In this picture, an adult washboard (Megolanaias nervosa) is being dissected for tissue extraction. Although the internal anatomy of many invertebrates may seems like a slimy mess, in this picture we can see the gonad, food and digestive gland of the organism. Of note is also the strong adductor muscles (seen at the top of the shell) that help the valves stay closed - similar to scallops! Washboard mussels are not native to Canada, but they are a close cousin to a species called mapleleaf that is found in Ontario streams.