Mollusks Found in Georgia

Georgia offers a diverse environment for a large group of mollusks. There are several different fresh and salt water varieties of mollusks. The most commonly found mollusks in this area of the United States are clams, snails, oyster and mussels. In past centuries, there was more of a variety, but nowadays there are several species that are listed as an endangered species.

  1. Mussels

    • Most of the freshwater mussels found in Georgia are located in rivers and streams, but you will find a few different kinds that live in lakes. The ideal environment for these mussels is a silt-free bed with sand, gravel and cobble sediments. Ribbed Mussel (Geukensia demissa) is a commonly found freshwater river mussel. You will also find saltwater mussels in this state. The Hooked Mussels (Ischadium recurvum) are saltwater mussels found on the Georgia coastline. These mussels attach themselves to the Common Oysters that are found in that area as well.

    Oysters

    • The oysters found on the Georgia coast are referred to as keystone species. This is due to the fact that they help play a critical role in keeping the ecosystem in the area healthy. They do this by filtering the algae and pollutants which reduces erosion along the coast and provides food for animals and people. The Eastern Oyster is found between the mean high tide and low tide. This area works well for them as it has fewer predators, lower amounts of sediment and reduced fouling. The Common Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) can be located in the Georgia bays that run along its coast.

    Clams

    • There are a few varieties of saltwater clams in Georgia. Razor clams (Tagelus plebeius and Ensis directus), Hardshelled Clam (Mercenaria mercenaria) and Dwarf Surf Clam (Mulinia lateralis) are the main clams in this region. The tides force them onto shore and they quickly burrow back to safety. The Lettered Olive and Moon snails often feed off of clams in those areas.

    Snails

    • Georgia offers some saltwater snails as well. The Lettered Olive (Oliva sayana) and Moon (Polinices duplicatus) snails are found on the Georgia coast. The Common Mud Snail (Nassarius vibex) and the Common Atlantic Auger (Terebra dislocata) are found in bays along the coast. Going inland a bit to the saltwater marshes, you will find a few different snails. The Marsh Periwinkle (Littorina irrorata), the Mud Snail (Ilynassa obsoleta) and the Coffee-bean Snail (Melampus bidentatus) are all found in those areas.