A Naturalist’s Guide to the Mussels of Ohio Paperback – February 16, 2026

A Naturalist’s Guide to the Mussels of Ohio offers beginners and experienced naturalists alike a window into these often overlooked but fascinating aquatic animals, which play an indispensable role in the ecology of Ohio’s streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes. Beautifully illustrated with photographs of specimens from the world-renowned Ohio State University Museum of Biological Diversity Malacology Collection, this guide includes detailed species accounts for 61 species of Ohio mussels, as well as introduced species and fingernail clams likely to be encountered in our state’s aquatic environments. Introductory chapters provide the historical background of the study of malacology, an overview of the surprisingly complex life cycle of mussels, an inside look at their anatomy, and tips for finding mussels in the field. The species accounts group mussels by visual characteristics, with a photographic overview to help readers quickly identify their finds and an illustrated key to further support accurate identifications. An easy-to-use table makes it simple to look up current and previous nomenclature, conservation status, life cycle details, and extinct or extirpated species. Written in accessible, straightforward prose, this guide is an ideal foundation for anyone wishing to learn more about Ohio’s aquatic life and explore the hidden world of freshwater mussels.Michael A. Hoggarth, Ph.D., grew up in the rocky intertidal zone of Washington state, and by the time he graduated from ninth grade, he could identify every invertebrate found during low tide and decided to be an invertebrate zoologist when he grew up. He took every marine biology course offered at Seattle Pacific University, graduating with a B.S. in Biology in 1977, and then switched to mussels as he completed his M.S. in Biology at the University of North Alabama in 1980. His Ph.D. in Zoology at The Ohio State University (1988) continued his work, and he has since authored many papers on the ecology, life history, and systematics of freshwater mussels. Mike’s first job was as an environmental scientist with the Ohio Department of Transportation, later moving to Otterbein University, where he recently retired as Professor Emeritus from the Department of Biology and Earth Science. He is one of the authors of The Freshwater Mussels of Ohio (2009, OSU Press) and a mentor to numerous students and current environmental professionals. Read more