Anatomy of finfish and shellfish

Unit 13 - Mollusca

13.2.Unio or Lamellidens or Anodonta

Class - Pelecypoda
Distribution
The Freshwater Mussel is a familiar representative of the phylum Mollusca. The family Unionidae is widely distributed all over the world and includes nearly all the large freshwater mussels or clams. The family consists of several genera and nearly 1,000 species of which a good number are represented in India. The commonest species in England is the Swan Mussel (Anodonta cygnea). The types commonly dissected in India are Unio and Lamellidens marginalis. The description that follows will apply in general to almost any freshwater mussel.