Winged Mapleleaf Mollusk

Quadrula fragosa or the Winged Mapleleaf Mollusk is a critically endangered freshwater mussel found only in select parts of the Mississippi River and it's tributaries- medium to large areas with clean, moving water and between .4 and 2 meters of depth. The five-mile stretch it lives in in Wisconsin seems to be its most prolific and stable. This species typically only grows to about 4 inches in diameter, and it's body is distinguished by bumps covering the outside of its shell. The Winged Mapleleaf feeds by filtering plankton through its body, as mature mollusks are unable to move. To spread through more areas of the river, female mollusks will let out a 'string' to entice catfish to bite, which causes them to release larvae into the catfish's gills. There the young will embed themselves into the fish, hitching a ride until they are mature enough to live on their own.