MUSSELpdb | valid sp. Pleurobema oviforme synonymy

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Page last updated
Tue 01 Jul 2025

The Freshwater Mussels (Unionoida) of the World (and other less consequential bivalves)

FM(U)otW(aolcb) is the web version of the MUSSEL Project Database. Follow the links to browse the data or use the custom Google search field. Either way, you win!

The nominal species (available and otherwise) in this synonymy are listed by usage rather than strictly by publication date. The primary sorting order is by the most recent year (since 1969) that the species name was treated as valid, and then nominal species are sorted secondarily by publication year.

The taxonomic history of the valid species (since 1900) is listed at the bottom of the page.

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species Pleurobema oviforme (Conrad, 1834): nominal species
16 specimens available.

Unio oviformis Conrad, 1834
Conrad, 1834, New Fresh-Water Shells: 46, pl. 3, fig. 6.
Conrad, 1853, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 6: 254.

Unio oviformis — Conrad (1834), Ferussac (1835), Conrad (1853), B.H. Wright (1888)
Margaron (Unio) oviformis — Lea (1852), Lea (1870)
Unio (Lampsilis) oviformis — Adams & Adams (1857)
Pleurobema (s.s.) oviformis — Simpson (1900), Frierson (1927)
Pleurobema (s.s.) oviforme — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema oviforme — Ortmann (1918), Ortmann (1924), Ortmann (1925), Haas (1969), ..., Dai et al. (2024), Wu et al. (2024), Wu et al. (2024), Dai et al. (2025)
Pleurobema oviformis — R.I. Johnson (1980), Lopes-Lima et al. (2019)

Unio ravenelianus Lea, 1834
Lea, 1834, Trans. Amer. Phil. Soc. 5 [O. 1]: 32 [144], pl. 3, fig. 5.
(renamed Unio rudis Conrad, 1837)
Type(s): HOLOTYPE USNM_84783, French Broad R., near Ashville, N. Carolina.

Unio ravenelianus — Lea (1834), Jay (1835), Ferussac (1835), Hanley (1843), Küster (1862), Reeve (1864), Lewis (1871), B.H. Wright (1888)
Margarita (Unio) ravenelianus — Lea (1836), Lea (1838)
Unio rudis — Conrad (1837), Conrad (1853)
Margaron (Unio) ravenelianus — Lea (1852), Lea (1870)
Unio (Lampsilis) ravenelianus — Adams & Adams (1857)
Pleurobema (s.s.) raveneliana — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) ravenelianum — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema oviforme — Ortmann (1918), Parmalee & Bogan (1998), Williams et al. (2008)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) raveneliana — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)

Unio argenteus Lea, 1841
Lea, 1841, Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc. 2: 82.
Lea, 1842, Trans. Amer. Phil. Soc. 8 [O. 3]: 242 [80], pl. 25, fig. 57.
Type(s): HOLOTYPE USNM_84778, Holston R., Tenn.

Unio argenteus — Lea (1841), Conrad (1853), Küster (1861), Sowerby (1866), Lewis (1871), Lewis (1872), B.H. Wright (1888)
Margaron (Unio) argenteus — Lea (1852), Lea (1870)
Unio (Lampsilis) argenteus — Adams & Adams (1857)
Unio (sec. Lampsilis) argenteus — Paetel (1890)
Pleurobema (s.s.) argentea — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) argenteum — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema oviforme argenteum — Ortmann (1918), Ortmann (1924), Ortmann (1925)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) argentea — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)
Pleurobema oviforme — Burch (1975), Parmalee & Bogan (1998)
Pleurobema oviformis — R.I. Johnson (1980)

Unio mundus Lea, 1857
Lea, 1857, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 9: 83.
Lea, 1866, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. 6 [O. 11]: 40 [44], pl. 14, fig. 38.
Type(s): HOLOTYPE USNM_84767, Tuscumbia, Ala.

Unio mundus — Lea (1857), Reeve (1864), Lea (1866), B.H. Wright (1888)
Margaron (Unio) mundus — Lea (1870)
Pleurobema (s.s.) holstonensis — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) holstonense — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema oviforme holstonense — Ortmann (1918)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) munda — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)
Pleurobema oviforme — Burch (1975), Parmalee & Bogan (1998), Williams et al. (2008)

Unio tesserulae Lea, 1861
Lea, 1861, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 13: 392 [as ‘tesserulæ’].
Lea, 1866, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. 6 [O. 11]: 40 [44], pl. 15, fig. 39 [as ‘tesserulæ’].
Type(s): HOLOTYPE USNM_84426, Nolachucky R., Tenn.

