The fanshell (Cyprogenia stegaria) is a species of aquatic bivalve mollusk in the family Unionidae. This clam is native to the United States, where breeding populations remain in only three rivers. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.[2][3]
| Fanshell | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Bivalvia |
| Order: | Unionida |
| Family: | Unionidae |
| Genus: | Cyprogenia |
| Species: | C. stegaria
|
| Binomial name | |
| Cyprogenia stegaria (Rafinesque, 1820)
| |
| Synonyms[4] | |
|
List
| |
This clam is known to be reproducing in the Clinch River in Tennessee and Virginia, and the Green and Licking Rivers in Kentucky. There may be a small reproducing population in the Tennessee River. There also may be some small populations remaining in several states, but these are not reproducing.[5]
This species is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat.[3]
Reproduction
editAll Unionidae are known to use the gills, fins, or skin of a host fish for nutrients during the larval glochidia stage. Cyprogenia stegaria release into the water a conglutinate mimicking an Oligochaeta worm which contains the mussel's young. When a fish bites into the conglutinate lure, the young glochida are released and latch onto the fish's gills for nutrients.[5]
References
edit- ^ Bogan, A.E. (1996). "Cyprogenia stegaria". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T6184A12566234. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T6184A12566234.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Fanshell (Cyprogenia stegaria)". Environmental Conservation Online System. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
- ^ a b c 55 FR 25591
- ^ "Cyprogenia stegaria (Rafinesque, 1820)". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
- ^ a b Jones, J. W. and R. J. Neves. (2002). Life history and propagation of the endangered fanshell pearlymussel, Cyprogenia stegaria Rafinesque (Bivalvia:Unionidae). Journal of the North American Benthological Society 21(1) 76–88. doi:10.2307/1468301 JSTOR 1468301
 | This Unionidae-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |