Unio pictorum, the painter's mussel, is a species of medium-sized freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusk in the family Unionidae, the river mussels. [2]
This species lives in Europe. It is called the "painter's mussel" because the shell was historically used as a conveniently sized and shaped receptacle for holding artist's paint.
The native distribution of this species is Europe and Siberia (Russia).[1]
Biotope: water bodies and slower streams.
Internal view of both valves Unio pictorum is moving on the muddy bottom of a freshwater lake. Russia, the Southern Urals. Unio pictorum, the painter's mussel, is a species of medium-sized freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusk in the family Unionidae, the river mussels.
This species lives in Europe. It is called the "painter's mussel" because the shell was historically used as a conveniently sized and shaped receptacle for holding artist's paint.
Subspecies † Unio pictorum alexeevi Mangikian, 1929 † Unio pictorum pseudorumanus Chepalyga, 1967 † Unio pictorum rumanoides Chepalyga, 1967
