A new paper in Ecology by Freshwater Mollusk Ecology and Conservation Program lead Sarah Douglass and colleagues describes the use of emerging technology paired with traditional methods to try to locate a species not seen alive in Illinois in over 100 years.
The Salamander mussel Simpsonaias ambiguahas been proposed for federal listing under the US Endangered Species Act. Despite intense surveys, live individuals were last documented in Illinois in 1906.
The Salamander Mussel differs from other mussel species in that instead of a fish species, it uses the Mudpuppy Necturus maculosus as host for its glochidia.
The emergence of environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques provides a new method to guides surveys for potential populations.
Sarah Douglass and colleagues collected samples at 8 sites in the Sangamon River to test for both Mudpuppy and Salamander Mussel eDNA. Mudpuppy eDNA was detected in samples from 4 sites, 1 of which also contained Salamander Mussel eDNA. A group of surveyors returned to that site and conducted targeted searches of preferred habitat, yielding 12 live Salamander Mussels, the first seen in Illinois in over 100 years.
Read the complete paper here