They filter water and provide food for aquatic life.
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Where do mussels live?
Mussels are found through out the world in lakes and streams. Freshwater mussels live on every continent except Antarctic.
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Are you able to collect freshwater mussels in Minnesota?
No, its is illegal to prosses live freshwater mussels in Minnesota.
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Are clams the same as mussels?
Minnesotans often mistakenly use the term clam when referring to a freshwater mussel.
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How long can mussels live?
Mussels are long-lived animals meaning they can live for several decades and in some instances a century or more.
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Name 3 predators of mussels.
Primary predators of freshwater mussels are muskrats, otters, raccoons, geese, ducks, flatworms (on juvenile mussels), fish, and humans.
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Why are freshwater mussels considered to be ecosystem engineers?
Freshwater mussels are also considered to be "ecosystem engineers" because they modify aquatic habitat, making it more suitable for themselves and other organis
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Take a guess how many mussel types are in North America?
North America has the most - nearly 300 species, including 48 in Minnesota.
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Why is it important to learn about freshwater mussels?
Freshwater mussels are one of the most endangered groups of animals in North America; in most western states mussels are protected.
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How do mussels move?
Like all mollusks, the freshwater mussel has a muscular “foot” that it uses to move slowly or bury itself in the sand and gravel bottom of the waterways.
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Perhaps the most surprising aspect of native mussels is their symbiosis with fish. What is symbiosis?
Mussels need fish to reproduce, Females release tiny larvae called glochidia. The glochidia must attach to the gills or fins of particular species of fish.
