Pseudunio marocanus
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Pseudunio marocanus faces severe population decline due to water extraction and dam construction that has dramatically altered river flow regimes in its native Moroccan watersheds. Agricultural intensification and urban development have increased sedimentation and pollution loads, degrading the clean, well-oxygenated waters this freshwater mussel requires. Climate change exacerbates these pressures through increased drought frequency and reduced river flows in the already water-stressed Mediterranean region.
Habitat
This freshwater mussel inhabits clean, flowing rivers and streams in the Atlas Mountains and coastal watersheds of Morocco. It requires well-oxygenated waters with stable substrates of sand, gravel, or rocky bottoms where it can filter-feed and complete its complex life cycle.
