Reproductive biology and fish hosts of the Tennessee clubshell Pleurobema oviforme (Mollusca: Unionidae) in Virginia

The reproductive cycle and fish hosts of the freshwater mussel Pleurobema oviforme were determined during a 14-mo study (1979-1980) in Big Moccasin Creek, southwestern Virginia. Histological sectioning of mussel gonads collected throughout the year showed that gametogenesis for both sexes began in late spring and continued into early autumn; fertilization began in late March. Glochidial development in the outer gills of females required 3-5 wk. Judged by biweekly samples of stream drift, glochidia were released from mid-April through July. Six species of cyprinids, collected between May and September 1979, were naturally infested with amblemine glochidia. Induced infestations of putative fish hosts in the laboratory confirmed five host species: whitetail shiner (Notropis galacturus), common shiner (N. cornutus), river chub (Nocomis micropogon), stoneroller (Campostoma anomalum) and fantail darter (Etheostoma flabellare).