| Page last updated
27 December 2007 |
Palearctic Freshwater Mussels
Species Diversity and Biological vs. Comparatory Species Concepts
 Two different modern traditions provide disparate estimates of Palearctic freshwater mussel diversity. Taxonomists that treat species as evolutionary entities (Biological species) list 45 species for the region, while eastern Russian practicioners of the Comparatory Method recognize more: 156. The chart to the right shows the diversity estimates for the different subregions of the Palearctic.
The diversity of Biological species is largely derived from Haas (1940, 1969), as updated by Falkner (1994; Falkner et al., 2001, 2002). For the Comparatory species, the basic references we Zatravkin (1983), Starobogatov et al (2004) and Kantor & Sysoev (2005). However, numerous additional references were consulted. We aligned the two systems using the nominal species shared between them and by assuming (following Korniushin, 1998) that the the Comparatory system was simply more "split" than the "lumped" classification of Biological species.
In the following table, "Biological" and "Comparatory" species are numbered to maintain a running count of diversity estimates based upon the two systems. Only species occurring in the Palearctic Region are numbered, but other taxa (shown in gray) are included to show correspondence between the two systems. The hyperlinks provide access to an online version of the MUSSEL Project Database, with more information about Palearctic freshwater mussel species.
Each Biological species is assigned to one or more subregions of the Palearctic; each is also provided with a concise range statement as determined from the literature reviewed.
* |
indicates a Comparatory species inferred from a valid genus in Starobogatov (1970). |
** |
indicates a Comparatory species inferred from a corresponding Biological species. |
Family UNIONIDAE
Unio Philippson in Retzius, 1788 |
Unio |
1. |
U. pictorum (Linnaeus, 1758). WESTERN: widespread in Europe from the Atlantic to the Volga and Black Sea. |
1. |
U. pictorum |
|
2. |
U. limosus (Nilsson, 1822) |
|
3. |
U. rostratus Lamarck, 1819 |
|
4. |
U. protractus Lindholm, 1922 |
2. |
U. tumidus Philippson in Retzius, 1788. WESTERN: widespread in Europe from the Atlantic to the Volga and Black Sea. |
Tumidiana Servain, 1882 |
|
5. |
T. tumida |
|
6. |
T. conus (Spengler, 1793) |
|
7. |
T. muelleri (Rossmässler, 1838) |
3. |
U. mancus Lamarck, 1819. WESTERN & SOUTHWESTERN: discontinuous, circum-Mediterranean distribution, including the Nile, and east to the Tigris-Euphrates Basin. |
Turtoniana Locard, 1889 |
|
8. |
T. manca* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
4. |
U. terminalis Bourguignat, 1852. SOUTHWESTERN: Orontes and Jordon basins. |
Eolymnium (s.s.) Prashad, 1919 |
|
9. |
E. (E.) terminalis |
5. |
U. tigridis Bourguignat, 1852. SOUTHWESTERN: Orontes east to the Tigris-Euphrates Basin. |
10. |
