Freshwater Mussels (Bivalvia: Unionoida) of Maine

摘要: rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds of various sizes. They belong to the order Unionoida, in North America (and Maine) freshwater mussels are represented by two families, Margaritiferidae Unionidae. These familial names derived, respectively, from Greek margaritos Latin unio, both which mean "pearl" refer iridescent "mother-of-pearl" nacre interior shells as well propensity some these animals fashion pearls. The earliest pictures American found book Historice Animalium Anglia? published Martin Lister England 1678. was a physician naturalist who peculiarly regarded fossil mollusks "inorganic imitations produced rocks." Al? though occur worldwide, it is where they reach their greatest diversity, especially Mississippi drainage system. While only five taxa America, Unionidae comprises about 300 taxa. By contrast, there 17 unionoid species all Europe. Natural historians vanguard mussel systematics included Thomas Say, Constantine Samuel Rafinesque, Isaac Lea, Timothy Abbott Conrad. Two classic contri? butions malacological literature were Arnold Edward Ortmann's monograph on Pennsylvania (Ortmann 1919) three-volumed Descriptive Catalogue Naiades or Pearly Fresh-water Mussels, Charles Torrey Simpson 1914. Modern malacologists take delight at how Rafinesque once victim? ized joke perpetrated ornithologist John James Audubon. Audubon described three-valved that he supposedly had seen