Species Velesunio ambiguus (Philippi, 1847)

Museums

Regional Maps

• Unio ambiguus Philippi, R.A. 1847. Abbildungen und Beschriebungen neuer oder wenig gekannter Conchylien. Cassel : Theodor Fischer Vol. 3 pp. 1-50. [41].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH 1841–4–29–103, Australia (as Nova Hollandia).
• Unio balonnensis Conrad, R.A. 1850. Descriptions of new species of freshwater shells. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 5: 10-11 [Feb. 1850] [10].

  Type data:

   Holotype ANSP 189249, Balonie River, NSW.
  Paratype(s) MCZ 72078.
• Unio vittatus Lea, I. 1859. Descriptions of twenty one new species of exotic Unionidae. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 11: 151-154 [153].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH 1958.4.3.1, lower Murray River, SA.
  Paratype(s) USNM 84407.

  Type locality references:

  McMichael, D.F. & Hiscock, I.D. 1958. A monograph of the freshwater mussels (Mollusca : Pelecypoda) of the Australian region. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 9: 372-508 [392].

  Secondary source:

   Johnson, R.I. 1974. Lea's Unionid types or recent and fossil taxa of Unionacea and Mutelacea introduced by Isaac Lea, including the location of all the extant types. Spec. Occ. Publ. Dept. Moll. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard 2. 1-159 pp. [155].
• Unio philippianus Küster, H.C. 1861. Die Flussperlmuscheln, Unio et Hyria. Part 178. pp. 209-256 in Küster, H.C., Martini, F.W. & Chemnitz, J.H. (eds). Systematisches Conchylien-Cabinet. Nürnberg : Bauer & Raspe Bd 9 Abt. 2. [235] [unnecessary replacement name for Unio ambiguus Philippi, 1847].
• Unio (Alasmodon) evansi Adams, A. & Angas, G.F. 1864. Descriptions of new species of shells, chiefly from Australia in the collection of Mr Angas. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1864: 35-40 [24 June 1864] [39].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH 1870.10.26.42, lagoons of the lower Murray River, SA.
• Unio danelli Villa, A. 1871. Description d'un Unio d'Australie. Journal de Conchyliologie 19: 328-329 [1 Oct. 1871] [328].

  Type data:

   Holotype MNHP no number, tributary of the Yarra River, VIC.

  Type locality references:

  Iredale, T. 1934. The freshwater mussels of Australia. The Australian Zoologist 8(1): 57-78 pls iii-vi [60].
• Unio jeffreysianus Lea, I. 1871. Descriptions of three new species of exotic Unionidae. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 23: 188 [Oct. 1871] [188].

  Type data:

   Holotype USNM 84849, River Yarra, VIC.

  Type locality references:

  Iredale, T. 1934. The freshwater mussels of Australia. The Australian Zoologist 8(1): 57-78 pls iii-vi [62].
• Unio protovittatus Hale, H.M. & Tindale, N.B. 1930. Human remains in the Murray Valley. Records of the South Australian Museum (Adelaide) 4: 145-218 [154].

  Type data:

   Holotype SAMA P178, Tartangan Bed, layer C, Murray River, SA.
  Paratype(s) SAMA.
• Velesunio balonnensis adjunctus Iredale, T. 1934. The freshwater mussels of Australia. The Australian Zoologist 8(1): 57-78 pls iii-vi [59].

  Type data:

   Holotype AM C12003, Richmond River, NSW.
  Paratype(s) AM C61708 (2 specimens).
• Velesunio balonnensis intricatus Iredale, T. 1934. The freshwater mussels of Australia. The Australian Zoologist 8(1): 57-78 pls iii-vi [60].

  Type data:

   Holotype AM C61725, Rockhampton, QLD.
  Paratype(s) AM C61889 (2 specimens); AM C47293 (2 specimens).
• Velesunio mckeowni Iredale, T. 1943. Guide to the freshwater shells of New South Wales, Part I. Australian Naturalist 11: 85-95 [88].

  Type data:

   Holotype AM C61721, Leeton, Murrumbidgee River, NSW.
  Paratype(s) AM C61680 (8 specimens); AM C61721 (1 specimen).
• Velesunio testatus Iredale, T. 1943. Guide to the freshwater shells of New South Wales, Part I. Australian Naturalist 11: 85-95 [88].