E. (E.) tigridis |
6. |
U. crassus gontieri Bourguignat, 1856. WESTERN: Ukraine south to Transcaucasia. |
Eolymnium (Shadininaia) Starobogatov in Zatravkin, 1983 |
|
11. |
E. (S.) byzantinium (Drouët, 1879) |
|
12. |
E. (S.) araxenum (Drouët, 1881) |
|
13. |
E. (S.) colchicum (Drouët, 1881) |
|
14. |
E. (S.) raddei (Drouët, 1881) |
|
15. |
E. (S.) koutaisianum (Kobelt, 1886) |
|
Crassiana Servain, 1882 |
|
16. |
C. irenjensis (Kobelt, 1912) |
|
17. |
C. mingrelica (Drouët, 1881) |
|
18. |
C. sobriewskii (Rosen, 1925) |
|
19. |
C. stevenianiformis (Zhadin, 1938) |
|
20. |
C. gregorii (Kobelt, 1912) |
|
U. crassus crassus Philippson in Retzius, 1788, and other European and southwestern Asian subspecies. WESTERN & SOUTHWESTERN: widespread in Europe, from the Atlantic to the Volga, and southeast through the Tigris-Euphrates Basin. |
21. |
C. crassa |
|
22. |
C. musiva (Spengler, 1793) |
|
23. |
C. nana (Lamarck, 1819) |
|
24. |
C. fuscula (Rossmässler, 1835) |
|
25. |
C. cyprinorum (Locard, 1882) |
|
26. |
C. irgizlaica (Lindholm, 1904) |
|
U. crassus mongolicus Middendorff, 1851. EASTERN: Amur Basin and Primorye, north to Magadan, eastern Russia. |
Middendorffinaia (s.s.) Moskvicheva & Starobogatov, 1973 |
|
27. |
M. (M.) mongolica |
|
28. |
M. (M.) arsenievi Moskvicheva & Starobogatov, 1973 |
|
29. |
M. (M.) ussuriensis Moskvicheva & Starobogatov, 1973 |
|
30. |
M. (M.) ochotica Bogatov, 2000 |
|
Middendorffinaia (Pseudopotomida) Moskvicheva & Starobog., 1973
|
7. |
I. pantoensis (Neumayr, 1899). EASTERN: widespread, from southern China north to Primorye, eastern Russia. |
|
M. (P.) continentalis Haas, 1910 |
|
31. |
M. (M.) dulkeitiana Moskvicheva & Starobogatov, 1973 |
|
32. |
M. (P.) shadini Moskvicheva & Starobogatov, 1973 |
|
33. |
M. (P.) suifunensis Moskvicheva & Starobogatov, 1973 |
|
34. |
M. (P.) weliczkowskii Moskvicheva & Starobogatov, 1973 |
8. |
I. brandtii (Kobelt, 1879). EASTERN: Endemic to Japan. |
Inversidens |
|
35. |
I. brandtii * |
9. |
I. japanensis (Lea, 1859). EASTERN: Japan. |
Pronodularia Starobogatov, 1970 |
|
36. |
P. japanensis |
|
37. |
P. haconensis (von Ihering, 1893) |
Inversiunio Habe, 1991 |
|
10. |
I. reinianus (Kobelt, 1879). EASTERN: Japan. |
38. |
P. reiniana |
|
39. |
P. hirasei (Haas, 1911) |
11. |
I. jokohamensis (von Ihering, 1893). EASTERN: Japan. |
40. |
P. jokohamensis |
12. |
I. yanagawensis (Kondo, 1982). EASTERN: Japan. |
41. |
P. yanagawensis ** |
Nodularia Conrad, 1853 |
Nodularia (s.s.) |
13. |
N. douglasiae (Griffith & Pidgeon, 1834). EASTERN: widespread from China, Japan and Korea north through the Amur Basin and Sakhalin Island to Magadan. |
|
N. (N.) douglasiae [China] |
|
42. |
N. (N.) amurensis (Mousson, 1887) |
|
43. |
N. (N.) middendorffi (Westerlund, 1890) |
|
44. |
N. (N.) schrencki (Westerlund, 1897) |
|
45. |
N. (N.) abbreviata (Westerlund, 1897) |
|
46. |
N. (N.) flavoviridis Haas, 1910 |
|
47. |
N. (N.) vladivostokensis Moskvicheva, 1973 |
