Mussels On The Move

When I got back to the boat launch on Friday afternoon, I wandered out onto the bridge to look for turtle tracks in the mud. I didn’t see any turtle tracks in the exposed mud but I noticed, in areas about six inches under water, some trails in the mud. It took me a minute or so to realize that there was something at one end ot the trails. Then I saw it one of them move. It was hard at first to realize that it actually did move. Then I realized I was looking at live mussels feeding in the mud.

3:44 pm. The trail of one of the mussels

3:44 pm. A close up of the mussel.

3:56 pm. Twelve minutes later.

4:25 pm. The trail some 29 minutes later. It has traveled quite a distance and is headed in the general direction of a pine needle that had ‘nosedived’ into the mud.

4:35 pm. Ten minutes later, the mussel is still several inches from the pine needle.

4:44 pm. Nine minutes later, it has reached the pine needle.

4:51 pm. Seven minutes later, it has just passed the pine needle.

This is the first time that I had seen a mussel feeding and was really impressed by the distance it traveled in such a short time.

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I found this shell which I think is the shell of the mussel above. It's the only shell of this kind that I have ever seen along the lake shore.

According to the Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, approximately 128 species of freshwater mussels are found in Georgia. I have no idea what type of mussel this is but photographed shells that I found along the exposed beach that might give some clue to its identity. Can anyone identify this mussel?
Click on an image to view a larger image

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