Distributional Records for Gastropods and Sphaeriid Clams 



of the Kentucky and Licking River and Tygarts 



Creek Drainages, Kentucky 



Branley A. Branson and Donald L. Batch 



Department of Biological Sciences, 

 Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, Kentucky 40475 



ABSTRACT. — Collections from 50 sites in the Kentucky and Licking 

 River drainages and from Tygarts Creek, direct tributary of the Ohio 

 River in eastern Kentucky, produced records of 2 genera and 7 species 

 of sphaeriid clams, and of 6 families, 12 genera, and 22 species of 

 gastropods. Sphaerium corneum and Lymnaea stagnalis are reported 

 from Kentucky for the first time. 



INTRODUCTION 



In a recent attempt to generate a list of the Endangered, Threat- 

 ened and Rare plants and animals of Kentucky, the authors and asso- 

 ciates (Branson et al. 1981) were hampered by the relative paucity of 

 published information on aquatic gastropods and sphaeriid clams. With 

 the exception of a long series of papers on pleurocerids by Calvin 

 Goodrich (see citations in Bickel 1967 and Branson 1972), very few pap- 

 ers have dealt with the Kentucky molluscan fauna. There are many 

 broad hiatuses in our knowledge of distribution patterns, particularly in 

 the Kentucky, Licking, and Green River drainages, and in the various 

 streams directly tributary to the Ohio River. The present contribution 

 fills some of the gastropod and sphaeriid clam distributional gaps in the 

 Kentucky and Licking rivers, and in Tygarts Creek, a clear tributary of 

 the Ohio River in eastern Kentucky. 



COLLECTING STATIONS 



The 50 numbered collecting stations and dates of sampling are 

 given below. SR = State Road, US = U. S. Highway, CR = County 

 Road, and KR = Kentucky Highway. 



Kentucky River Drainage 



1. Kentucky River, Frankfort, Franklin Co.; 5 November 1980. 



2. Kentucky River, Lock and Dam 4, Franklin Co.; 20 October 1980. 



3. Kentucky River, 0.6 km downstream from Fort Boonesborough State 

 Park, 12.9 km SW Winchester, Madison Co.; 11 October 1980. 



4. Kentucky River at mouth of Benson Creek, just above Lock and 

 Dam 4, Franklin Co.; 20 October 1980. 



5. Kentucky River, Lock and Dam 8 at CR 1268, Jessamine Co.; 16 

 June 1973. 



Brimleyana No. 7:137-144. July 1981. 137 