Unio tesserulae — Lea (1861)
Unio tesserulæ — Lea (1866), Lewis (1871), B.H. Wright (1888)
Margaron (Unio) tesserulæ — Lea (1870)
Pleurobema (s.s.) tesserulae — Simpson (1900), Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema oviforme holstonense — Ortmann (1918)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) tesserulae — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)
Pleurobema oviforme — Parmalee & Bogan (1998), Williams et al. (2008)

Unio striatissimus J.G. Anthony, 1865
J.G. Anthony, 1865, Amer. J. Conch. 1(2): 156, pl. 12, fig. 1.

Unio striatissimus — J.G. Anthony (1865), Sowerby (1868)
Margaron (Unio) estabrookianus — Lea (1870)
Pleurobema (s.s.) estabrookiana — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) estabrookianum — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema oviforme argenteum — Ortmann (1918)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) striatissima — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)
Fusconaia barnesiana — Parmalee & Bogan (1998)
Pleurobema oviforme — Parmalee & Bogan (1998), Williams et al. (2008)
Pleuronaia barnesiana — Williams et al. (2008)

Unio rudis Conrad, 1837
Conrad, 1837, Monogr. Fam. Unionidae 1(8): 76, pl. 43, fig. 1.
Conrad, 1853, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 6: 257.
(new name for Unio ravenelianus Lea, 1834)

Unio rudis — Conrad (1837), Conrad (1837), Conrad (1853), B.H. Wright (1888)
Margaron (Unio) ravenelianus — Lea (1852), Lea (1870)
Unio ravenelianus — Küster (1862)
Pleurobema (s.s.) rubella — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) rubellum — Simpson (1914), Frierson (1927)
Pleurobema rubellum — Haas (1969), Parmalee & Bogan (1998)
Pleurobema oviforme — Parmalee & Bogan (1998), Williams et al. (2008)

Unio patulus Conrad, 1838
‘Lea’ Conrad, 1838, Monogr. Fam. Unionidae 1(10): 92, pl. 50, fig. 2.
(misidentified reference to Unio patulus Lea, 1829)

Unio patulus — Conrad (1838)
Margaron (Unio) patulus — Lea (1852), Lea (1870)
Pleurobema (s.s.) clava — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema oviforme — Ortmann (1918), Ortmann (1924)
Pleurobema (s.s.) oviformis — Frierson (1927)

Unio holstonensis Lea, 1840
Lea, 1840, Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc. 1: 288.
Lea, 1842, Trans. Amer. Phil. Soc. 8 [O. 3]: 212 [50], pl. 15, fig. 27.
Type(s): HOLOTYPE USNM_84641, Holston R., Tenn.

Unio holstonensis — Lea (1840), Conrad (1853), Küster (1862), Lewis (1871), B.H. Wright (1888)
Margaron (Unio) holstonensis — Lea (1852), Lea (1870)
Unio (Lampsilis) holstonensis — Adams & Adams (1857)
Pleurobema (s.s.) holstonensis — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) holstonense — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema oviforme holstonense — Ortmann (1918), Ortmann (1924), Ortmann (1925)
Pleurobema (s.s.) oviformis — Frierson (1927)
Pleurobema oviforme — Haas (1969), Burch (1975), Parmalee & Bogan (1998), Williams et al. (2008)
Pleurobema oviformis — R.I. Johnson (1980)

Unio decisus Küster, 1852
‘Lea’ Küster, 1852, Conchyl. Cab. 9(2): 41, pl. 8, fig. 1. [in part]
(misidentified reference to Unio decisus Lea, 1831)

Unio decisus — Küster (1852)
Pleurobema (s.s.) raveneliana — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) ravenelianum — Simpson (1914)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) argentea — Frierson (1927)
Pleurobema oviforme — Parmalee & Bogan (1998)

Unio lesleyi Lea, 1860
Lea, 1860, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 12: 306.
Lea, 1860, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. 4 [O. 8]: 352, pl. 58, fig. 177.
Type(s): HOLOTYPE USNM_84759, Kentucky.

Unio lesleyi — Lea (1860), Lewis (1871), B.H. Wright (1888)
Margaron (Unio) lesleyi — Lea (1870)
Pleurobema (s.s.) lesleyi — Simpson (1900), Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema oviforme — Ortmann (1918), Ortmann (1924), Parmalee & Bogan (1998), Williams et al. (2008)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) argentea — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)

Unio clinchensis Lea, 1867
Lea, 1867, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 19: 81.
Lea, 1868, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. 6 [O. 12]: 278 [38], pl. 37, fig. 91.
Type(s): HOLOTYPE USNM_84596, Clinch R., Tenn.

