New distributional records and rediscovery of three rare freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionidae) in the Sequatchie River, Tennessee

By

Dinkins, Gerald R.
Dinkins, Barbara J.
Faust, Hugh D.
Eldridge, Robert T.
Mize, Brian M.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2023-7-12

Original Publication

Check list : journal of species lists and distribution

Volume

19

Series / Issue

Issue: 4

Pages

485--503

Subjects

Conservation easements , Endangered , endemic mussels , extirpated species

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

[São Paulo, Brazil] Luís Felipe Toledo 2005-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15560/19.4.485

 

Abstract

We present new drainage records for five freshwater mussels in the Sequatchie River, a tributary of the Tennessee River. We also report the rediscovery of Purple Lilliput, Toxolasma lividum Rafinesque, 1831, Tennessee Pigtoe, Pleuronaia barnesiana (Lea, 1838), and the federally endangered Slabside Pearlymussel, Pleuronaia dolabelloides (Lea, 1840), and we provide information on other mussel species found in our survey. In the Sequatchie River, T. lividum was last seen in 1957 and P. barnesiana and P. dolabelloides were last seen in 1980. The discovery of five new drainage records and rediscovery of three rare species highlights the need for additional mussel surveys in the Sequatchie River and the importance of surveys in conservation efforts.