Our Mission: The Mattabeseck Audubon Society, a chapter of the National Audubon
Society, is committed to environmental leadership and education for
the benefit of the community and the earth's biodiversity.
deKoven House,
27 Washington Street,
Middletown, Connecticut 06457
Yellow Lampmussel
In Summer 2006 we were honored to be the first people in 80 years to find the Yellow Lampmussel in Connecticut. The specimen was photographed and carefully returned to its habitat, and the photos were sent to the DEP for confirmation. The mussel was a gravid female, just about to set seed.
The mussel (not the same individual) was found again by the DEP mussel survey team (3 specimens in this same area). And the species was found by us again twice in summer of 2007, in that same area.
The find was important because it restored this species to the Endangered Species list (extirpated species are removed from that list).
Tidewater Mucket
The Tidewater Mucket is a species of special concern in Connecticut. It is prevalent in the Connecticut River though. The nacre inside the shells an be quite vibrant pinks, from salmon pinks to purple-pink. The shells are inflated (fat) and reasonably easy to identify. Young live individuals can be mistaken for Yellow Lampmussels at first glance. The Muckets, however, are considerably deeper in color.
Eastern Pond Mussel
These mussels are very distinctive in shape with a long pointed posterior end. The nacre can be irridescent lavendar in freshly killed shells. This species is also on the Special Concern list. It is usually not present in large numbers, however in certain localities it can be quite prevalent.
Spring Wildflowers at Guiffrida Park