Speaking of unionids, last weekend we discovered numerous (hundreds maybe)
of empty unionid shells on a couple of sandbars on the South Saskatchewan
River right near the Saskatchewan/Alberta border.  This river empties into
the Arctic drainage basin.  I don't know much about unionids except that
there are only a few Canadian species according to my reference "Freshwater
Molluscs of Canada"  but none seem to be endangered as are many of the
unionids of the eastern US.  I believe my unionids to be Lampsilis radiata
siliquoidea Barnes 1823 based on this reference.  It is a large very thickly
shelled unionid with a nice mother-of-pearl interior.  I believe that this
unionid extends down into the Mississippi drainage as well.  Am I right that
this is a common and widespread unionid?  I'm not really in favor of farming
any animals for anything other than food, but as far as pearl-farming goes,
why would it be ecologically worse to use a common unionid like this
Lampsilis than a comparably common salt-water bivalve used for
pearl-farming, or or they not comparatively common at all?  I know that
product-wise the pearls are different and that fresh-water pearls are much
cheaper.
We collected several of the empty shells which are all in pretty good
condition, with intact periostracum and both valves joined.  I have a few
spares if anyone who is a real Unio fan is interested.  E-Mail me privately
at nora_bryan@ transcanada.com.
Nora Bryan
Calgary, Alberta
CANADA
 
 
Unionidude wrote:
 
> Ross,
>
> By using seeds from our unionids, the resulting pearl is 100% 'mother of
> pearl'.  It doesn't have a coated center of metal or plastic.  The
> difference here would be similar to silver plate vice sterling.
>
> I don't like it, but I guess things happen that way.
>
> Unionidude.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ross Mayhew <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Wednesday, April 28, 1999 3:02 PM
> Subject: Pearl seeds - why use fresh-water clams?
>
> >Can any one tell me why the Japaneese pearl industry does not just use
> >some other material except fresh-water clams, many of which are
> >endangered spp now because their habitat is nearly destroyed??  Surely
> >there are other materials just as good - natural or synthetic?
> >--
> >Ross Mayhew:    Schooner Specimen Shells:
> Http://www.schnr-specimen-shells.com
> >"We Specialize in the Unusual"
> >Phone: (902) 876-2241     Snail Mail; P.O Box 20005, RPO Spryfield,
> >Halifax, N.S., Canada, B3R 2K9.
> >But try to find "something for Everyone"!!
> >