Biology:Arkansia

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Short description: Genus of bivalves


Ouachita rock pocketbook
Arkansia wheeleri.jpg
A live individual of Arkansia wheeleri
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Family:
Genus:
Arkansia
Species:
A. wheeleri
Binomial name
Arkansia wheeleri
Ortmann & Walker, 1912

Arkansia is a monotypic genus[2] of freshwater mussels in the family Unionidae, the river mussels. The sole species in the genus is Arkansia wheeleri. Its common names are the Ouachita rock pocketbook and Wheeler's pearly mussel.[1] The genus was named for the state of Arkansas, where the mussel was first discovered.[2] This is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.[3]

Distribution

This species is native to Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas in the United States, which have only four or five small, isolated populations.[4] Of the remaining populations, only the one located in the Kiamichi River in Oklahoma is viable.[4]

Description

This mussel is not sexually dimorphic; the sexes appear the same. The shell is somewhat rounded or oval, up to 11.2 centimeters long by 6 wide by 8.7 high. The shell is brown or black, lustrous and iridescent. The nacre is part pink and part white or bluish.[2]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Cummings, K.; Cordeiro, J. (2011). "Arcidens wheeleri". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN) 2011: e.T2114A9250119. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T2114A9250119.en. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/2114/0. Retrieved 10 January 2018. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 USFWS. Arkansia wheeleri Recovery Plan. March 2004.
  3. USFWS. Final rule to list the Ouachita rock-pocketbook (mussel) as an endangered species. Federal Register October 23, 1991.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Arkansia wheeleri. The Nature Conservancy.

Wikidata ☰ Q20031386 entry