Assessing shell morphology in freshwater mussels (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Unionidae) from the Maâden River, Tunisia: Insights from geometric morphometrics and shape descriptors

• Explored shell morphology using shape descriptors and geometric morphometry. • Significant shape differences observed among four freshwater mussel species. • Morphometry effective in species discrimination, crucial for conservation. • Geospatial factors influenced shell shape in P. littoralis and U. ravoisieri . • Study underscores morphometry's role in sustainable management of mussels. Identifying freshwater mussel species within the Unionidae family can be challenging due to systematic confusion. This study investigates shell shapes to identify four sympatric species of freshwater mussels ( Potamida littoralis, Unio durieui, U. gibbus , and U. ravoisieri ) in the Maâden river (northern Tunisia) using two morphological approaches: global shape descriptors and geometric morphometrics of shell contours. The results revealed significant differences in global shape descriptors among the species. More in-depth analyses showed distinct shape variations, with P. littoralis and U. gibbus significantly differing from U. durieui and U. ravoisieri across most descriptors. Notably, U. durieui and U. ravoisieri exhibited similar shape traits, differing primarily in roundness, characterized by low circularity and high ellipticity. Principal Component Analyses depicted substantial morphological variance, with Procrustes data requiring the first two components to fully elucidate dispersion. Linear Discriminant Analysis revealed effective discrimination among species, with an accuracy rate of over 74% in classifying individuals into their respective populations across both approaches. Geospatial analyses indicated varying influences of latitude, longitude, and altitude on shell morphology among species. Latitude had noteworthy impacts on P. littoralis , approaching significance for shape descriptors and Procrustes data. Conversely, U. durieui and U. gibbus displayed minimal geographic influence on shell morphology, while U. ravoisieri showed significant variations across these parameters. This study highlights the distinct morphological differences among sympatric mussel species in northern Tunisia, providing valuable insights for conservation efforts, especially for species vulnerable to climate change.