the St. Clair delta. The delta also supports the only significant population of the Round Hickorynut in Canada. This species has declined precipitously in the Sydenham River; it was documented at 11 sites historically, but only a few specimens were found during recent surveys. The Kidneyshell’s host in Canada is unknown; however, Greenside and Johnny Darters, which are known hosts in the U.S.A., are common in the Sydenham River. The Round Hickorynut’s host is also unknown, but its pattern of decline closely matches that of the threatened Eastern Sand Darter. We recommend Endangered status for the Round Hickorynut and Threatened status for the Kidneyshell in Canada.
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