Freshwater Mussel

The Unionidae are a family of freshwater mussels, the largest in the order Unionida of the bivalve molluscs, sometimes known as river mussels or simply unionids. They are distributed globally but reach their greatest diversity in North America, home to around 297 recognized taxa, with China and Southeast Asia also supporting particularly diverse populations. Freshwater mussels typically live in flowing waters such as rivers, streams and creeks, where they burrow into the substrate and filter-feed by drawing water through their shells.