Morphological and genetic variability of the population of Anodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834) occurring in the heated Konin lakes system

Abstract

The bio-morphological (shells, weight) and genetic (izoenzymes) variations were studied in a new mussel species to Poland, Anodonta woodiana, which occurs in the heated Konin lakes system. The mussels were collected from three environments - the lenitic lake zones, the water flow-through channel and the lotic areas of a man-made reservoir. Significant bio-morphological differences between the shells of various populations were determined by environmental conditions. The high degree of genetic similarity of the mussels dictated their inclusion within the same species.