  Type data:

   Holotype AM C61699, Benthagi, Murray River, NSW.
  Paratype(s) AM C61723 (1 specimen); AM C125867 (2 specimens); AM C61698 (7 specimens and 1 valve).
• Velesunio transitus Iredale, T. 1943. Guide to the freshwater shells of New South Wales, Part I. Australian Naturalist 11: 85-95 [89].

  Type data:

   Lectotype AM C61691, Camden, Nepean River, NSW.
  Paralectotype(s) AM C61687 (5 specimens and 1 valve); AM C61690 (11 specimens); AM C61705 (1 specimen).

 

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• McMichael, D.F. & Hiscock, I.D. 1958. A monograph of the freshwater mussels (Mollusca : Pelecypoda) of the Australian region. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 9: 372-508 [388]

 

Generic Combinations

• Hyridella ambigua (Philippi, 1847). —
  Cotton, B.C. & Gabriel, C.J. 1932. Australian Unionidae. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria ns 44(2): 155-160 pl. 16 [Date published April] [156-157]
• Velesunio ambiguus (Philippi, 1847).
• Diplodon ambiguus (Philippi, 1847). —
  Hedley, C. 1916. A preliminary index of the Mollusca of Western Australia. Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Western Australia 1: 152-226 [156]
• Velesunio balonnensis (Conrad, 1850). —
  Iredale, T. 1934. The freshwater mussels of Australia. The Australian Zoologist 8(1): 57-78 pls iii-vi [59]
• Velesunio danellii (Villa, 1871). —
  Iredale, T. 1934. The freshwater mussels of Australia. The Australian Zoologist 8(1): 57-78 pls iii-vi [60]
• Velesunio evansi (A. Adams & Angas, 1864). —
  Iredale, T. 1934. The freshwater mussels of Australia. The Australian Zoologist 8(1): 57-78 pls iii-vi [62]
• Diplodon (Hyridella) evansi (A. Adams & Angas, 1864). —
  Simpson, C.T. 1900. Synopsis of the Naiades, or Pearly Fresh-water Mussels. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 22: 501-1044 [892]
• Diplodon (Hyridella) jeffreysianus (Lea, 1871). —
  Simpson, C.T. 1914. A description catalogue of the Naiades or Pearly Fresh-water mussels. Ann Arbor : Bryant Walker. [1299]
• Diplodon (Hyridella) vittatus (Lea, 1859). —
  Simpson, C.T. 1900. Synopsis of the Naiades, or Pearly Fresh-water Mussels. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 22: 501-1044 [890]

 

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA and IMCRA regions

drainage basins and coastal and oceanic zones

IBRA

NSW, Qld, SA, Vic: Australian Alps (AA), Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Broken Hill Complex (BHC), Channel Country (CHC), Central Mackay Coast (CMC), Cobar Peneplain (CP), Cape York Peninsula (CYP), Desert Uplands (DEU), Darling Riverine Plains (DRP), Einasleigh Uplands (EIU), Finke (FIN), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Mitchell Grass Downs (MGD), Mount Isa Inlier (MII), Mulga Lands (ML), Nandewar (NAN), Naracoorte Coastal Plain (NCP), New England Tablelands (NET), NSW North Coast (NNC), NSW South Western Slopes (NSS), Riverina (RIV), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields (SSD), Stony Plains (STP), Victorian Midlands (VM), Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP), Wet Tropics (WT)

Original AFD Distribution Data

Australian Region

• Australia
  • New South Wales: Murray-Darling basin, SE coastal
  • Queensland: Lake Eyre basin, NE coastal
  • South Australia: Lake Eyre basin
  • Victoria

Ecological Descriptors

Filter-feeder, lentic freshwater, lotic freshwater.

Extra Ecological Information

Coastal rivers

 

General References

Allan, J. 1934. Pearl from a freshwater mussel, and notes on the occurence of pearls. Victorian Naturalist 51: 166-169

Allan, J.K. 1950. Australian shells: with related animals living in the sea, in freshwater and on the land. Melbourne : Georgian House xix, 470 pp., 45 pls, 112 text figs. [400, text fig. 8] (also cited as Velesunio evansi on the same page)

Baker, A.M., C. Bartlett, S.E. Bunn, K. Goudkamp, F. Sheldon & J.M. Hughes 2003. Cryptic species and morphological plasticity in long-lived bivalves (Unionoida: Hyriidae) from inland Australia. Molecular Ecology 12: 2707-2717 [2707-2717]

Colville, A.E. & R.P. Lim 2003. Microscopic structure of the mantle and palps in the freshwater mussels Velesunio ambiguus and Hyridella depressa (Bivalvia: Hyriidae). Molluscan Research 23: 1-20 [1-20]

