Fish Species
Because this river flows through a large agricultural area, its waters collect silt and fertilizer runoff. In spite of this, the river provides habitat for 80 fish species and 34 species of freshwater mussels; these include:
- Nine mussel species considered as "endangered" nationally
- Mudpuppy Mussel (Simpsonaias ambigua)
- Northern Riffleshell (Epioblasma torulosa rangiana)
- Rayed Bean (Villosa fabalis)
- Wavy-rayed Lampmussel (Lampsilis fasciola)
- Snuffbox (Epioblasma triquetra)
- Round Pigtoe (Pleurobema sintoxia)
- Kidneyshell (Ptychobranchus fasciolaris)
- Round Hickorynut (Obovaria subrotunda)
- Rainbow mussel (Villosa iris)
- Two fish species and one turtle subspecies considered to be "threatened"
- Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus)
- Eastern Sand Darter (Ammocrypta pellucida)
- Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle (Trionyx spiniferus spiniferus)
Read more about this topic: Sydenham River (Lake Saint Clair)
Famous quotes containing the words fish and/or species:
“Everything seems beautiful because you don’t understand. Those flying fish, they’re not leaping for joy, they’re jumping in terror. Bigger fish want to eat them. That luminous water, it takes its gleam from millions of tiny dead bodies, the glitter of putrescence. There’s no beauty here, only death and decay.”
—Curtis Siodmak (1902–1988)
“Any reading not of a vicious species must be a good substitute for the amusements too apt to fill up the leisure of the labouring classes.”
—James Madison (1751–1836)