Research in the Graf Lab

Freshwater Mussel Species

In collaboration with various researchers in the United States, Australia, Africa, and Europe, I have been working to improve our understanding of species-level diversity around the world. A few years ago, we recognized ca. 840 species of freshwater mussels (Graf & Cummings, 2007a), but as the older arrangements have been scrutinized, we have generally found that this number is an under-estimate (Graf & Cummings, 2006, 2007b; Graf, 2007).

This work involves not only museum and library work to reevaluate existing data from a modern perspective but also fieldwork to acquire fresh material suitable for molecular analyses. Since 2006, I have sampled specimens from Egypt, Republic of Congo, Zambia, Australia, Peru, and the United States.

In order to manage the data that have been accumulating in collections around the world, I have worked (in collaboration with Kevin Cummings of the Illinois Natural History Survey) to develop the MUSSEL Project Database. The MUSSELpdb integrates digital images and textual information into a virtual super-museum/library, and it has proven an invaluable tool for revisionary work. Our results to-date are described in detail on the MUSSEL Project Web Site.

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Last updated 10 August 2011