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The Ricciardians

@ricciardilab.bsky.social
926 followers 701 following 787 posts

Official Bluesky account for the Ricciardi Lab @ McGill University. 🌊🐠🐚🤿🔬Ecology of lakes & rivers | Aquatic invertebrates | Freshwater fishes | Invasive species | Climate change | PI: ecoinvasions.bsky.social #bioinvasions #limnology #biodiversity

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Jérôme Marty (he/him) @freshwater.bsky.social · 7h
And the invasion continues in 31 Miles Lake with Myriophyllum taking more and more coverage each year.
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The Ricciardians @ricciardilab.bsky.social · 15h
phys.org/news/2026-07...
phys.org
Caddisfly silk gene evolves quickly without losing adhesive power
Caddisflies are among nature's master underwater builders, capable of spinning sticky silk that they use to form protective cases and webs in freshwater streams. Scientists like the University of Utah...
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Mongabay @mongabay.com · 26/08/2026
Researchers in Colombia’s remote Guainía region identified nearly 120 dragonfly species, uncovering a major biodiversity hotspot. Because dragonflies require pristine freshwater to survive, deforestation threatens their habitats. Learn more in this story by Manuel Fonseca for #Mongabay.
mongabay.cc
Dragonflies help protect water and ancestral Indigenous languages in Colombia
Every dragonfly story starts in the water, and Guainía, known as the land of many waters, should be the Olympus of these insects. The mix of waters from the Orinoquia and the Amazon with the vast…
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everwilduk.bsky.social @everwilduk.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Look closely at a Freshwater Snail and the story changes Many freshwater snails carry both male and female parts, and the ram's-horn kinds have red blood, which is rare among molluscs and lets them breathe in stagnant water. Found by Pine, NWT The card is in the link. everwild.uk
Freshwater Snail (Gastropoda), spotted in Northwest Territories.Freshwater Snail (Gastropoda), spotted in Northwest Territories.
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Pensoft @pensoft.net · 13/08/2026
A #citizenscience photo led to an important discovery: the endangered Rocky Mountain Ridged Mussel, previously known in Canada only from the Okanagan, has now been confirmed alive in the Pitt River - part of the separate Fraser River watershed. Full #openaccess study: doi.org/10.3897/BDJ....
doi.org
Range extension and natural history notes on Rocky Mountain Ridged Mussel Gonidea angulata (Lea, 1838) (Mollusca, Unionidae) in Canada
Rocky Mountain Ridged Mussel (Gonidea angulata (Lea, 1838)) is a freshwater bivalve with a global range in North America that extends from British Columbia, Canada, south to central California and eas...
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The Ricciardians @ricciardilab.bsky.social · 15h
www.dailycardinal.com/article/2026...
dailycardinal.com
As drought continues in Wisconsin, freshwater mussels need a helping hand
Complete University of Wisconsin-Madison coverage since 1892.
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The Ricciardians @ricciardilab.bsky.social · 15h
www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news...
cbsnews.com
DuPage County using freshwater mussels to help keep rivers and streams clean
They might not be the most endearing of creatures, but a tiny mussel can make a huge impact on the environment.
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ProfColinBean @profcolinbean.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Trait-Based Drivers of Host Specificity in Freshwater Mussel–Fish Parasitic Interactions. Ecology and Evolution 16, no. 8: e74097. doi.org/10.1002/ece3....
doi.org
Trait‐Based Drivers of Host Specificity in Freshwater Mussel–Fish Parasitic Interactions
Freshwater mussels (Unionidae) rely on an obligate parasitic larval stage on fish hosts, yet their host specificity remains poorly understood in a broader ecological and evolutionary context. By inte...
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The Ricciardians @ricciardilab.bsky.social · 15h
www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts...
discoverwildlife.com
"It does not become sexually mature until about 15 years old and can live to be 120 years old or more" | Discover Wildlife
The rare freshwater pearl mussel can play a large role in restoring water quality in our rivers
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The Ricciardians @ricciardilab.bsky.social · 15h
jasonanthony.substack.com/p/the-liver-...
jasonanthony.substack.com
The Liver of the River
8/27/26 – Lessons from the world of freshwater mussels
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Science X / Phys.org @sciencex.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Five new freshwater mussel species have been identified in the southern U.S. Rare and confined to specific areas, they underscore the need for region-specific conservation. doi.org/hck8q6
phys.org
Five new species of freshwater mussels in southern US uncovered by researchers
A new research paper published in Zootaxa describes five new species of freshwater mussels in the southern U.S., providing the scientific foundation for protecting the most imperiled group of animals in North America.
