Ecology and Evolution of the Freshwater Mussels Unionoida

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-XXII

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2. Systematics and Distribution

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

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   2. Characterization of the Unionoida (= Naiads)

      • Gerhard Bauer

      Pages 3-4

   3. Freshwater Mussels (Hyriidae) of Australasia

      • Keith F. Walker, Maria Byrne, Christopher W. Hickey, David S. Roper

      Pages 5-31

   4. Systematics and Distribution of the Recent Margaritiferidae

      • Douglas G. Smith

      Pages 33-49

   5. Population Genetics and Systematics of European Unionoidea

      • Karl-Otto Nagel, Guido Badino

      Pages 51-80

3. Life-History Strategies

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 81-81

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   2. Life-History Variation on Different Taxonomic Levels of Naiads

      • Gerhard Bauer

      Pages 83-91

   3. Larval Types and Early Postlarval Biology in Naiads (Unionoida)

      • Klaus Wächtler, Maria C. Dreher-Mansur, Torsten Richter

      Pages 93-125

   4. Plasticity of Life-History Traits in Unio crassus

      • Susanne Hochwald

      Pages 127-141

   5. Life-History Data on the Virtually Unknown Margaritifera auricularia

      • Rafael Araujo, Maria Angeles Ramos

      Pages 143-152

4. Populations and Communities

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 153-153

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   2. Factors Affecting Naiad Occurrence and Abundance

      • Gerhard Bauer

      Pages 155-162

   3. Effect of Muskrat Predation on Naiads

      • Elke Zahner-Meike, J. Mark Hanson

      Pages 163-184

   4. Glochidial Mortality in Freshwater Mussels

      • Wolfgang Jansen, Gerhard Bauer, Elke Zahner-Meike

      Pages 185-211

   5. Macrohabitat Factors Influencing the Distribution of Naiads in the St. Croix River, Minnesota and Wisconsin, USA

      • Daniel J. Hornbach

      Pages 213-230

5. Evolutionary Biology

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 231-231

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   2. Framework and Driving Forces for the Evolution of Naiad Life Histories

      • Gerhard Bauer

      Pages 233-255

   3. A Phylogenetic Perspective on the Evolution of Morphological and Reproductive Characteristics in the Unionoida

      • Walter R. Hoeh, Arthur E. Bogan, William H. Heard

      Pages 257-280

   4. The Evolution of the Unionacea in North America, and Its Implications for the Worldwide Fauna

      • G. Thomas Watters

      Pages 281-307

All those who think that bivalves are boring are in the best company. Karl von Frisch is reported to have turned the pages more quickly in texts where bivalves were treated because, according to him, they literally lack any behaviour. The fact that they can filtrate huge amounts of water, burrow into the sedi­ ment, actively swim, drill holes into rocks and boats or detect shadows with the aid of pretty blue eyes located on the rim of their mantle obviously left v. Frisch unimpressed. Why, then, a book on the large freshwater mussels (Naiads or Unionoida), which on first sight are much less spectacular than the marine ones? The main reason is that they are keepers of secrets which they reveal only on close and careful inspection. This is not only true for the pearls some species produce and which over centuries have contributed to the treasures of bishops and kings, but particularly for their ecology: their life cycles are linked with those of fishes, some can occur in incredible densities and some can live for more than 100 years. Thus, the presence or absence of naiads in a lake or stream has manifold implications.

• Evolution
• Muscheln
• Mussels
• Naturschutz
• Parasiten
• Systematik
• Unionoida
• Wirt
• bivalves
• ecology
• host
• naiads
• nature conservation
• parasites
• systematics

From the reviews "... Hier wird eine aktuelle Synopse des Wissens über die Biologie der großen Süßwassermuscheln = Najaden verfügbar gemacht, wie sie in dieser Vollständigkeit bislang nicht bekannt war. Dafür ist den Autoren zu danken. Der Band sollte in keiner wissenschaftlichen Bibliothek fehlen, ebenso nicht in der von Najadenforschern und Malakozoologen sowie der Nautrschutzverwaltung." (Mainzer Naturwissenschaftliches Archiv Vol. 39, 2001)

• Institut für Biologie I, Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

  Gerhard Bauer

• Institut für Zoologie, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany

  Klaus Wächtler

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