Technical Bulletin No. 0825: Freshwater Mussels of the Eastern United States: A Review of Biology, Life History, and Status

North America contains the most diverse assemblage of freshwater mussels in the world. However, about 40% of the taxa are considered to be threatened, endangered, or extinct. The decline, extirpation, and extinction of freshwater mussels have been attributed to numerous causes including siltation, in-stream mining, impoundment, and pollution.