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Animal profile

Freshwater Pearl Mussel

Margaritifera margaritifera

BivalviaClean, fast-flowing, low-nutrient rivers with stable gravel bedsEndangered

Field profile

The freshwater pearl mussel is a dark, elongate bivalve that lives partly buried in river gravel. It is one of the longest-lived invertebrates, with individuals exceeding a century. Its larvae must attach to the gills of salmon or trout to complete development.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2025-08-30

Freshwater Pearl Mussel

This mussel cannot reproduce without a salmon

Freshwater pearl mussel larvae must clamp onto the gills of a young salmon or trout and remain there for months before dropping off to burrow. Where the fish are gone, the mussels persist as ageing adults that never recruit.

Read with evidence →

Freshwater Pearl Mussel | Daily Animal Facts