Scientists have observed how freshwater mussels splash water. This was reported by the Cambridge University press service.
Mussel uni crassusFreshwater inhabitants are endangered. During research on the Biala Tarnowska River in Poland, David Aldridge and his colleagues found the reason for the unusual behavior of these mollusks.
In the spring, females of this species move ashore and find themselves in very shallow water so that part of the body is exposed to the air. After that, the mussels released a long thin stream of water towards the reservoir, expelling it from their shells. “Spit” cycles lasted 3-6 hours. The scientists took water samples from the jets for analysis and found that they contained mollusk larvae. As the study’s authors eventually realized, falling jets of water attract fish. The mussel larvae in the jets can then cling to the fish’s gills and move to another location and complete their adult transformation.
“Who would have thought that a headless and brainless mussel knew how to move to the riverbank and throw jets of water into the river in the spring? This is great!” The authors comment on the study.
This behavior occurred in only one mussel species. Unlike other types, uni crassus It has a limited host fish group, including minnows and chubs. These fish are attracted to falling water jets. In addition, this explains the vulnerability of mussels – in shallow water, mussels become vulnerable to both lower water levels and predators.