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jcw17.bsky.social @jcw17.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Also, Alabama rules when it comes to freshwater mussels. Endangered, though, as all North American mussels are. Just keep repeating "Alabama cave shrimp, Alabama cave...": encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/fres...
encyclopediaofalabama.org
Freshwater Mussels in Alabama - Encyclopedia of Alabama
Alabama is home to the most diverse fauna of freshwater mussels in all of North America, with 180 species. Foremost among the reasons for this great mussel diversity is the state's abundant rivers and...
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Cosgrove_Outdoors @dermotncosgrove.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Rare & endangered freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera).
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The Ricciardians @ricciardilab.bsky.social · 15h
bsky.app/profile/ricc...
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John Wares @johnwares.bsky.social · 11/01/2025
Just came across the 2021 museum display piece I made - a bar graph on mussel declines made out of declining mussels ;)
Clear cylinders filled with unionid mussel shells, full in “1950s”, half full in “1970s”, only a quarter full in “1990s”. Like a bar graph :)
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🇨🇦 JimbobCajun @jimbobcajun.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
There are reports of crayfish getting up to about a foot long in Okanogan Lake, BC. Which is in North America. I'm not sure of biologists have confirmed this estimate, though. www.facebook.com/oceantecscub...
facebook.com
25 reactions · 15 comments | This is why I love diving, I have done 1000s of dives in Okanagan Lake and dozens of night dives. I have never seen a Crayfish in Okanagan Lk. But last night we saw 4, (One was dead). There was giant one inside a boat that was over 12" long and 6" from elbow to elbow. Iam so glad I brought my camera. For reference, the one in the boat is between two 2x4s and is walking on a 2x6. How is it that I have never seen one before at this site, where I have done a thousand dives alone. Nor have I ever seen a dead one, but then see 4 on one dive? | Oceantec Scuba
This is why I love diving, I have done 1000s of dives in Okanagan Lake and dozens of night dives. I have never seen a Crayfish in Okanagan Lk. But last night we saw 4, (One was dead). There was...
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Dr Crayfish @drecrevisse.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
....some medieval crayfish (with claws ;) for you .
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Science Scandal @sciencescandal.com · 03/10/2026
🦞 Crawzilla looked huge. Then researchers found NINE bigger crayfish. 😂 The record hunt ended with a stranger question: why do giant crayfish seem to hit a similar size ceiling? sciencescandal.com/scandals/cra... #StayCurious #Crayfish #Invertebrates #Biology
sciencescandal.com
Crawzilla Demoralized by Bigger Fish!
One giant crayfish triggers a continent-wide search for the true heavyweight champion. Nine bigger crayfish later, researchers stumble onto a biological mystery.
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Jim Phillips @jmnphillips.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
The virile crayfish are still in a stream near my house, so I guess it hasn't gotten that cold yet (dragonflies, unfortunately, seem to have disappeared overnight)
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The Ricciardians @ricciardilab.bsky.social · 16h
bigbiology.substack.com/p/conservati...
bigbiology.substack.com
Conservation in a cup with David Lodge
How do you find an invasive species that no net can catch?
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Science Magazine @science.org · 04/10/2026
A species of lungfish found in South America has claimed the title of the animal with the biggest genome sequenced so far. Learn more on #WorldAnimalDay: scim.ag/46OMl6v
This odd fish has 30 times as much DNA as humans—a new record for animals
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Wet Tribe @wettribe.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Estuaries link land and sea, but rising seas could enable over 100 non-native marine species to colonize newly flooded coastal areas by midcentury. #WetTribe #TideotheOcean #Research #FridayFieldUpdate #Estuaries #SeaRise #InvasiveSpecies
An orange 'Invasive Species Alert' sign on the edge of a wetland habitat.
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The Ricciardians @ricciardilab.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/1...
mprnews.org
Can genetic engineering turn the tide against Minnesota’s lake invaders?
Genetically modified organisms could become the newest recruits in Minnesota’s long and largely losing battle against invasive species. Researchers experimenting now know they’ll need to answer questi...
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Victoria Van Mierlo @vanmierlo.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
1/3 That’s a wrap on our @janegoodallcan.bsky.social Hike for Hope! We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported our first hike! In fact, because of matched donations, we actually raised a total of $665, meaning that we SURPASSED our goal!
