Page 26 - The Freshwater Mussels of Oklahoma

Partial Synonymy:
Alasmidonta marginata Say 1818; Simpson 1914; Isely 1925; Clarke 1981;
Branson 1983; Oesch 1984; Turgeon and others 1988; Vidrine 1993
Description:
“Shell medium to rather large, long rhomboid, nearly or quite equilateral, subsolid
to solid, subinflated; beaks very full, high, sculptured with a few strong corrugations,
which show a tendency to be doubly looped; posterior ridge very high and angled, ending
behind in a point at the base of the shell, behind the ridge there is a decided oblique
truncation and the truncated area is rather finely corrugated; growth lines uneven;
epidermis smooth, shining, greenish, ashy or smoky-green with narrow yellowish rays
and broken, clouded green ones; left valve with one small, compressed, sharp tooth in
front of the beak; right valve with a small anterior tooth; laterals almost or quite wanting;
beak cavities rather deep; nacre white or bluish, sometimes straw-color, rarely reddish or
purple; prismatic border distinct” (Simpson 1914, p 504-505).
Hosts for Glochidia:
Northern Hog Sucker, Rock Bass, Shorthead Redhorse, Warmouth, White Sucker
(Watters, 1994).
Comments:
This species has been extremely rare in Oklahoma and may no longer live in the
state. The most recent records for this species include a single living specimen collected
from the Neosho River in 1978 (Shepard and Covich 1982) and three specimens from
Flint Creek (a tributary of the Spring River which is part of the Neosho River drainage)
collected in 1955 (Branson 1966).
General Distribution:
Upper Mississippi River and parts of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River
drainage.
Oklahoma Distribution:
Illinois and Neosho (= Grand) Rivers. This species has always been very rare in
Oklahoma and the most recent record of fresh or living specimens date back to 1982.
This species may no longer live in the state.

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