Plethobasus cooperianus

Plethobasus cooperianus
Conservation status
	; Critically Endangered (IUCN 2.3)
	CITES Appendix I (CITES)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Bivalvia
Order:	Unionida
Family:	Unionidae
Genus:	Plethobasus
Species:	P. cooperianus
Binomial name
	Plethobasus cooperianus; (Lea, 1834)

Plethobasus cooperianus, the orange-footed pimpleback mussel or orangefoot pimpleback,

mollusk is native to the Tennessee, Cumberland, and lower Ohio Rivers in the United States, where its distribution has declined over 70%.^[3]

This rounded mussel grows up to 9.5 centimeters long by 7.8 wide by 4.6 high.[4] It has bumps on the posterior part of the shell and the foot is orange in live specimens.^[3] The mussel mainly lives in deep, fast-flowing rivers, especially with gravel or sand on the bottoms. It buries itself in the substrate under up to 29 feet of water.^[5]

This species was once common in some areas. It is now restricted for several reasons. Rivers throughout much of its range have been

zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) is a widespread threat.^[3]