Unio clinchensis — Lea (1867), Lewis (1871), B.H. Wright (1888)
Margaron (Unio) clinchensis — Lea (1870)
Pleurobema (s.s.) cuneolus — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) clinchense — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema oviforme — Ortmann (1918), Ortmann (1924), Parmalee & Bogan (1998), Williams et al. (2008)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) cuneola — Frierson (1927)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) cuneolus — Haas (1969)
Fusconaia cuneolus — Burch (1975)

Unio planior Lea, 1868
Lea, 1868, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 20: 145.
Lea, 1868, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. 6 [O. 12]: 316 [76], pl. 50, fig. 129.
Type(s): FIGURED SYNTYPE USNM_84391, Tennessee.

Unio planior — Lea (1868), B.H. Wright (1888)
Margaron (Unio) planior — Lea (1870)
Pleurobema (s.s.) planior — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) planius — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema oviforme argenteum — Ortmann (1918)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) striatissima — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)
Pleurobema oviforme — Parmalee & Bogan (1998), Williams et al. (2008)

Unio acuens Lea, 1871
Lea, 1871, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 23: 190.
Lea, 1874, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. 8 [O. 13]: 27 [31], pl. 8, fig. 24.
Type(s): FIGURED SYNTYPE USNM_84599, Holston R., near Concord, E. Tenn.

Unio acuens — Lea (1871), B.H. Wright (1888), Pilsbry & Rhoads (1896)
Unio (sec. Lampsilis) accuens — Paetel (1890)
Pleurobema (s.s.) acuens — Simpson (1900), Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema oviforme holstonense — Ortmann (1918)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) tesserulae — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)
Pleurobema oviforme — Parmalee & Bogan (1998), Williams et al. (2008)

Unio lawii Lea, 1871
Lea, 1871, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 23: 189.
Lea, 1874, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. 8 [O. 13]: 8 [12], pl. 2, fig. 4.
Type(s): FIGURED SYNTYPE USNM_84757, Holston R., Tenn.

Unio lawii — Lea (1871), B.H. Wright (1888)
Unio lawi — Pilsbry & Rhoads (1896)
Pleurobema (s.s.) holstonensis — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) holstonense — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema oviforme holstonense — Ortmann (1918)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) munda — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)
Pleurobema oviforme — Burch (1975), Parmalee & Bogan (1998), Williams et al. (2008)

Unio pattinoides Lea, 1871
Lea, 1871, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 23: 193.
Lea, 1874, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. 8 [O. 13]: 16 [20], pl. 4, fig. 12.
Type(s): FIGURED SYNTYPE USNM_84763, Holston R., Tenn.

Unio pattinoides — Lea (1871), B.H. Wright (1888)
Pleurobema (s.s.) holstonensis — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) holstonense — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema oviforme holstonense — Ortmann (1918)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) munda — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)
Pleurobema oviforme — Parmalee & Bogan (1998), Williams et al. (2008)

Unio bellulus Lea, 1872
Lea, 1872, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 24: 161.
Lea, 1874, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. 8 [O. 13]: 50 [54], pl. 17, fig. 48.
Type(s): FIGURED SYNTYPE USNM_84772, Mussel Shoals, Tenn R., Alabama.

Unio bellulus — Lea (1872), B.H. Wright (1888)
Pleurobema (s.s.) holstonensis — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) holstonense — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema oviforme holstonense — Ortmann (1918)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) munda — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)
Pleurobema oviforme — Burch (1975), Parmalee & Bogan (1998), Williams et al. (2008)

Unio brevis Lea, 1872
Lea, 1872, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 24: 157.
Lea, 1874, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. 8 [O. 13]: 35 [39], pl. 12, fig. 32.
Type(s): FIGURED SYNTYPE USNM_84546, Conasauga R., E. Tenn.

Unio brevis — Lea (1872), B.H. Wright (1888)
Pleurobema (s.s.) brevis — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) breve — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema oviforme argenteum — Ortmann (1918)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) striatissima — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)
Pleurobema oviforme — Parmalee & Bogan (1998), Williams et al. (2008)

Unio conasaugaensis Lea, 1872
Lea, 1872, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 24: 155.
Lea, 1874, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. 8 [O. 13]: 33 [37], pl. 10, fig. 30.
Type(s): HOLOTYPE (MONOTYPY) USNM_85565, Conasauga Cr., Monroe Co., E. Tenn.

