Population demographics and life history of the round hickorynut (Obovaria subrotunda) in the Duck River, Tennessee

Abstract

Population characteristics and life history aspects of healthy mussel populations are poorly understood. The reproductive cycle, age and growth, and population structure of Obovaria subrotunda were examined at four sites in the middle Duck River, Tennessee. Obovaria subrotunda was confirmed to be a bradytictic species, spawning in the late summer and holding glochidia in the gills for 11 mo until the following summer. Fecundity was positively related to mussel length (R2 = 0.75) and ranged from 7122 to 76,584 glochidia. Fourteen species of fish found in the Duck River, in the families Percidae, Cyprinidae, and Cottidae, were infested with glochidia in the laboratory to examine potential hosts. Juveniles transformed on Etheostoma blennioides (greenside darter), E. obama (spangled darter), E. flabellare (fantail darter), and Cottus carolinae (banded sculpin). Analyses of shell thin-sections indicated that males grew faster and obtained a larger size than females. Individuals live to at least 14 y old. Females became sexually mature at age one. Four sites were quantitatively sampled using a systematic design with three random starts. The observed ratio of adult males to females (0.9:1) did not differ significantly from 1:1. Results of the quantitative sampling showed an increase in density compared to earlier studies and a high proportion of 1 to 5 y old O. subrotunda. © 2013, American Midland Naturalist.