Life Sciences Commons^™

Synchronization Of Reproduction In Deertoe Mussel (Truncilla Truncata), Kendell R. Loyd

MSU Graduate Theses

Freshwater mussels, Order Unionoida, are diverse and widespread in North America but have suffered general decline and many extinctions in recent decades. The reproductive biology of Unionoida is complex and may be vulnerable to human impacts. Male mussels release aggregates of sperm called spermatozeugmata that drift downstream. Females obtain spermatozeugmata from the water and brood the fertilized eggs internally during development. Many aspects of general reproductive biology are poorly understood, including the mechanisms that coordinate spawning and the route by which sperm meet eggs in the female. The present study focuses on reproduction in the Deertoe (Truncilla truncata), …