Appalachian monkey-face pearly mussel
Encyclopedia
The Appalachian monkey-face pearly mussel or Appalachian monkeyface, scientific name Quadrula sparsa, is a species
of freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusk in the family Unionidae
, the river mussels.
This species is endemic to Virginia
and Tennessee
in the United States
. It is critically endangered due to pollution of the rivers in which it lives. Being a detritivore
, the mussel absorbs the pollutants which contaminate the river as it feeds.
There are two to three populations remaining. In the Clinch River
of Virginia there is a small, isolated population. A population in the upper Powell River in Tennessee is nearly gone. These occurrences may not be viable. All other occurrences have been extirpated
.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusk in the family Unionidae
Unionidae
Unionidae is a family of freshwater mussels, the largest in the order Unionoida, the bivalve mollusks sometimes known as river mussels, naiads, or simply as unionids.The range of distribution for this family is world-wide...
, the river mussels.
This species is endemic to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is critically endangered due to pollution of the rivers in which it lives. Being a detritivore
Detritivore
Detritivores, also known as detritophages or detritus feeders or detritus eaters or saprophages, are heterotrophs that obtain nutrients by consuming detritus . By doing so, they contribute to decomposition and the nutrient cycles...
, the mussel absorbs the pollutants which contaminate the river as it feeds.
There are two to three populations remaining. In the Clinch River
Clinch River
The Clinch River rises in Southwest Virginia near Tazewell, Virginia and flows southwest through the Great Appalachian Valley, gathering various tributaries including the Powell River before joining the Tennessee River in East Tennessee.-Course:...
of Virginia there is a small, isolated population. A population in the upper Powell River in Tennessee is nearly gone. These occurrences may not be viable. All other occurrences have been extirpated
Local extinction
Local extinction, also known as extirpation, is the condition of a species which ceases to exist in the chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere...
.
External links
- Bogan, A.E. 1996. Quadrula sparsa. 2011 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 23 September 2011.