In our previous blog we talked about the nearly extinct genus of freshwater mussels, Epioblasma. Here we present a sobering/depressing gallery of most of its species. Specimens are female individuals.
Purple Catspaw
Upper Ohio River system
Federally endangered
Cumberlandian Combshell
Tennessee River system
Federally endangered
Oyster Shell
Tennessee River system
Federally endangered
Leafshell
Ohio River system
Extinct
Northern Riffleshell
Ohio River-Great Lakes
Federally endangered
Southern Combshell
Mobile River system
Federally endangered
Duck River Oystershell
Duck River
Federally endangered
Yellow Blossom
Tennessee River system
Extinct
Acornshell
Tennessee River system
Extinct
Round Combshell
Ohio River system
Extinct
White Catspaw
Maumee River system
Probably extinct
Ahlstedt’s Oystershell
Tennessee River system
Federally endangered
Curtis Pearlymussel
Black River system
Possibly extinct
Forkshell
Ohio River system
Extinct
Sugarspoon
Tennessee River system
Extinct
Snuffbox
Ohio River – Great Lakes
Federally endangered
Southern Acornshell
Coosa River system
Possibly extinct
Tubercled Blossom
Ohio River system
Extinct
Cumberland Leafshell
Tennessee River system
Extinct
Turgid Blossom
Duck River
Extinct
Upland Combshell
Coosa River system
Federally endangered
Tan Riffleshell
Duck River
Federally endangered
About the Author: Dr. G. Thomas Watters is Curator of Molluscs at the Museum of Biological Diversity.