When this mussel breeds it releases its larvae, termed glochidia, glued together in packets called conglutinates. The conglutinate has a sticky filament that adheres to the substrate to prevent it from being washed away. The conglutinate resembles a fly larva,Hartfield, P. and E. Hartfield. (1996). Observations on the conglutinates of Ptychobranchus greeni (Conrad, 1834) (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Unionoidea). American Midland Naturalist 135(2) 370-75. or perhaps a fish egg,USFWS. 11 Southeastern Mussels 5-year Review. April 7, 2008. and it is appetizing to fish. Fish hosts such as the warrior darter (Etheostoma bellator), Tuskaloosa darter (Etheostoma douglasi), and blackbanded darter (Percina nigrofasciata) consume the conglutinates, degrading them and releasing the glochidia, which then lodge in the fish's gills as parasites. They develop into juvenile mussels and drop out of the fish to develop further elsewhere. Many other mussels in family Unionidae have a similar process.
