04/30/2026
Eastern floaters (Pyganodon cataracta) are a type of freshwater mussel found here at the park. These mussels are one of only 25 species native to the Chesapeake Bay watershed and are one of the few freshwater mussels to be considered stable within their range. Freshwater mussels are one of the most endangered groups of organisms in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and 70 percent of native freshwater mussels in all North America are either endangered, threatened, or of special concern, with many species already extinct.
Mussels are incredibly important to our environment, filtering silt, bacteria, algae, and organic matter out of the water. However, factors like water pollution, rising water temperatures, invasive species, and human collection have decimated many populations.
Luckily, the eastern floater currently has a stable population, likely due to their relative tolerance to lower water quality, and their mode of reproduction. Larval stage mussels, known as glochidia, attach themselves to the fins or gills of fish to be transported to other parts of the body of water they inhabit. While some species of mussels can only pair with one or two species of host fish, the eastern floater is known as a generalist when it comes to host fish species, known to pair with multiple species, including blue gill, common carp, yellow perch, and rock bass.
