Louisiana Pearlshell

Welcome! I am Marc Rauschuber and this ESL (Endangered Species Live). On today's program, it is the story you have all been waiting for, Clam Calamity! The infamous Louisiana Pearlshell, known by scientists as Margaritifera hembeli, will be the topic of our discussion. We will venture deep into its habitat to examine this creature up close and personal.

The Margaritifera hembeli, comes from the kingdom Animalia and the domain Eukarya. It is a mollusk, which means it is an invertebrate animal that is grouped with other organisms such as snails, oysters and squids.

This animal is a freshwater mussel that gets to be about 100 milimeters in length. It has a dark brown shell despite the deceiving name. This creature prefers to live in shallow water down in the sand or gravel. It is mainly found in small creeks and streams with flowing water. The majority of them live in middle Louisiana, although there are some traces of them in Arkansas as well.

This mussel's diet is relatively simple. They have been found to consume detritus, phytoplankton, diatoms, and zooplankton. They do this by filtering food particles in the water they habitat in. When the Louisiana Pearshell is a juvenile (glochidia) its diet consists of water and fish body fluids.

Bioprosepectors, or people who look for new uses for organisms, have not investigated the Louisiana Pearlshell as of yet. There has been speculation that the oil present on the mussel may contain healing properties far beyond the reaches of traditional medicine. They are saying that this oil may be able to fight some forms of cancer.

This mussel first emerged on the endangered species list back in 1988. However, in 1993 it was

reclassified as threatened after new populations were discovered in Louisiana. The main threats to this organism's habitat, and therefore it's existense come from sedimentation, pollution, and collection. Global warming may present a new threat to the Louisiana Pearshell. Altering the temperature of their habitat and increasing the water level could prove to be devastating to them. Although, not much research has been done concerning this, it is a very likely possibility.

Well that is all for us today, here at ESL. I'm glad you have taken the time to learn about this little known organism. It should be our duty to try and preserve their habitat and existense. Hopefully we can do something about their dwindling populations. Once again, I am Marc Rauschuber. Thank you and goodnight.