Victorian Non-Marine Molluscs - 6 



Brian J. Smith* 



I rt shuukr Mussels— Pnmily Hvmiiim; 



I hive major groups of freshwatci 

 rv.ilvcs occur in Victoria, two being 

 roups ol small m mcduim-si.'.ed bi- 

 ases to he described later, and the 

 Mtip ot large black-shelled molluscs 

 InoVTI >s freshwater mussels, which 

 ticking to the family Hyriidac Seven 

 meciftS of freshwater mussels art- des- 

 cribed lot Victoria but only tour can 

 be desenhed as common. 'I he shells 

 ire all large, fairly solid, and dark 

 brown to WacK m colour. They can 

 found in rivers, creeks, lakes and 

 JmtiSi and lise buried in .sandy mud 

 with only the posterior end protrud- 

 ing from the sand to filter food par- 

 ticles from the water. The species in 

 k& group are diflicult to identify as 

 ■ high degree of individual vanatu .n 

 exists in most species. However, Ihe 

 mean characters of a sample from the 

 .■filiation coupled »ilh a knowledge 

 af the locality should enable most 

 .missels to he identified in Victor! . 



Ulcviinm ..inlliRUus (I'hil'PP' IS-1TI 



This is a large, elongate-oval mus- 

 H-l. .ii.lv slightly winged posteriorly 

 ,,iid in many waters Ihe beaks show 

 i great deal Of erosion in t.ld speci- 

 mens. This is widespread throughout 

 |b| $(alS, heme found commonls in 

 Ihc coastal rivers both ot Gippsl.md 

 <nJ Western Vieloria, and in the 

 Murray and its tributaries. It is also 

 ''ound readily in tUXfi dams wheo. 

 I has been introduced by hiuK o. 

 m introduced fish. Ihis species also 

 .icxiir* ihioughoul much o* N.S.W , 

 Queensland and eastern South Aus- 

 Mjia. Average length 70 mm. 



Ncwemb»r, 1971 



Alalliyria jacksui.i (liedalc 1934) 



This species has a larger, heaviei 

 shell than the previous species and 

 shows mote pronounced wings pos- 

 teriorly. However, in Victoria it i£ 

 confined to a small area in the Fill 

 east of the State and to the Murray 

 area, It is not a common species but 

 does occur throughout much of the 

 Murray-Darling Basin Average length 

 105 mm. 



Cienus MjridcUa 

 five species of this genus occur in 

 Victoria, all hut one hemg very .simi- 

 lar to each other, belonging to the 

 subgenus Hyritl'lla sensii \<ti<to, 

 I hesc ate small to medium shells, 

 icadiing about 1 00 mm m length, and 

 tend to" be elongate in shape. Some 

 are localized to one river system only 

 while others arc fairly rare. 



Hvriilell:* |!hri<kll-.u anstrijis 



(Lamarck. IftlM 



This has a fairly large, oblong 

 ovate shell, with prominent posterior 

 ridges and heavy beak sculpture. II is 

 iouiul in the coastal rivets of central 

 .mil eastern Victoria and up Ihe 0O851 

 of N S W into southern Queensland. 

 However, it does not appear to he a 

 common species. Average length 

 (it) mm. 



Ihriiklla (M>ri.iill;.l .liprevsa 



(l.inuirck. IK 19) 



| his is more elongate than Ihe pre- 

 \ious species, but its mosl marked 

 characte. is that the dorsal margin 



famill Di Inwitrfiw*. ^ Muvr.m. *> 



V Mi ii 1 1 



325 



