Enhancement of the Freshwater Mussel Collection

Louisiana State University Shreveport, Shreveport LA

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). Dr. Malcolm Vidrine (LSU in Eunice) donated his private collection of 22,000 specimens of freshwater mussels to the LSUS Museum of Life Sciences. This award will fund the purchase of additional museum cases for the proper storage of this valuable collection, a server for the internet, and for staff to complete the curation. Most of the Vidrine collection has not been organized and is presently unusable. This proposal is to complete the sorting and organization of this collection. During that curation, additional data (identifications, classification, and other specimen information) will be computerized. As one of the largest freshwater mussel collections in the U.S., the collection is an irreplaceable resource for scientific study. With more than 40 years of sampling, it represents most of the drainages in the southeastern U.S. and many of the populations represented are now extinct. This collection will become more valuable as we understand the environmental changes in aquatic ecosystems throughout the south. The Vidrine collection is a valuable resource for biologists, students, environmental engineers, and governmental agencies. Public outreach includes answering questions for the public and a shell collection on display. Upon completion the collection will be available for scientific study and on the internet at www.lsus.edu/lsusmus/.