Collaborative Research: REVSYS: Systematic Revision of the Etherioidea, the Freshwater Mussels (Mollusca: Unionoida) of the Gondwanan Continents

Academy Of Natural Sciences Philadelphia, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

A grant has been awarded to Dr. Daniel Graf of the Academy of Natural Sciences in collaboration with Kevin Cummings of the University of Illinois to document the diversity and evolutionary relationships of a group of southern hemisphere mollusks known as etherioidean freshwater mussels. These animals are of interest to biologists because of their wide distribution on South America, Africa, Madagascar, India and Australia and because they have a life cycle that involves a fascinating larval stage which is parasitic upon fish. Recent analyses indicate that etherioidean freshwater mussels are closely related to each other, and this, combined with their enormous geographic range on the southern continents suggests that these patterns are the result of ancient continental drift. This research will test these hypotheses of evolutionary relationship and biogeographical processes by synthesizing the vast amounts of zoological information about freshwater mussels that is housed in museums and recorded in over 250 years of biological literature. The result will be a complete synthesis and reclassification of the nearly 200 species of etherioidean freshwater mussels. The data and conclusions generated by this research will not only be made available through traditional media but will also take advantage of modern means of dissemination such as CD-ROMs and the internet (<http://clade.acnatsci.org/mussel>). While this information will be of interest to scientists and conservation officials, it will also serve teachers, students and all members of the public interested in better understanding their world. Besides providing a novel scientific perspective on an interesting, important and imperiled fauna, this study will also serve to train up-and-coming biologists through hands-on research experience.