Ancestors of the endangered Pallid Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) coexisted with dinosaurs millions of years ago. Fossil sturgeon specimens from North America are believed to be nearly 80 million years old. Despite this ancient lineage, biologists are just now unlocking some of the mysteries of this ancient species on the Lower Mississippi River. Through increased monitoring […]
Articles
River Shrimp: Long-Armed, Long-Distance Traveler
Jan Jeffrey HooverUS Army Engineer Research and Development CenterVicksburg, MS Shrimp are typically thought of as marine animals, characteristic of Gulf waters, but there are also species inhabiting the fresh waters of the Mississippi River. The largest of these (60-100 mm) is the Ohio River shrimp, or simply “river shrimp” (Macrobrachium ohione). Like its saltwater relatives, […]
Endangered Fat Pocketbook Mussel Found Along the Lower Mississippi River
The endangered Fat Pocketbook mussel is one of three priority species listed in a Strategic Habitat Conservation Plan for the Lower Mississippi River. Although it was listed as federally endangered in 1976, and at that time known only from the St. Francis River system in Arkansas, it was first found in the main channel of the lower […]
The Paddlefish: Primitive Fish Inspiring Future Technology
Jan Jeffrey Hoover and Edward J. PerkinsEnvironmental LaboratoryUS Army Engineer Research and Development CenterVicksburg, MS The North American paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) is a primitive species with an unusually sophisticated multi-purpose tool: its snout. Common in the lower Mississippi River basin, it is harvested for its eggs which provide gourmets with caviar rivaling that of related […]
Piebald Blues: Rarest Catfish in the Lower Mississippi River
Jan Jeffrey Hoover and K. Jack Killgore Fish Ecology Team, Environmental LaboratoryUnited States Army Engineer Research and Development CenterVicksburg, MS During the past 17 years of sampling the Lower Mississippi River, the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Fish Ecology Team has collected more than 2,050 flathead catfish, 9,300 channel catfish, and 22,230 […]
Lower Mississippi River Supports a Diverse and Valuable Economy
New research shows river and associated natural resources generate $151.7 billion annually The Lower Mississippi River and its associated natural resources support a diverse and productive regional economy, according to a new profile prepared for the Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee. Considered together, river-related economic sectors generate $151.7 billion in annual revenue and employ 585,000 […]