Passive transport of Eastern Elliptio (Elliptio complanata) by freshwater turtles in New England

Dispersal of freshwater mussels (order Unionida) is primarily as glochidia on the fins and gills of host fish. Adult mussels are more sessile, generally moving short distances (<2 m/week) along lake and river beds. Between 2007 and 2016, we observed seven instances of adult Eastern Elliptio (Elliptio complanata) and one instance of a fingernail clam (Sphaerium sp.) attached to the feet of freshwater turtles in streams and ponds of New England, United States. Observations included five instances of mussels attached to Wood Turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) in Maine and Massachusetts, one instance of a mussel attached to the fingernail of an Eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) in Massachusetts, one instance of a mussel attached to a Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) in Massachusetts, and one instance of a fingernail clam attached to the fingernail of an Eastern Painted Turtle in Massachusetts. We suggest that Eastern Elliptio may be susceptible to transport by freshwater turtles foraging in mussel beds and that transport of adult mussels by freshwater turtles could result in otherwise atypical long-distance, upstream, or overland dispersal between waterbodies.

The Influence of Surface Coatings of Silver Nanoparticles on the Bioavailability and Toxicity to Elliptio complanata Mussels

Nanomaterials could be modified with various coatings which could modulate their behavior in the environment, bioavailability and toxicity. The purpose of this study was to determine if the selected coatings of silver nanoparticles (nAg) could influence the fate, bioavailability, and toxicity toward suspension feeding freshwater mussels, Elliptio complanata. Mussels were exposed for 96 h to 50 μg/L of nAg with the following surface coatings: citrate, silicate (Si), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and branched polyethylenimine (bPEI). After the exposure period, mussels were analyzed for total Ag, resistance to air emersion, oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and autophagosome protein uptake (protein ubiquitinylation) in gills and digestive glands. The data revealed that citrate- and PVP-coated nAg were 2 times more abundant in the digestive gland compared to bPEI- and Si-coated nAg with estimated bioaccumulation factors between 5 and 10. The data revealed that tissue Ag levels were closely associated with air survival time, weight loss during air exposure, DNA strand breaks, LPO, and protein-ubiquitin levels in the digestive gland. The data supports the hypothesis that the coatings could influence bioavailability and toxicity in freshwater mussels.