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Victoria Van Mierlo @vanmierlo.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Starting our @janegoodallcan.bsky.social Hike for Hope at Mont St Bruno National Park!
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The Ricciardians @ricciardilab.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
bsky.app/profile/ecoi...
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Jo Latimore @jolatimore.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Wisconsin study: Herbicide treatments for invasive Eurasian watermilfoil in lakes harm native plants and may even intensify the impact of the invasion. Whole-lake treatments, most likely to control invasive plants, are also most likely to harm native plants. authors.elsevier.com/a/1nqx614Z6t...
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The Ricciardians @ricciardilab.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
“The findings show that zebra mussels can alter food webs and contaminant cycling in ways that may affect both aquatic ecosystems and human consumption of fish”  twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/...
twin-cities.umn.edu
Mercury increases in multiple fish species following zebra mussel invasions
New research from the University of Minnesota found that zebra mussel invasions were associated with increased mercury concentrations in several Minnesota fish species.
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kim_harding ✅ @kim-harding.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 28/09/2026
Long‐term reduction of invasive killer shrimp (Dikerogammarus villosus) density following removal of zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) shells and coarse substrate on UK lake beds besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com…
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Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Most of these mussels are probably western pearlshells (Margaritifera falcata), which use trout as host fish. Western pearlshells can live up to 100 years. So some of the mussels shown here might have been born before the second world war.
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Earth.com @earthdotcom.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Museum specimens reveal North America’s largest crayfish and suggest most giant species reach a similar upper body size.
earth.com
North America’s biggest crayfish reveals a strange mystery about size
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Dr Crayfish @drecrevisse.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
The Marbled Crayfish Group blitz - 2 days of intensive of trapping and sweeping, in September did not yield any crayfish (that is all summer and fall - NO MARBLES!). Maybe the dewatering during the very cold period last winter worked!?!
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Nicola Crockford @numenini.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
I like this pic of a Common Bithynia (Bithynia tentaculata) at the end of the rainbow. With more River Nerites (Theodoxus fluviatilis) & their eggs, Acute Bladder Snail (Physella acuta), plus Common River-Snail (Viviparus viviparus) & chomping Great Ram's-Horn (Planorbarius corneus). #MolluscMonday
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Chris Mah @echinoblog.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Big Crayfish! phys.org/news/2026-09...
phys.org
Biologists battle over North America's largest crayfish
When Caitlin Bloomer wrestled the massive Crawzilla crawdad—yes, that's its actual common name—out of the muck during a biological survey in Kentucky, she was convinced it was the largest crayfish eve...
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Auburn SFAAS @auburnfisheries.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Do you call them crayfish, crawfish, crawdad, crawdadfish, crawdaddy, mudbug, or freshwater lobster? Come with us as we explore the fascinating world of these creatures and what we've been learning from them!
southernwaters.auburn.edu
Crayfish, Crawfish, and Crawdads
Imagine landing on and exploring a distant planet. But upon arriving, you discover an alien armored animal. It breathes through gills, carries its young beneath a tail, regenerates lost limbs, digs an...
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Heather Randell @heatherrandell.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Dam removal has proven time after time that rivers—and the living creatures they suport—rebound rapidly when they’re allowed to flow free again. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/24/c...
nytimes.com
Salmon Are Thriving After Klamath River Dam Removals, Study Finds (Gift Article)
The first fall runs of chinook salmon since the project in California and Oregon was completed have surpassed researchers’ expectations.
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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 27/09/2026
(1/3) Why should we care about Canada's rivers? #worldriversday
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The Ricciardians @ricciardilab.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
On #WorldRiversDay, we recognize the majestic St Lawrence River. It is the gateway to the world's largest freshwater ecosystem; 1200km in length with archipelagos, extensive wetlands, fluvial lakes & an enormous estuary. It has >70 native species of freshwater fish & rich diversity of invertebrates.
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Fondriest Environmental, Inc. @fondriest-env.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Happy #WorldRiversDay! Rivers are the blood vessels of ecosystems, transporting critical nutrients over hundreds and thousands of miles, connecting organisms, and providing crucial ecosystem services to humans. We're proud to support those who study, protect, and advocate for our rivers.
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The Ricciardians @ricciardilab.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
www.cnn.com/2026/09/21/w...
cnn.com
Shipping and climate change lead to spread of invasive fish | CNN
Stefano Pozzebon reports from Rome on the reasons for the rise of alien species in the Mediterranean.
