From the Publisher
“This beautiful book is a worthy companion to Trautman’s magnificent The Fishes of Ohio. It should be read not just by mussel biologists and students of Ohio’s natural history, but by anyone who is interested in North America’s rich freshwater life or its current plight. The book’s many photos and distribution maps remind us what a remarkable array of species once lived in Ohio’s waters, and document the species’ sadly diminished state.” —Dave Strayer, Cary Institute of Ecosystem StudiesThe Freshwater Mussels of Ohio is an important contribution to the freshwater mollusk literature. This highly readable book nicely summarizes the wealth of information on mussel classification, life cycles, and ecology. The thorough species accounts will be indispensable to those working with the diverse Ohioan and Lawrentian faunas.” —Caryn C. Vaughn, Director, Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma
This long-awaited and -anticipated volume fills a gap in our knowledge of the upper Ohio River freshwater bivalve fauna. Watters and his co-authors have figured multiple specimens of each species, clearly illustrating shell variation and umbonal sculpture. Pictures of historical malacologists are included in the literature cited, putting a face with the work. The volume sports an illustrated glossary and a key, both often missing from other freshwater mussel volumes. The text is well organized, authoritative, thorough, and very readable. Freshwater Mussels of Ohio will be indispensable for anyone working on freshwater bivalves in the Ohio River drainage. —Arthur E. Bogan, Ph.D., Research Curator of Aquatic Invertebrates, North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences