Western pearlshell
| Western pearlshell | |
|---|---|
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| |
| Margaritifera falcata | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Bivalvia |
| Order: | Unionida |
| Family: | Margaritiferidae |
| Genus: | Margaritifera |
| Species: | M. falcata
|
| Binomial name | |
| Margaritifera falcata Gould, 1850
| |
The western pearlshell (Margaritifera falcata) is a species of
mollusk in the family Margaritiferidae. This species can be found only in the United States and Canada, where it occurs mostly west of the Rocky Mountains
.
Distribution
This species of pearl mussel is found in Pacific drainages from California north to British Columbia and southern Alaska.[2][3] Some scientists consider a number of the coastal and large river populations of this species to be already extirpated, nearly extirpated, or declining rapidly.[3][4] However, this species is still common throughout parts of the northern Rocky Mountains,[2] although some populations in Montana may be declining.
The species is also found east of the
glochidia
larvae of M. falcata, it is likely that the mussels crossed the divide by hitching a ride on the trout.
References
- ^ Blevins, E.; Jepsen, S.; Brim Box, J. & Nez, D. (2016). "Margatifiera falcata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T91109639A114128748.
- ^ a b Clarke, A. H. 1981. The Freshwater Molluscs of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences, National Museums of Canada, Ottawa. 446 pp.
- ^ a b Frest, T.J. and E. J. Johannes. 1995. Interior Columbia Basin mollusk species of special concern. Final report to the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project, Walla Walla, WA. Contract #43-0E00-4-9112. 274 pp. plus appendices.
- ^ Brim Box, K., J. Howard, D. Wolf, C. O'Brian, D. Nez, and D. Close. 2006. Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionoida) of the Umatilla and Middle Fork John Day rivers in eastern Oregon. Northwest Science 80:95-107
- ^ Gangloff, M. M. and D.L. Gustafson. 2000. The mussels (Bivalvia: Unionida) of Montana. Central Plains Archaeology 8(1):121-130
External links
- Freshwater Mussels Of The Willamette documentary on species population and health (Oregon Field Guide)