Winged Floater
Anodonta nuttalliana
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G2G3Q
State (S-rank): S2S3
Utah Wildlife Action Plan status
- SGCN
External links
Species range
Winged floater are distributed throughout western North America. In Utah, the species was historically abundant inhabiting a number of watersheds throughout the state. Now, the species is thought to inhabit only a few locations.
Migration
Like all freshwater mussels, winged floaters rely on fish for their dispersal or migration.
Habitat
Winged floaters are found in marshes, lakes, reservoirs, and slow-moving streams or rivers. They are found embedded in areas with sand or silt as the primary substrate.
Food habits
Winged floaters are filter feeders. They siphon suspended particles from the water column which improves water quality, reduces turbidity, and helps control nutrient levels.
Ecology
Freshwater mussels are considered ecosystem indicators where their absence or presence can provide information about an ecosystem's overall health and condition.
Threats or limiting factors
Threats to winged floater include: loss of host fish, urban development, channel modification, pollution, water management, improper grazing practices, and habitat shifting and alteration.
Taxonomy
There has been much confusion regarding the taxonomic status of floaters (Anodonta); however, Anodonta nuttalliana (winged floater) is the species recognized in Utah.
Since the time of Call (1884) there has been much confusion regarding the taxonomic status of this and other floaters (ANODONTA) of western North America. Call (1884) considered A. nuttalliana to include, as synonyms, A. wahlametensis, A. oregonensis, and A. californiensis. Recent authors (e.g., Burch 1975, Turgeon et al. 1988), however, have considered A. californiensis, A. nuttalliana, and A. oregonensis to be distinct.