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Fanshell

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Fanshell
Scientific classification Edit this 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
  • Cyprogenia irrorata (Lea, 1828)
  • Cyprogenia irrorata irrorata (Lea, 1828)
  • Cyprogenia irrorata pusilla Simpson, 1900
  • Obovaria stegaria Rafinesque, 1820
  • Unio irroratus Lea, 1828
  • Obovaria stegaria tuberculata Rafinesque, 1820
  • Obovaria stegaria fasciolata Rafinesque, 1820
  • Unio verrucosus albus Hildreth, 1828

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]

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

[edit]

All 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]
  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ a b "Fanshell (Cyprogenia stegaria)". Environmental Conservation Online System. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b c 55 FR 25591
  4. ^ "Cyprogenia stegaria (Rafinesque, 1820)". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  5. ^ 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