Orangefoot pimpleback (Plethobasus cooperianus)

The Orangefoot pimpleback (Plethobasus cooperianus) is a very small mussel.It

is a rare species of freshwater mussel in the family Unionidae, the river mussels. The
size of the mussel depends on the age. It can grow up to 10 cm in length, width up to
4.6 cm, height up to 7.8 cm.(Akrive, 2014) This animal lives in clean, fast-flowing water
in silt-free rubble, gravel or sand. This animal normally buries itself in sand or gravel in
about 29 feet of water. This mussel has the edge of the shell and its feeding siphons
exposed to the outside environment.( U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 2016)

The Orangefoot pimpleback is an endangered species because of mussels

habitat. Currently there are no habitat rules for this species.(U.S. Fish & Wildlife service,
2016) Dams and reservoirs have flooded most of this animals habitat. This causes
gravel and sand habitats to be affected. Researchers have seen how construction of
dams have desolated mussel populations. Dams and reservoirs are barriers that isolate
upstream populations from downstream ones. Some of the other threats to this species
survival is pollution from agricultural and industrial runoff, and siltation from
deforestation. Chemicals and toxic metals become impeded in the body tissues.(U.S.
Fish & Wildlife Service, 2016)

As of now the population is in great decline. But currently there are no

conservation plans created for the Orangefoot pimpleback.(U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service,
2016) As of now the main practice to keep these mussels alive is to remind boat owners
to clean their boats to prevent spread of invasive species such as Zebra mussels. Also
campaigns about pollution awareness have also been used. The more people know
about how they affect the world around them the more likely they will do something to
protect the wildlife.
 Blue Pike (Sander virtues glaucus)

The blue pike was once a very important sport and food fish in Lake Erie. In the
1950's the annual commercial catch in Lake Erie ranged millions of pounds per year.
They had completely disappeared by 1971. Similar to the walleye in appearance. They
had larger eyes and a smaller maximum size. Their overall body color was more silvery-
blue compared to that of the walleye. Blue pike had similar spawningactivity of the
walleye. They did not build nests, but were free spawners during April and May. Adults
reached an average body length of nine to sixteen inches and weighed five ounces to
one and a half pounds. They were carnivorous, eating mainly fish but also aquatic
insects. Blue pikes are members of the Percidae family (perches and darters). The blue
pike presumably spawned on the reefs and other such rocky areas in the western basin
of Lake Erie. No individuals were ever recorded from any Lake Erie tributary rivers, so
apparently their spawning was restricted to the lake itself. Inhabited the deeper and
clearer waters of the eastern two thirds of Lake Erie. It was less common in the
shallower waters of the western basin, especially in summer. The blue pike has not
been seen since the mid- to late 1960's and as a result it is considered to have become
extinct from Lake Erie. Additionally, since this fish has never been found outside of Lake
Erie it is now considered to be extinct. It fed on various small fishes.State and Federal
Biologists are still trying to decide exactly what happened. But many believe that it was
due to over harvesting and lack of fisheries able to stock the fish.(Ohio History
Connection, 2015)

Protective measures were taken in 1969, a pair, believed to be blue pike, were
spawned at the Pennsylvania Fish Commission's Linesville Fish Culture Station. About
9,000 of the fry were transferred to Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery at Yankton,
South Dakota. Some of the fingerlings were stocked in an isolated lake in northern
Minnesota as well. (Ognibene, 2016)

Blue Pike. (n.d.). Retrieved December 20, 2016, from http://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/

Blue_Pike
Service, U. F. (n.d.). Orange-Footed Pearly Mussel (Plethobasus cooperianus).
Retrieved December 20, 2016, from https://www.fws.gov/Midwest/endangered/clams/
orang_fc.html
Service, U. F. (n.d.). Orange-Footed Pearly Mussel (Plethobasus cooperianus).
Retrieved December 20, 2016, from https://www.fws.gov/Midwest/endangered/clams/
orang_fc.html
Service, U. F. (n.d.). Species Profile for Orangefoot pimpleback (Plethobasus
cooperianus). Retrieved December 20, 2016, from https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/
speciesProfile?spcode=F00R
Service, U. F. (n.d.). Species Profile for Orangefoot pimpleback (Plethobasus
cooperianus). Retrieved December 19, 2016, from https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/
speciesProfile?spcode=F00R
Orangefoot pimpleback photos and facts. (n.d.). Retrieved December 20, 2016, from
http://www.arkive.org/orangefoot-pimpleback/plethobasus-cooperianus/
Wildlife, O. D. (n.d.). Ohio.gov / search. Retrieved December 19, 2016, from http://
wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and-habitats/species-guide-index/fish/blue-pike

IS THERE/WAS THERE A BLUE PIKE? YOU DECIDE![OR JUST ASK SOME OF THE
OLD TIMERS THAT MADE A LIVING NETTING THEM!]. (n.d.). Retrieved December
20, 2016, from http://www.outdoorsniagara.com/bluepikeupdate.htm

Orangefoot pimpleback range