|
48. |
N. (N.) moskvichevaeBogatov & Starobogatov, 1992 |
|
49. |
N. (N.) sakhalinensis Bogatov, 2001 |
|
Nodularia (Amurunio) Zatravkin & Bogatov, 1987 |
|
50. |
N. (A.) lebedevi Zatravkin & Starobogatov, 1984 |
|
Nodularia (Magadaninaia) Martynov & Chernyshev, 1992 |
|
51. |
N. (M.) extremalis Martynov & Chernyshev, 1992 |
Lanceolaria Conrad, 1853 |
Lanceolaria (s.s.) |
|
L. grayana (Lea, 1834). [China] |
|
L. (L.) grayana |
14. |
L. cylindrica (Simpson, 1900). EASTERN: the Lower Amur Basin, including the Ussuri, in eastern Russia, south into China. |
Lanceolaria (Pericylindrica) Tomlin, 1930 |
|
52. |
L. (P.) maacki Moskvicheva, 1973 |
|
53. |
L. (P.) chankensis Moskvicheva, 1973 |
|
54. |
L. (P.) ussuriensis Moskvicheva, 1973 |
|
55. |
L. (P.) bogatovi Zatravkin & Starobogatov, 1984 |
15. |
L. acrorrhyncha (von Martens, 1894). EASTERN: Korea. |
56. |
L. (P.) acrorrhyncha ** |
16. |
L. oxyrhyncha (von Martens, 1861). EASTERN: Japan. |
57. |
L. (P.) oxyrhycha ** |
Anodonta Lamarck, 1799 |
Anodonta |
17. |
A. cygnea (Linnaeus, 1758). WESTERN: from the Atlantic east through the Volga. |
58. |
A. cygnea |
|
59. |
A. zellensis (Gmelin, 1791) |
|
60. |
A. stagnalis (Gmelin, 1791) |
18. |
A. anatina (Linnaeus, 1758). WESTERN & CENTRAL: from Europe and northern Africa east to Lake Baikal. |
Colletopterum (s.s.) Bourguignat, 1880 |
|
61. |
C. (C.) subcirculare (Clessin, 1873) |
|
62. |
C. (C.) ostiarium (Drouët, 1881) |
|
63. |
C. (C.) convexum (Drouët, 1888) |
|
64. |
C. (C.) apollonicum (Bourguignat, 1880) |
|
65. |
C. (C.) milaschevichi (Bogatov, Starob. & Prozorova, 2005) |
|
66. |
C. (C.) baeri (Bogatov, Starobogatov & Prozorova, 2005) |
|
Colletopterum (Piscinaliana) Bourguignat, 1881 |
|
67. |
C. (P.) anatinum |
|
68. |
C. (P.) piscinale (Nilsson, 1823) |
|
69. |
C. (P.) ponderosum (Pfeiffer, 1825) |
|
70. |
C. (P.) rostratum (Rossmässler, 1836) |
|
71. |
C. (P.) depressum (Bourguignat, 1881) |
|
72. |
C. (P.) sorensianum (Dybowski, 1913) |
|
73. |
C. (P.) nilssonii (Küster, 1842) |
19. |
A. cyrea Drouët, 1881. CENTRAL: Aral Sea and southern Caspian Sea drainages. |
74. |
C. (P.) cyreum (Drouët, 1881) |
|
75. |
C. (P.) bactrianum (Rolle, 1897) |
|
76. |
C. (P.) kokandicum Starobogatov & Izzatullaev, 1984 |
20. |
A. vescoiana Bourguignat, 1856. SOUTHWESTERN: Endemic to the Tigris-Euphrates Basin. |
Euphrata Pallary, 1933 |
|
77. |
E. vescoiana* |
21. |
A. pseudodopsis Locard, 1883. SOUTHWESTERN: Endemic to Lake Antioch, Syria. |
Gabillotia Servain, 1890 |
|
78. |
G. pseudodopsis * |
22. |
A. woodiana woodiana (Lea, 1834). EASTERN: widespread, from Indochina and China north to Korea, Japan, Primorye and the Amur Basin in eastern Russia. |
Sinanodonta (s.s.) Modell, 1945 |
|
|
S. (S.) woodiana [SE Asia] |
|
79. |
S. (S.) fukudai Modell, 1947 |
|
80. |
S. (S.) amurensis Moskvicheva, 1973 |
|
81. |
S. (S.) schrencki Moskvicheva, 1973 |
|
82. |
S. (S.) likharevi Moskvicheva, 1973 |
|
83. |
