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Mississippi National River and Recreation AreaThe Stone Arch Bridge crosses the Mississippi River with the Minneapolis skyline in the distance.
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Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
Cylindrical Papershell
(Anodontoides ferussacianus ) Lea, 1834
A Cylindrical papershel
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Other Common Names:
Cylinder
Habitat:
Prefer mud and sands of small creeks and areas where larger streams begin.
Length:
Up to 3 inches (7.6 cm)
Outer Shell Color:
Yellowish green, green, or brown, color tends to be lighter toward the top of the shell.
Inner Shell Color:
Silvery or bluish white, and may be of rainbow color towards the left end of the shell.
Shell Thickness:
Thin
Shell Outline:
Longer than it is wide, almost like an ellipse that gradually becomes inflated as the mussel gets older. The end closest to where the two halves meet is rounded from top to bottom, while the opposite end is bluntly pointed. The bottom of the shell may be either slightly curved, straight to moderately arched, or pinched in the middle.
Shell Surface:
Smooth and shiny.
Scientific Description:
Yellow or brown shell with interrupted greenish rays comprised of V-shaped marks. Very sharp posterior ridge, and naroow posterior slope.Male compressed; female inflated.
Similar Looking Mussels:
Host Fish:
Several small-stream fishes.
Distribution:
Widespread and locally abundant.
Minnesota State Listing:
None.
Federal Listing:
None.
A flooded street in 1952  

Did You Know?
In 1952, the Mississippi River flooded hundreds of acres of farmland and multiple cities. Over 2,000 families were homeless because of the high water.
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Last Updated: September 25, 2006 at 09:44 EST