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Dean Napolitano @dinonapolitano.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
“Thousands of the salmon were recorded passing a former dam site in 2024 and 2025, researchers say, and have reoccupied nearly the full extent of their known historical range.” By Rebecca Dzombak
nytimes.com
Salmon Are Thriving After Klamath Dam Removals, Study Finds (Gift Article)
The first fall runs of chinook salmon since the project in California and Oregon was completed have surpassed researchers’ expectations.
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John P. Friel, Ph.D. @friel.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
My thoughts today are with the >19 million specimens held by the Academy of Natural Sciences and the dedicated staff who care for them. This ANSP holotype specimen is special to me, as I named it for my advisor, John Lundberg, a former ANSP Curator and authority on all catfishes, living, and fossil.
Composite image of the holotype specimen of Pseudobunocephalus lundbergi housed at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia.
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Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center @maisrc.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
“We also believe that maybe mystery snails are acting as a host in some small way,” MAISRC Graduate Scholar Amanda Schuermann said. “So we're collecting those to see if they are containing the parasite that causes swimmer's itch.” @mprnews.org z.umn.edu/swimmers-itc...
z.umn.edu
Scientists look for cause of spike in swimmer’s itch plaguing Minnesota lakes
The itchy red rash is caused by tiny parasites in the water that can burrow into human skin. Researchers are looking at whether certain waterfowl, invasive species or warming lakes could be factors.
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Emma Schubert @emmaschubert.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Check out this huge round goby caught by @tjcolvin.bsky.social, @hanakal.bsky.social, and me in lac Saint-François last week for @tjcolvin.bsky.social’s PhD project. It measured a whopping 125 mm! #invasivespecies #roundgoby
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McGill Biology @biomcgill.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
McGill has a productive group of freshwater scientists working on fish & invertebrate ecology, evolution, invasive species, ecotoxicology and global change. We are looking for a postdoctoral fellow that can forge new collaborations among us. See our job ad here: scasscsa.mcjobboard.net/jobs/235865
scasscsa.mcjobboard.net
Postdoctoral Fellow in Freshwater Science
The GRIL node at McGill University comprises seven aquatic scientists (see below) that span a broad range of expertise; we are advancing knowledge regarding landscape-scale processes, long-term change...
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Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center @maisrc.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
MAISRC Research Director and @umnextension.bsky.social Extension Specialist Dan Larkin was interviewed for this @mprnews.org piece on #StarryStonewort. Read more about Lake Koronis and statewide efforts to deal with this aquatic invasive plant #AIS z.umn.edu/mpr-news-sta...
z.umn.edu
A Minnesota ‘lake killer’ surfaced 11 years ago. There’s still no long-term fix.
If caught early, starry stonewort is no longer considered a death sentence for lakes. Still, a decade after it was first discovered in Minnesota, it remains a costly problem with no permanent cure.
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The Mercury News @mercurynews.com · 22/09/2026
First detected in North America in October 2024, the invasive species spreads rapidly by attaching to boats, trailers and aquatic gear.
mercurynews.com
Invasive golden mussels found at Lake Del Valle in Livermore
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Ben Goldfarb @bengoldfarb.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
"If eco-social anomie describes a societal forgetting, dam removal achieves the opposite—a 'collective remembering' that unshifts our baselines." This week @biographic.bsky.social published my story on the rewilding of New England rivers, a mill dam at a time. (1/6) biographic.com/death-by-a-t...
biographic.com
Death by a Thousand Dams | bioGraphic
Tens of thousands of small barriers hamper fish recovery in the northeastern United States. But while the demolition of big dams out west gets the most attention, a similar revolution is revitalizing ...
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John P. Friel, Ph.D. @friel.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
The National Museum of Natural History’s new exhibition “From These Lands” features an American Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) the last surviving species of an ancient lineage of fishes that predates dinosaurs.
smithsonianmag.com
Meet the Spatula-Nosed Fish Whose Anatomy Has Hardly Changed Since the Cretaceous
The National Museum of Natural History’s new exhibition “From These Lands” features an American paddlefish, the last surviving species of an ancient lineage of fishes that predates dinosaurs
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Robert Loerzel @robertloerzel.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
I saw this white river crayfish today in the Orland Grasslands. It’s one of the crayfish species that are native to Illinois.
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