S. (S.) crassitesta Moskvicheva, 1973 |
|
84. |
S. (S.) primorjensisBogatov & Zatravkin, 1988 |
|
|
S. (S.) puerorum (Heude, 1880) [introduced] |
|
|
S. (S.) orbicularis (Heude, 1880) [introduced] |
|
|
S. (S.) gibba (Benson, 1855) [introduced] |
|
Sinanodonta (Ellipsanodon) Bogatov & Starobogatov, 1996 |
|
85. |
S. (E.) manchuricaBogatov & Starobogatov, 1996 |
|
A. woodiana japonica (von Martens in Clessin, 1874). EASTERN: Japan, Primorye, Sakhalin Island and the southern Kurils. |
Kunashiria Starobogatov in Zatravkin, 1983 |
|
86. |
K. japonica |
|
87. |
K. haconensis (von Ihering, 1893) |
|
88. |
K. iwakawai (Suzuki, 1939) |
|
89. |
K. iturupica Bogatov, Sayenko & Starobogatov, 1999 |
|
90. |
K. sinanodontoides Bogatov, Sayenko & Starobog., 1999 |
|
91. |
K. taranetzi (Zhadin, 1938) |
|
92. |
K. coptzevi (Zatravkin & Bogatov, 1987) |
|
93. |
K. zimini (Zatravkin & Bogatov, 1987) |
|
94. |
K. compressa (Bogatov & Starobogatov, 1996) |
|
95. |
K. zarjaensis (Bogatov & Zatravkin, 1988) |
23. |
A. ogurae (Kuroda & Habe, 1987). EASTERN: Japan. |
Oguranodonta Kuroda & Habe, 1987 |
|
96. |
O. ogurae |
24. |
A. beringiana Middendorff, 1851. EASTERN: widespread Beringian distribution, from Primorye, the Lower Amur and Sakhalin Island through the Kurils, Kamchatka and the Aleutians to Pacific North America. |
Beringiana Starobogatov in Zatravkin, 1983 |
|
97. |
B. beringiana |
|
98. |
B. youkanensis (Lea, 1867) |
|
99. |
B. kamchatica Bogatov & Starobogatov, 2001 |
|
|
B. georginensis Bogatov & Starobogatov, 2001 [USA] |
|
100. |
B. compressa Sayenko & Bogatov, 1998 |
|
101. |
B. chereshnevi Bogatov & Starobogatov, 2001 |
|
102. |
B. derzhavini Bogatov & Starobogatov, 2001 |
25. |
A. euscaphys (Heude, 1879). EASTERN: China north to the Lower Amur, eastern Russia. |
Anemina Haas, 1969 |
|
|
A. euscaphys [China] |
|
103. |
A. fuscoviridis (Moskvicheva, 1973) |
26. |
A. arcaeformis (Heude, 1877). EASTERN: China, Japan and Korea north to the Lower Amur and Primorye, eastern Russia. |
|
A. arcaeformis [China] |
|
104. |
A. buldowskii (Moskvicheva, 1973) |
|
105. |
A. shadini (Moskvicheva, 1973) |
|
Buldowskia Moskvicheva, 1973 |
|
106. |
B. suifunica (Lindholm, 1925) |
|
107. |
B. suifunensis (Zhadin, 1938) |
|
108. |
B. flavotincta (von Martens, 1905) |
|
109. |
B. cylindrica Moskvicheva, 1973 |
|
110. |
B. starobogatovi (Moskvicheva, 1973) |
|
111. |
B. suputinensis Moskvicheva, 1973 |
|
112. |
B. koreana Bogatov & Starobogatov, 1996 |
|
113. |
B. possietica Bogatov & Starobogatov, 1996 |
|
Amuranodonta Moskvicheva, 1973 |
|
114. |
A. kijaensis Moskvicheva, 1973 |
|
115. |
A. parva Moskvicheva, 1973 |
|
116. |
A. sitaensis (Bogatov & Starobogatov, 1996) |
|
117. |
A. boloniensis (Zatravkin & Bogatov, 1987) |
|
118. |
A. lomakini (Zatravkin & Bogatov, 1987) |
|
119. |
A. pulchra Bogatov & Starobogatov, 1996 |
Pseudanodonta Bourguignat, 1877 |
Pseudanodonta |
27. |