Unio conasaugaensis — Lea (1872)
Unio conasangœnsis — B.H. Wright (1888)
Pleurobema (s.s.) conasaugaensis — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) conasaugaense — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema oviforme — Ortmann (1918), Parmalee & Bogan (1998), Williams et al. (2008)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) striatissima — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)

Unio clavus Call, 1885
‘Lamarck’ Call, 1885, unknown publication: ??.
(misidentified reference to Unio clava Lamarck, 1819)

Unio clavus — Call (1885)
Pleurobema oviforme — Ortmann (1924)

Unio conasangœnsis B.H. Wright, 1888
‘Lea’ B.H. Wright, 1888, Check List N. Amer. Unionidae etc.: [2].
(error for Unio conasaugaensis Lea, 1872)

Unio conasangœnsis — B.H. Wright (1888)

Unio accuens Paetel, 1890
‘Lea’ Paetel, 1890, Cat. Conch.-Samml. 3: 143.
(error for Unio acuens Lea, 1871)

Unio accuens — Paetel (1890)

Unio swordianus S.H. Wright, 1897
S.H. Wright, 1897, Nautilus 11: 4.
Type(s): LECTOTYPE USNM_149654, Br. of Clinch River, Va.

Unio swordianus — S.H. Wright (1897)
Pleurobema (s.s.) swordiana — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema swordiana — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) swordianum — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema oviforme argenteum — Ortmann (1918)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) striatissima — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)
Pleurobema oviforme — Parmalee & Bogan (1998), Williams et al. (2008)

Pleurobema swordiana Simpson, 1900
‘Wright’ Simpson, 1900, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 52: 81, pl. 4, fig. 4.
(reference to Unio swordianus S.H. Wright, 1897)

Pleurobema swordiana — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) swordiana — Simpson (1900)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) valida — Frierson (1927)

Pleurobema fassinans Ortmann, 1913
‘Lea’ Ortmann, 1913, Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc. 52(210): 310.
‘Lea’ Ortmann, 1914, Nautilus 28(3): 31.
(misidentified reference to Unio fassinans Lea, 1868)

Pleurobema fassinans — Ortmann (1913)
Pleurobema oviforme argenteum — Ortmann (1918)
Pleurobema oviforme — Parmalee & Bogan (1998)

Taxonomic History (since 1900)

Pleurobema (s.s.) oviformis — Simpson (1900), Frierson (1927)
Pleurobema (s.s.) raveneliana — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) rubella — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) clava — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) holstonensis — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) argentea — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) lesleyi — Simpson (1900), Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema (s.s.) tesserulae — Simpson (1900), Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema (s.s.) estabrookiana — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) cuneolus — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) planior — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) acuens — Simpson (1900), Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema (s.s.) brevis — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) conasaugaensis — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema (s.s.) swordiana — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema swordiana — Simpson (1900)
Pleurobema fassinans — Ortmann (1913)
Pleurobema (s.s.) oviforme — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema (s.s.) ravenelianum — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema (s.s.) rubellum — Simpson (1914), Frierson (1927)
Pleurobema (s.s.) holstonense — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema (s.s.) argenteum — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema (s.s.) estabrookianum — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema (s.s.) clinchense — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema (s.s.) planius — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema (s.s.) breve — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema (s.s.) conasaugaense — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema (s.s.) swordianum — Simpson (1914)
Pleurobema oviforme — Ortmann (1918), Ortmann (1924), Ortmann (1925), Haas (1969), ..., Dai et al. (2024), Wu et al. (2024), Wu et al. (2024), Dai et al. (2025)
Pleurobema oviforme holstonense — Ortmann (1918), Ortmann (1924), Ortmann (1925)
Pleurobema oviforme argenteum — Ortmann (1918), Ortmann (1924), Ortmann (1925)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) raveneliana — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) argentea — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) munda — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) tesserulae — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) striatissima — Frierson (1927), Haas (1969)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) cuneola — Frierson (1927)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) valida — Frierson (1927)
Pleurobema rubellum — Haas (1969), Parmalee & Bogan (1998)
Quadrula (Pleuronaia) cuneolus — Haas (1969)
Fusconaia cuneolus — Burch (1975)
Pleurobema oviformis — R.I. Johnson (1980), Lopes-Lima et al. (2019)
Fusconaia barnesiana — Parmalee & Bogan (1998)
Pleuronaia barnesiana — Williams et al. (2008)

Page updated: 07:54:45 Tue 01 Jul 2025

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