Ptychobranchus occidentalis
Ptychobranchus occidentalis is a species of freshwater mussel in the family Unionidae, the river mussels. It is endemic to the United States,[1] where it is known from Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Its common name is Ouachita kidneyshell.[2]
| Ptychobranchus occidentalis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Bivalvia |
| Order: | Unionida |
| Family: | Unionidae |
| Genus: | Ptychobranchus |
| Species: | P. occidentalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Ptychobranchus occidentalis (Conrad, 1836) | |
This mussel packages its larvae, or glochidia, in a membranous conglutinate which resembles a small prey item. When a fish comes to investigate this lure, the glochidia attach to its gills and use it as a host during their development.[3]
References
- Bogan, A. E. 1996. Ptychobranchus occidentalis. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1. Downloaded on 05 August 2013.
- Ptychobranchus occidentalis. NatureServe. 2012.
- Orangethroat darter (Etheostoma spectabile) with the conglutinates of Ouachita kidneyshell, (Ptychobranchus occidentalis). Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society.
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