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1 January 2026 |
2025 MUSSELp Publications & Presentations
The Freshwater Mussels of Central America
by Kevin S. Cummings, Daniel L. Graf, John M. Pfeiffer & Jeremy S. Tiemann
 Published 2025, CRC Press (Taylor & Francis), Boca Raton. Click here for the publisher's website.
This book describes a fauna of global conservation concern and provides a framework for researchers to begin to test hypotheses regarding the evolution of freshwater mussels in Central America. Placing the Central American fauna in context with that of North and South America, the authors fill a gap in our knowledge of this endangered and largely endemic fauna. This book:
- Provides a full‑color treatment of all 81 native and introduced freshwater mussel species found from the Río Grande in Texas, USA, and México to Colombia, South America
- Includes 110 distribution maps of all species
- Presents complete synonymies in every systematic species account
- Offers historical information and bios of previous workers in the field
- Cites complete literature and references on freshwater mussels in the region
Through photographs, distribution maps, and a complete list of species described and reported from Central America, Freshwater Mussels of Central America will inspire researchers to begin filling in the gaps regarding the systematics and ecology of freshwater mussels in Central America. It will be an essential source for conservationists, aquatic biologists, and those interested in the natural history of temperate and tropical freshwater ecosystems. |
Freshwater mussels of Central and South America (Unionidae, Hyriidae, Mycetopodidae): Distributional patterns and other cool stuff
by Kevin S. Cummings & Daniel L. Graf
Abstract. The recent freshwater mussels of the order Unionoida are represented by six families: Unionidae, Margaritiferidae, Hyriidae, Iridinidae, Mycetopodidae, and Etheriidae. Only the Unionidae, Hyriidae, and Mycetopodidae are represented in Central and South America. We will discuss patterns of distribution and endemism of mussels from the Río Grande south to Patagonia. The Central and South American mussel fauna is entirely distinct from that of North America and there are only four species of mussels sharded between Central and South America. Most of the species described by the early workers were short, vague, occasionally illustrated, and often based upon a single specimen. In addition, many of the the type localities were extremely vague consisting of a single river or country or in many cases completely unknown. As a result, the distribution and conservation status of freshwater mussels in Central and South America are still incompletely understood. Our designation of various species as valid or endemic are working hypotheses. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on multiple mitochondrial and nuclear genes coupled with morphological and life history studies will result in some widespread taxa being broken up as cryptic species are discovered, and others lumped. It is our hope that providing a complete list of species described, distribution maps, photographs of type specimens, and georeferenced type locality data for all of the names applied to Central and South American freshwater mussels will encourage additional studies to better document species distributions and test hypotheses regarding the evolution and systematics of the rich and interesting freshwater mussel fauna in Central and South America.
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