F.J. Dwyer C.G. Ingersoll C.M. Kane T Augspurger 2007 <p>Freshwater mussels (family Unionidae, also referred to as freshwater pearly mussels, unionids, or naiades) are one of North America&rsquo;s most endangered faunal groups. Near unanimity exists in characterizations of the imperilment of these ecologically, economically, and culturally important bivalve mollusks. Freshwater mussels are a renewable resource supporting a shell industry in the United States valued at $40&ndash;50 million annually [1]. In addition to being a food source for aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates, this diverse fauna helps stabilize sediment [2] and provides critical nutrient and energy cycling in streams and lakes by filtering phytoplankton, bacteria, and particulate organic matter from the water column [3]. Thirty-five species of freshwater mussels are extinct [4], 70 species are listed as threatened or endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (www.fws.gov/endangered/wildlife.html), and nearly 180 species are identified as critically imperiled or vulnerable (www.natureserve.org/explorer). Declines in freshwater mussels are not unique to North America [5], but because the taxon reaches its greatest richness here, impacts are especially noteworthy.</p> application/pdf 10.1897/07-011.1 en Wiley Advances and opportunities in assessing contaminant sensitivity of freshwater mussel (unionidae) early life stages article