Ohio Standardized Freshwater Mussel ID Test

Anyone who wishes to conduct mussel surveys in Ohio will need to have passed the Standardized Freshwater Mussel Identification Test. This includes individuals already possessing federal permits for freshwater mussels.

Tests are administered by appointment only and at the discretion of the Division of Mollusks of The Ohio State University Museum of Biological Diversity (MBD). Records of scores for each test attempt, successful or unsuccessful, are maintained by the MBD Division of Mollusks and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife.

 Book your test appointment

• The test is available twice a day, between 10:30AM and 6PM, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays by appointment only. Appointments can be made one (1) week to 45 days in advance, using the online booking system linked above.
• The test will be delivered at the Museum of Biological Diversity of The Ohio State University, 1315 Kinnear Rd., Columbus, OH 43212.
• Hourly parking at the museum is available through the Parkmobile website and mobile app. You can pre-pay online, or pay when you arrive using the app. The Museum's parking lot is Parkmobile Zone #69346.
• If visiting for >4 hours, purchasing a Surface Day Pass from OSU Campusparc is cheaper.
• Parking at the museum is free for government-owned vehicles (vehicles with municipal, state, or federal government license plates).

Test format and rules:

1. The test includes extant unionid mussel species found in Ohio. Some species occur more than once. Some may not occur at all. A list of species is available at the bottom of this page.
2. The test is a simple fill-in-the-blank identification test. There are 100 blanks on the test, and a set of 100 numbered unionid mussel specimens you must identify.
3. The valves of test specimens are glued shut, so internal characters cannot be examined for identification. This simulates the difficulty of identifying live mussels.
4. You may return to any previous specimens as needed, and may compare specimens freely (you have all 100 specimens available to you from the beginning of the test.)
   • If you intentionally damage a specimen, or if you make a mess (mix up the order of the specimens), you automatically fail the test. This is easy to avoid!
5. To pass the test, you must correctly identify:
   • 100% of federally listed mussel species
   • at least 80% of Ohio threatened & endangered species
   • at least 80% of the species on the test overall
6. The locality from which each specimen on the test was collected is available upon request.
7. Once started, the test must be completed within three (3) hours.
   • Bathroom / snack breaks may be taken at your discretion, without permission.
8. The test can be administered to two people at once, who may be asked to share a room.
   • You may not share a room / time slot with another person from your institution/organization.
   • If you are more comfortable taking the test by yourself, please mention it when you make your appointment.
9. The test is “open book” so you may bring outside sources (books, notes, photographs, etc) to the test, provided they are on paper.
10. No outside phones, computers, or tablets are allowed in the room with you while you take the test.
11. You may retake the test as many times as you wish, but the entire test must be retaken each time. In general, you must allow at least one (1) week in between attempts.
    • Exceptions to the waiting period may be made for test takers who have traveled long distances to take the test, at the discretion of Division staff.
12. After passing the test, you will receive a Certificate of Completion, valid for five-years from the date of the test.
    • You must schedule and re-take the test within this time-period to continue as an approved mussel surveyor.

Please e-mail the Curator of Mollusks, Nate Shoobs (invertebrates@osu.edu) if you have questions about the test.

See the ODNR Division of Wildlife document "Ohio Mussel Survey Protocol" for more information.