Down at the Sydenham:

We spent a recent morning by the Sydenham River in hopes of finding Mudpuppies. We struck out with that species but managed to find several mussel shells and a few other treats! Mussels stabilize the riverbed and are a vital link in the food chain as they are a source of food for many animals including fish, turtles, birds and mammals. The Sydenham watershed is a refuge for mussels, supporting 34 species. It is the most mussel diverse watershed in Canada! All collected mussels were carefully returned to the river. For more info, check out the following link.

https://www.sydenhamriver.on.ca/sydenham-sar/mussels/

A selection of the mussels we found.

Purple Wartyback

Purple Wartyback, inside shell

Three-ridge Mussel

Wabash Pigtoe

We placed the shells on a piece of cardboard before taking pictures. I noticed something moving which I initially thought was a blob of mud sliding down the cardboard. When it changed direction, I realized it was alive. I then transferred it to a plastic spoon containing river water. It is a member of the Water Penny Beetles.

Underside of the Water Penny Beetle larva (sp) showing it's white feathery gills and many legs which wriggled as it tried to flip itself over. Larvae feed on algae on rock surfaces, or in this case, algae growing on mussel shells. The presence of water penny larvae in a stream can be used as a test for the quality of the water as they are pollution-sensitive. They are 6-10mm in length and are typically found in stream riffles with a moderate to fast current, clinging to the underside of logs or rocks.

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/143858-Psephenidae