Swan mussel

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Swan mussel
Conservation status
NE
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Bivalvia Order: Unionoida Family: Unionidae Genus: Anodonta Species: A. cygnea
Binomial name
Anodonta cygnea (Linnaeus, 1758)

The swan mussel, Anodonta cygnea, is a large species of freshwater mussel in the family Unionidae. It is found in rivers and lakes. The shell is thin but large (approximately 10 to 20 cm) and rather flat, even at the umbo. The shell color is often pale greenish or brownish.

Because of its variability and its wide range of distribution, there are over 500 synonyms for this species.

[edit] Distribution and conservation status

• Not listed in IUCN red list - not evaluated (NE)^[1]

It's native distribution is European-Siberian. The geographical distribution of this species is from the British Isles east to Siberia, and south into northern Africa.

• Czech Republic
  • vulnerable (VU)^[2]
  • Czech code, Decree for implementation, No. 395/1992 Sb. (and No. 175/2006 Sb.) - High Threatened species.

• Germany
  • Germany - high endangered (Stark gefährdet) ^[3]
  • Listed as specially protected species in annex 1 in Bundesartenschutzverordnung.
• The Netherlands - yes ^[4]
• Poland - endangered^{[5] [6]}
• Slovakia
• Sweden - quite rare ^[7]
• British Isles

[edit] External links

• PAN Pesticides Database - Chemical Toxicity Studies
• http://clade.acnatsci.org/mussel/ The mussel project website