P. complanata (Rossmässler, 1835). WESTERN: Atlantic Europe east to the Volga, including the Danube and other tributaries of the Black Sea. |
120. |
P. complanata |
|
121. |
P. nordenskioldi Bourguignat, 1880 |
|
122. |
P. klettii (Rossmässler, 1835) |
|
123. |
P. middendorffi (Siemaschko, 1848) |
|
124. |
P. elongata (Holandre, 1836) |
Cristaria Schumacher, 1817 |
Cristaria |
28. |
C. plicata (Leach, 1815). EASTERN: Indochina and China north to the Amur Basin, eastern Russia and Mongolia. |
|
C. plicata [China] |
|
125. |
C. tuberculata Schumacher, 1817 |
|
126. |
C. herculea (Middendorff, 1848) |
29. |
C. discoidea (Lea, 1834). EASTERN: widespread in eastern Asia, from Japan south to Indochina. |
Pletholophus Simpson, 1900 |
|
127. |
P. discoideus * |
Hyriopsis Conrad, 1853 |
Hyriopsis |
|
H. bialatus Simpson, 1900 [Indochina] |
|
H. bialatus |
30. |
H. schlegelii (von Martens, 1861). EASTERN: Endemic to Japan. |
Nipponihyria Starobogatov, 1970 |
|
128. |
N. schlegelii * |
Lamprotula Simpson, 1900 |
Lamprotula |
|
L. plumbea (Chemnitz, 1795) [SE Asia?] |
|
L. plumbea |
31. |
L. coreana (von Martens, 1886). EASTERN: Korea. |
129. |
L. coreana ** |
32. |
L. gottschei (von Martens, 1894). EASTERN: Korea, south to the Yangtze; Japan? |
130. |
L. gottschei ** |
Pseudodon Gould, 1844 |
Pseudodon |
|
P. inoscularis (Gould, 1844) [Indochina] |
|
P. inoscularis |
33. |
P. omiensis (von Heimburg, 1884). EASTERN: Japan. |
Obovalis Simpson, 1900 |
|
131. |
O. omiensis * |
Potomida Swainson, 1840 |
Potomida |
34. |
P. littoralis (Cuvier, 1798). WESTERN & SOUTHWESTERN: widespread from western and southern Europe and northern Africa, east to Syria. |
132. |
P. littoralis |
|
133. |
P. armeniacus (Kobelt, 1912) |
|
134. |
P. komarowi (Boettger, 1880) |
Leguminaia Conrad, 1865 |
Leguminaia (s.s.) |
35. |
L. wheatleyi (Lea, 1862). SOUTHWESTERN: Lake Antioch and the Orontes of Syria, east to the Tigris-Eurphrates in Iraq. |
135. |
L. (L.) wheatleyi |
36. |
L. saulcyi (Bourguignat, 1852). SOUTHWESTERN: Syria. |
136. |
L. (L.) saulcyi |
|
Leguminaia (Pseudoleguminaia) Germain, 1911 |
|
137. |
L. (P.) chantrei Locard, 1883 * |
Microcondylaea Vest, 1866 |
Leguminaia (Microcondylaea) |
37. |
M. compressa (Menke, 1830). WESTERN: eastern Mediterranean Europe. |
138. |
L. (M.) compressa |
Pseudodontopsis Kobelt, 1913 |
Pseudodontopsis |
38. |
P. euphratica (Bourguignat, 1852). SOUTHWESTERN: Tigris-Euphrates Basin, Iraq. |
139. |
P. euphratica |
Family MARGARITIFERIDAE
Margaritifera Schumacher, 1816
|
|
39. |
M. margaritifera (Linneaus, 1858). WESTERN: amphi-Atlantic distribution, northern Europe and the UK, west to eastern North America. |
140. |
M. margaritifera |
|
141. |
M. elongata (Lamarck, 1819) |
|
142. |
M. borealis Westerlund, 1871 |
40. |
M. dahurica (Middendorff, 1850). EASTERN: the Amur Basin, Primorye and Sakhalin Island, eastern Russia. |
Dahurinaia Starobogatov, 1970 |
|
143. |
D. dahurica |
|
144. |
D. tiunovae Bogatov & Zatravkin, 1988 |
|
145. |
