Field Guide

A common mussel in some areas, deertoe have decorative green markings.

A widespread mussel that relies on freshwater drum as host fish for the developing young.

Finding the monkey’s face in this mussel's shell is left up to the imagination.

One of the most widespread and numerous mussels in southern Missouri.

While the pimpleback is usually bumpy, some individuals are perfectly smooth.

The plain pocketbook is one of the most common and widespread mussels in our state. It is oval, relatively large, and occurs frequently.

This widespread species is one of the few Missouri mussels successful in shallow ponds and lakes.

Rarely seen, this endangered freshwater mussel has a thin and delicate shell that is strikingly beautiful inside.

The snuffbox has been classified as endangered in Missouri and is a candidate for federal endangered status. Perhaps it should also be a candidate for a new common name, since the popularity of snuff-taking is long past.

Sometimes called the blue-point, this mussel species is widely distributed in Missouri rivers and is occasionally found along reservoir margins.