Evaluation of survivorship and annulus validation in calcein-stained freshwater unionid mussels.

Unionid mussels deposit growth rings (annuli) within the shell, which can be used to estimate age and growth. Thin-sectioning is a common technique for counting annuli, wherein a cross-section of a shell valve is taken and evaluated by multiple readers. Correctly identifying annuli can be challenging because ambiguous annuli can bias growth estimates. Staining with calcein, a fluorescent chemical, is a technique that has been used with marine and freshwater species to improve accuracy of growth estimates. This method chelates calcium, causing a permanent mark that fluoresces under ultraviolet light. Calcein has seen limited testing on unionid mussels so it remains unclear if this method has adverse effects on survival and growth. We evaluated calcein against 2 concentrations (125 mg L and 250 mg L) at 2 exposure times (12 and 24 h) on Cyclonaias pustulosa, a common North American unionid. Survivorship remained above 80% 6 months post-immersion. Mark quality and retention for 250 mg L were high for both 12- and 24-h immersions, although historical annuli were not highlighted. These findings corroborate studies indicating calcein immersion is generally safe and effective in juveniles and adults and suggest it may be useful in validating new growth.