D. ussuriensis Bogatov, Prozorova & Starobogatov, 2003 |
|
146. |
D. prozorovae Bogatov & Starobog. in Bogatov et al., 2003 |
41. |
M. laevis (Haas, 1910). EASTERN: Japan and north through Sakhalin Island and the southern Kurils. |
Kurilinaia Bogatov & Zatravkin, 1988 |
|
149. |
K. laevis |
|
150. |
K. kurilensis (Zatravkin & Starobogatov, 1984) |
|
151. |
K. zatravkini Bogatov, Prozorova & Starobogatov, 2003 |
42. |
M. togakushiensis Kondo & Kobayashi, 2005. EASTERN: Japan. |
152. |
K. togakushiensis ** |
43. |
M. middendorffi (Rosén, 1926). EASTERN: southern Kamchatka, eastern Russia. |
153. |
K. middendorffi |
|
154. |
K. kamchatica Bogatov, Prozorova & Starobogatov, 2003 |
44. |
M. auricularia (Spengler, 1793). WESTERN: Iberian Peninsula, western Europe, and northern Africa. |
Pseudunio Haas, 1910 |
|
155. |
P. auricularia * |
45. |
M. homsensis (Lea, 1864). SOUTHWESTERN: Syria. |
156. |
P. homsensis ** |
Numerous key references are the basis for these tallies.
References
- Falkner, G. 1994. Systematik vorderorientalischer Najaden als Vorstudie zur Bearbeitung archäologischer Funde. Forschungen und Berichte Zur Vor- und Frühgeschichte in Baden-Württemberg 53: 135-162.
- Falkner, G., R.A. Bank & T. von Proschwitz. 2001. CLECOM-PROJECT: Check-list of the non-marine Molluscan species-group taxa of the states of Northern, Atlantic and Central Europe (CLECOM I). Heldia 4: 1-76.
- Falkner, G., T.E.J. Ripken & M. Falkner. 2002. Mollusques Continentaux de France: Liste de Référence Annotée et Bibliographie. Patrimoines Naturels 52. Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Institut d’Ecologie et de Gestion de la Biodiversité, Paris. 350 pp.
- Haas, F. 1940. A tentative classification of the Palearctic unionids. Zoological Series of Field Museum of Natural History 24: 115-141.
- Haas, F. 1969. Superfamilia Unionacea. Das Tierreich 88. Walter de Gruyter & Co., Berlin. 663 pp.
- Kantor Yu.I. & A.V. Sysoev. 2005. Katalog Mollyuskov Rossii i Sopredel’nykh Stran. KMK Scientific Press Ltd., Moscow. 627 pp.
- Korniushin, A.V. 1998. Review of the studies on freshwater mollusc systematics carried out by the Russian taxonomic school. Bivalvia I. Malacological Review, Supplement 7: 65-82.
- Starobogatov, Ya.I. 1970. Fauna Mollyuskov i Zoogeograficheskoe Raionirovanie Kontinental’nykh Vodoemov Zemnogo Shara. Akademiya Nauk SSSR, Leningrad. 371 pp.
- Starobogatov, Ya.I., L.A. Prozorova, V.V. Bogatov & E.M. Sayenko. 2004. Bivalvia. pp. 11-251. [in] S.J. Tsalolikhin, ed. Opredelitel’ Presnovodnykh Besnozvonochnykh Rossii i Sopredel’nykh Territorii 6. Nauka, St. Petersburg.
- Zatravkin, M.N. 1983. Unionidae in the fauna of the USSR and their role as intermediate hosts of Trematoda and as eliminators cercariae. pp. 40-44. [in] I.M. Likharev, ed. Mollyuski: Sistematika, Ekologiya i Zakonomernosti Rasprostraneniya. Akademiya Nauk SSSR, Leningrad. 262 pp.
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