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Health & Science2h 50m ago
The larvae of the freshwater pocketbook mussel, found in the Ohio River, attach to the gills of fish like the largemouth bass after being ejected by the female mussel.
Ohio River, USA
Who
pocketbook mussel (Lampsilis ovata), fish (largemouth bass)
What
The larvae of the freshwater pocketbook mussel, found in the Ohio River, attach to the gills of fish like the largemouth bass after being ejected by the female mussel.
When
Thu, 11 Jun 2026 02:31:26 GMT · 2h 50m ago
Where
Ohio River, USA ·
Why
The parasitic larval molluscs absorb nutrients from the host's blood to grow until they are large enough to drop off and settle in the sediment.
The Frontline Impact
How this affects you
The pocketbook mussel employs an aggressive mimicry strategy, where the female mussel's mantle flaps resemble a minnow to attract predatory fish. This allows the mussel to blow a cloud of larvae into a fish's face, ensuring the larvae can attach to the fish's gills for development, without significantly harming the host fish.
Story chain
1 event in this threadNo related history yet - this is the origin event.
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