Shiny pigtoe
Species of bivalve From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The shiny pigtoe (Fusconaia cor) is a species of bivalve in the family Unionidae. It is endemic to the United States.
| Shiny pigtoe | |
|---|---|
| |
| Museum specimen | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Bivalvia |
| Order: | Unionida |
| Family: | Unionidae |
| Genus: | Fusconaia |
| Species: | F. cor |
| Binomial name | |
| Fusconaia cor (Conrad, 1834) | |
| Synonyms[4] | |
| |
The shiny pigtoe has been eliminated from most of its historic range.[1] Populations currently exist in the North Fork of the Holston River, Clinch, Powell and Paint Rock river systems in Alabama, Tennessee, and Virginia.[5] Threats to the species include habitat alteration and fragmentation, hydroelectric dams, wastewater discharge, water withdrawal, non-native species, and runoff of silt and other pollutants.[6]
It is a medium-sized mussel that is about 2.5 inches (64 mm) in size. It has a smooth and shiny oval-shaped shell with distinguishing dark green to blackish rays on a yellow to brown background. Younger specimens have a bolder ray color patterning. The inner nacre is white.[6]
The shiny pigtoe is tachytichtic, spawning between late May and early June.[5] Known glochidial hosts include the common (Luxilus cornutus), warpaint (Luxilus coccogenis), telescope (Notropis telescopus) and whitetail (Cyprinella galactura) shiners.[5]
This species appears to be most closely related to Fusconaia cuneolus.[7]
References
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