April 19, 2015 — Surprise! Clams are living in our local rivers, creeks and lakes. These unassuming animals are commonly overlooked, but when they are noticed they are often referred to as pet rocks (or less flattering terms). North Carolina is home to 65 species of native freshwater mussels or clams. They are distributed unevenly in North Carolina’s 17 river basins: 22 species live in rivers that drain into the Tennessee and Ohio rivers; 43 are found only in rivers draining into the Atlantic.
Some freshwater clam species can live up to 60 years – very long lives for invertebrates. They have an unusual life cycle: As tiny larvae, they must spend from a week to several months attached to the gills or fins of a fish. At the right time during their development, the clams drop off their hosts and begin to live in the river or lake bottom.
So how does the female clam attract a fish so she can place her larvae on their gills? Freshwater clams are sneaky. Some species pack their larvae into gelatinous packets that look like food for fish. When a fish eats the packet, the packet explodes – filling the fish’s mouth with clam larvae. As larvae pass over the fish gills, some attach to the gill filaments.
Read the full story at the Charlotte Observer