Cotton, B.C. 1961. South Australian Mollusca. Pelecypoda. Adelaide : W.L. Hawes, Government Printer 363 pp. [Date published Oct: Handbook of the Flora and Fauna of South Australia Series] [89-90, 325, fig. 75, 76]

Cotton, B.C. & Gabriel, C.J. 1932. Australian Unionidae. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria ns 44(2): 155-160 pl. 16 [Date published April] [156-157, pl. XVI, fig. 2] (p. 158 as Hyridella jeffreysiana)

Iredale, T. 1934. The freshwater mussels of Australia. The Australian Zoologist 8(1): 57-78 pls iii-vi [59-60, pl. 3, figs 1-3, pl. 4, figs 1-3] (p. 60, pl. 3, fig. 4, pl. 4, fig. 4 as Velesunio danellii; also asVelesunio balonnensis and subspecies; p. 62, pl. 3, figs 6, 7; pl. 4, figs 6, 7 as Velesunio evansi)

Iredale, T. 1943. A basic list of the freshwater Mollusca of Australia. The Australian Zoologist 10(2): 188-230 [190] (p. 189 as Velesunio danellii; p. 189, 191 as Velesunio balonnensis; p. 191 as Velesunio evansi)

Jones, W.G. & Walker, K.F. 1979. Accumulation of iron, mangnese, zinc and cadium by the Australian freshwater mussel Velesunio ambiguus (Philippi) and its potential as a biological monitor. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 30: 741-751

Kershaw, R.C. 1956. Victoria fluviatile and lacustrine Molluscs - the Pelecypoda. Victorian Naturalist 73: 51-55 [52] (as Velesunio danellii; p. 52-53 as Velesunio testatus)

Lamprell, K. & Healy, J. 1998. Bivalves of Australia. Leiden : Backhuys Publishers Vol. 2 288 pp. [140]

McMichael, D.F. & Hiscock, I.D. 1958. A monograph of the freshwater mussels (Mollusca : Pelecypoda) of the Australian region. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 9: 372-508 [388-396, pl. 1, figs 1-14, pl. 2, figs 1-5, pl. 17, figs 2, 3]

Millington, P.J. & Walker, K.F. 1983. The Australian freshwater mussel Velesunio ambiguus (Philippi) and its potential as a biomonitor for zinc. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 34: 873-892

Smith, E.A. 1881. On the freshwater shells of Australia. Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology 16: 255-317, pls V-VII [309-310] (also p. 311, U. danellii and U. jeffreysianus; p. 312, U. evansi;)

Tate, R. 1887. A revision of the Recent lamellibranch and palliobranch Mollusca of South Australia. Transactions and Proceedings and Report of the Royal Society of South Australia 9: 76-111 [101] (as Unio evansi and Unio vittatus)

Walker, K.F. 1981. Ecology of freshwater mussels in the River Murray. Australian Water Resources Council Technical Paper No. 63. 1-119 pp.

Walker, K.F. 1986. The freshwater mussel Velesunio ambiguus as a biomonitor of heavy metals associated with particulate matter. pp. 175-185 in Hart, B.T. (ed.). Water Quality Management: The role of particulate matter in the transport and fate of pollutants. Victoria : Chisholm Institute of Technology.

Walker, K.F., Byrne, M., Hickey, C.W. & Roper, D.S. 2001. Freshwater Mussels (Hyriidae) of Australasia. pp. 5-31 in Bauer, G. & Wächtler, K. (eds). Ecology and Evolution of the Freshwater Mussels Unionoida. Berlin, Germany : Springer-Verlag 394 pp. [9]

 

Common Name References

Allan, J.K. 1950. Australian shells: with related animals living in the sea, in freshwater and on the land. Melbourne : Georgian House xix, 470 pp., 45 pls, 112 text figs. [399, fig. 4] (Balonne Freshwater Mussel, Southern Mussel)

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
22-Aug-2023	BIVALVIA	22-Aug-2023	MOVED	Mr Des Beechey Ingo Burghardt Ms Anouk Mututantri (AM)
23-Apr-2018	BIVALVIA	11-Apr-2023	MODIFIED	Mr Des Beechey Ingo Burghardt Ms Anouk Mututantri (AM)
11-Aug-2014		11-Aug-2014	MOVED
16-Nov-2010		16-Nov-2010	MOVED
		12-Feb-2010	(import)