Floodplain mussel

Floodplain mussel
	View of the right valve of Velesunio ambiguus, from Ashley via Moree, Australia.
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Bivalvia
Order:	Unionida
Family:	Hyriidae
Genus:	Velesunio
Species:	V. ambiguus
Binomial name
	Velesunio ambiguus; (Philippi, 1847)
Synonyms[1]
	Unio ambiguus Philippi, 1847; Unio balonnensis Conrad, 1850; Unio balonensis Lea, 1852; Unio vittatus Lea, 1859; Unio philippianus Küster, 1861; Unio (Alasmodon) evansi Adams & Angas, 1864; Unio danellii Lea, 1870; Unio daniellii Villa, 1871; Unio jeffreysianus Lea, 1871; Unio fairfieldi in coll. UMMZ; Unio ambiguus E.A. Smith, 1881; Hyridella australis E.A. Smith, 1881; Unio protovittatus Hale & Tindale, 1930; Velesunio balonnensis adjunctus Iredale, 1934; Velesunio balonnensis intricatus Iredale, 1934; Velesunio transitus Iredale, 1943; Velesunio mckeowni Iredale, 1943; Velesunio testatus Iredale, 1943; Velesunio ambiguous Graf & Cummings, 2006

Velesunio ambiguus, the floodplain mussel,[2] or the billabong mussel (South Australia),[3] is a species of freshwater bivalve in the family Hyriidae.

There are four other cryptic species in the genus Velesunio (which all look similar to Velesunio ambiguus) in Australia.[4]

distribution map

Comparison of the size of Velesunio ambiguus with a man's hand. This shell is 85 mm long and 49 mm wide.

Distribution

Australia: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria,[5] and South Australia, where it is known as the billabong mussel.[3]

Biotope

Static waters.[5]

Life cycle

The lifespan of this mussel is over 20 years.[5]

It can survive temperatures from around 4 °C to over 30 °C.[5]

Human uses

Velesunio ambiguus serves as a food for Australian Aborigines, although its flesh is tough.[5]

This species can also be used in fish ponds to filter microscopic algae out of the water.[5]

References

"species Velesunio ambiguus (Philippi, 1847): nominal species". The MUSSEL Project Web Site: MUSSELp. Archived from the original on 29 May 2023.
Wright, D.; Thiem, J.; Blackman, E.; Beatty, S.; Lymbery, A.; Davis, S. (February 2022). Desiccation tolerance of river and floodplain mussels in the Murray-Darling Basin. Report to the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office (PDF). NSW Department of Primary Industries. p. 10. Retrieved 9 September 2023. While neither of the two species widely distributed through the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) (the river mussel Alathyria jacksoni and the floodplain mussel Velesunio ambiguus) are currently listed as threatened
Wade, Sam; Corbin, Tracey; McDowell, Linda-Marie (June 2004). Critter Catalogue: A guide to the aquatic invertebrates of South Australian inland waters (PDF). Original illustrations by John Bradbury. Environment Protection Authority (South Australia). p. 28. ISBN 1-876562-67-6. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2020. Two species of freshwater mussels (family Hyriidae) occur in South Australia-the river mussel (Alathyria jacksoni) and the billabong mussel (Velesunio ambiguus).
Fawcett J.H.; Hughes J.M.; Baker A.M. (2006). "Conservation of the Australian freshwater mussel". North American Benthological Society. Archived from the original on 14 December 2007.
"Freshwater Mussels - Velesunio ambiguous. Environmental Remediation of Wetlands and Dams". Aquablue Seafoods. Archived from the original on 15 June 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2009.

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[1] "species Velesunio ambiguus (Philippi, 1847): nominal species". The MUSSEL Project Web Site: MUSSELp. Archived from the original on 29 May 2023.

[NSW_DPI-2] Wright, D.; Thiem, J.; Blackman, E.; Beatty, S.; Lymbery, A.; Davis, S. (February 2022). Desiccation tolerance of river and floodplain mussels in the Murray-Darling Basin. Report to the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office (PDF). NSW Department of Primary Industries. p. 10. Retrieved 9 September 2023. While neither of the two species widely distributed through the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) (the river mussel Alathyria jacksoni and the floodplain mussel Velesunio ambiguus) are currently listed as threatened

[epa-3] Wade, Sam; Corbin, Tracey; McDowell, Linda-Marie (June 2004). Critter Catalogue: A guide to the aquatic invertebrates of South Australian inland waters (PDF). Original illustrations by John Bradbury. Environment Protection Authority (South Australia). p. 28. ISBN 1-876562-67-6. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2020. Two species of freshwater mussels (family Hyriidae) occur in South Australia-the river mussel (Alathyria jacksoni) and the billabong mussel (Velesunio ambiguus).

[4] Fawcett J.H.; Hughes J.M.; Baker A.M. (2006). "Conservation of the Australian freshwater mussel". North American Benthological Society. Archived from the original on 14 December 2007.

[Aquablue-5] "Freshwater Mussels - Velesunio ambiguous. Environmental Remediation of Wetlands and Dams". Aquablue Seafoods. Archived from the original on 15 June 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2009.