Higgins Eye

The Higgins' eye pearlymussel is a native to the Mississippi River.  It has a round to slightly elongate smooth-textured shell that is usually yellowish brown with green rays. The shell, made up of 2 hinged, inflated halves, is up to 4 inches in length.  The male mussel has a rounded side and a pointed side; the female mussel has a rounded side and a squared side. The inside of the shell is white with portions that are iridescent and areas that may be tinged with cream or salmon. The soft body enclosed by the shell consists of gills for breathing, a digestive tract for processing food, and a large muscled foot for moving the animal. 

The Higgins' eye is a freshwater mussel of larger rivers where it is usually found in areas with deep water and fast currents. The animals bury themselves in the sand and gravel river bottoms with just the edge of their partially-opened shells exposed. The river's currents flow over the mussels as they siphon water for microorganisms such as algae and bacteria, which they use as food. The role of Higgins' eye pearlymussels in the natural river ecosystems is as a food source for wildlife like muskrats, otters, and raccoons and as a filter which improves water quality.