# Fatmucket (*Lampsilis siliquoidea*) The Fatmucket is a special kind of clam that lives in rivers and lakes. It has a smooth, shiny shell and helps keep the water clean by filtering it. - **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Freshwater lakes and rivers ![Fatmucket](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lampsilis_siliquoidea_-_Royal_Ontario_Museum_-_DSC00195.JPG&width=800) Photo: Daderot, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lampsilis_siliquoidea_-_Royal_Ontario_Museum_-_DSC00195.JPG) ## Appearance The Fatmucket has a smooth, oval-shaped shell, typically yellowish, light brown, or greenish. Its inner shell is pearly white, making it distinct from many darker-shelled mussels. The shell's shape can vary slightly, appearing more inflated in some areas. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Mollusca - **Class:** Bivalvia - **Order:** Unionida - **Family:** Unionidae - **Genus:** Lampsilis ## Interesting facts - Fatmuckets have a powerful muscular foot that lets them slowly 'walk' along the river bottom! - Its babies must latch onto a fish's gills or fins for a short ride to grow big enough! - Scientists can tell how old a Fatmucket is by counting growth rings on its shell, like a tree! - They can survive many years buried in the riverbed, often living longer than many pets! ## Special abilities - **Water Purifier:** Fatmucket can clean its watery home by filtering tiny food particles, helping keep the water clear and healthy. - **Fish Lurer:** Fatmucket has a special mantle flap that wiggles like a tiny fish to trick larger fish into coming closer. - **Sediment Seeker:** Fatmucket can burrow into the riverbed using its muscular foot, staying safe from predators and strong currents. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 7-12 cm - **Weight:** 40-100 g - **Lifespan:** 10-20 years ## Diet & Feeding Fatmuckets are filter-feeders, eating tiny food particles strained from the water. - **Primary Foods:** algae, detritus, bacteria, plankton - **Foraging Method:** Filter feeding ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Raccoon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/raccoon) (*Procyon lotor*) — preys on mussels in shallow waters - **Eaten by:** [Muskrat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/muskrat) (*Ondatra zibethicus*) — cracks open shells to eat the soft mussel - **Depends on:** [Smallmouth Bass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/smallmouth-bass) (*Micropterus dolomieu*) — provides a host for mussel larvae to develop - **Depends on:** [Yellow Perch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-perch) (*Perca flavescens*) — allows mussel larvae to attach to its gills ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash your hands after playing near water to stay healthy. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Fatmucket? Compare body symmetry, shells, segments, legs, tentacles and how the animal moves. Invertebrates span many unrelated groups, so start with body structure. Invertebrate Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Fatmucket? 7-12 cm ### How much does Fatmucket weigh? 40-100 g ### How long does Fatmucket live? 10-20 years ### What does Fatmucket eat? Fatmuckets are filter-feeders, eating tiny food particles strained from the water. ### Where is Fatmucket usually found? Freshwater lakes and rivers ### How does Fatmucket hunt? Filter feeding ## Where to spot - [Roosevelt Park Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/roosevelt-park-zoo) — North Dakota, US · Zoo - [Gitchie Manitou State Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gitchie-manitou-state-preserve) — Iowa, US · Nature Reserve - [Harmony Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/harmony-historic-district) — Pennsylvania, US · Historic District [View all places to see Fatmucket](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/fatmucket) ## More Invertebrate - [Coral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coral) - [Crab Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crab-spider) (*Mecaphesa asperata*) - [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*) - [Brown Recluse Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-recluse-spider) (*Loxosceles reclusa*) --- Source: [Fatmucket: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/fatmucket)