Research Document - 2005/062
Assessing Characteristics of Recovery: a case study using the Endangered wavyrayed lampmussel (Lampsilis fasciola, Rafinesque 1820)
By Morris, T.J., D.J. McGoldrick, and J.L. Metcalfe-Smith
Abstract
The Wavyrayed Lampmussel (Lampsilis fasciola, Rafinesque 1820) is a small sexually dimorphic mussel characterized by its round shape and fine, broken wavy green rays. This species historically occurred in western Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair, and the Maitland, Ausable, St. Clair, Sydenham, Thames, Detroit and Grand Rivers. Habitat degradation, damming activity, declining water quality resulting from rural farming practices and increasing urban pressures as well as the invasion of the zebra and quagga mussel have lead to large scale declines in the range and abundance of this species. Current populations are known only from a small portion of the Lake St. Clair delta and the Ausable, Grand, Thames and Maitland Rivers. The Wavyrayed Lampmussel was declared Endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada in 1999. This report attempts to determine a suite of characters that can be effectively used to monitor recovery of this species across its Canadian range. We recommend that recovery be evaluated at a population level for each of the 6 remaining populations using a hierarchical approach incorporating individual, population and species levels criteria.
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