| The Freshwater Mussels of Ohio by G. Thomas Watters, Michael A. Hoggarth & David H. Stansbury
2009, Ohio State University Press, laminated boards, stitched binding, 421pages, about 8½ by 11 inches, (about 21.5 by 28.5cm), contains 229 illustrations including numerous full page photographic color plates, text figures and distribution maps, key to species, glossary and references.
This is a welcome addition to the growing number of publications now available covering the freshwater mussel populations found in the United States. The state of Ohio has a particularly rich and diversified population of these shells in the family Unionidae and they have been studied and survey perhaps more than any other populations of these shells from the earliest times in American history. Once of great economic importance these shells were a valuable commodity and a source of great wealth for the area. Today the need for these mussels has almost completely diminished and unfortunately because of factors that have changed their habitat many of these species are threatened or endangered. This book provides a beautiful illustrated and well written documentation and identification of these shells. |
