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Hillegass, K. R. and M. C. Hove (1997). Suitable fish hosts for glochidia of three freshwater mussels: strange floater, ellipse, and snuffbox. Pages 14 in M. Olekszyn and M. Steingraeber, eds. Proceedings of the Mississippi River Research Consortium, La Crosse, Wisconsin (USA), Mississippi River Research Consortium.

Of 297 freshwater mussels species living in North America, 213 are either endangered, threatened, or of special concern. The identification of fish hosts is listed in the National Strategy for Freshwater Mussel Conservation as an urgent research objective. We conducted laboratory studies to determine suitable fish hosts for three species of freshwater mussels: strange floater Strophitus undulatus, ellipse Venustaconcha ellipsiformis, and snuff box Epioblasma triquetra. Various fish species were exposed to mussel larvae via artificial infestation. A fish was considered a suitable hosed when larval metamorphosis to the juvenile stage was observed. Juvenile strange floater were collected from five of seven species tested: largemouth bass, green sunfish, black bullheads, bluegills, and yellow perch. Of nine fish species exposed to ellipse glochidia, only blackside darters were suitable hosts. Snuff box glochidia metamorphosed on log perch and blackside darters. Host requirements for strange floater glochidia appeared to be quite general, whereas the ellipse glochidia were more selective. Species-specific molecular markers are being developed for use in the identification of glochidia collected from naturally infested fish.