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North America
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Species Richness & Endemism by Geography
 
 

Page last updated
Fri 05 Sep 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!

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North America

North American SubregionsThe region includes all of North America, north of the Mexican Plateau. It is the most most species-rich region in the world, with 307 species (68 genera). The families represented are Unionidae and Margaritiferidae.

North America is composed of five subregions. The Canadian Interior Subregion drains to southern and eastern Hudson Bay and the Arctic (NA1; 12 gen, 13 spp.) The Mississippi-Great Lakes Subregion (NA2; 54 gen, 150 spp.) which includes the Mississippi Basin and the adjacent, formerly glaciated areas of the Great Lakes. The streams draining directly to the Atlantic comprise the Atlantic Slope Subregion (NA3; 25 gen, 65 spp.), which extends from the glaciated portions of eastern Canada and the USA, south to Georgia. The Gulf-Florida Subregion (NA4; 43 gen, 156 spp.) is a real hot-spot of freshwater mussel diversity that occurs from the Rio Grande Basin in Mexico, east to peninsular Florida. West of the continental divide is the Pacific Subregion (NA5; 4 gen, 7 spp.). The Pacific Subregion shares closer affinities with East Asia than the rest of Nearctica.

Endemic species are marked with an asterisk (*).

Canadian Interior Subregion (NA1)
  1. Amblema plicata
  2. Anodontoides ferussacianus
  3. Fusconaia flava
  4. Lampsilis cardium
  5. Lampsilis siliquoidea
  6. Lasmigona costata
  7. Ligumia recta
  1. Platynaias compressa
  2. Potamilus alatus
  3. Pterosyna complanata
  4. Pyganodon grandis
  5. Quadrula quadrula
  6. Strophitus undulatus
Mississippi-Great Lakes Subregion (NA2)
  1. Alasmidonta atropurpurea*
  2. Alasmidonta marginata
  3. Alasmidonta raveneliana*
  4. Alasminota holstonia*
  5. Amblema plicata
  6. Anodontoides denigratus*
  7. Anodontoides ferussacianus
  8. Arcidens confragosus
  9. Arcidens wheeleri*
  10. Cambarunio dactylus*
  11. Cambarunio hesperus*
  12. Cambarunio iris
  13. Cambarunio jonesii
  14. Cambarunio nebulosus
  15. Cambarunio simus*
  16. Cambarunio taeniatus*
  17. Cumberlandia monodonta*
  18. Cyclonaias tuberculata*
  19. Cyprogenia aberti*
  20. Cyprogenia stegaria*
  21. Dromus dromas*
  22. Ellipsaria lineolata
  23. Elliptio complanata
  24. Elliptio crassidens
  25. Epioblasma ahlstedti*
  26. Epioblasma arcaeformis*
  27. Epioblasma aureola*
  28. Epioblasma biemarginata*
  29. Epioblasma brevidens*
  30. Epioblasma capsaeformis*
  31. Epioblasma cincinnatiensis*
  32. Epioblasma curtisii*
  33. Epioblasma flexuosa*
  34. Epioblasma florentina*
  35. Epioblasma gubernaculum*
  36. Epioblasma haysiana*
  37. Epioblasma lenior*
  38. Epioblasma lewisii*
  39. Epioblasma obliquata*
  40. Epioblasma perobliqua*
  41. Epioblasma personata*
  42. Epioblasma propinqua*
  43. Epioblasma rangiana*
  44. Epioblasma sampsonii*
  45. Epioblasma stewardsonii*
  46. Epioblasma torulosa*
  47. Epioblasma triquetra*
  48. Epioblasma turgidula*
  49. Epioblasma walkeri*
  50. Eurynia dilatata*
  51. Fusconaia cor*
  52. Fusconaia cuneolus*
  53. Fusconaia flava
  54. Fusconaia ozarkensis*
  55. Fusconaia subrotunda*
  56. Glebula rotundata
  57. Hemistena lata*
  58. Lampsilis abrupta*
  59. Lampsilis brittsi*
  60. Lampsilis cardium
  61. Lampsilis fasciola*
  62. Lampsilis higginsii*
  63. Lampsilis hydiana
  64. Lampsilis ovata*
  65. Lampsilis powellii*
  66. Lampsilis rafinesqueana*
  67. Lampsilis reeveiana*
  68. Lampsilis satura
  69. Lampsilis sietmani
  70. Lampsilis siliquoidea
  71. Lampsilis streckeri*
  72. Lampsilis teres
  73. Lampsilis virescens*
  74. Lasmigona costata
  75. Leaunio lienosus
  1. Leaunio ortmanni*
  2. Leaunio pataecus*
  3. Leaunio umbrans
  4. Leaunio vanuxemensis*
  5. Lemiox rimosus*
  6. Ligumia recta
  7. Margaritifera falcata
  8. Medionidus conradicus*
  9. Megalonaias nervosa
  10. Obliquaria reflexa
  11. Obovaria arkansasensis
  12. Obovaria olivaria*
  13. Obovaria retusa*
  14. Obovaria subrotunda*
  15. Ortmanniana ligamentina*
  16. Ortmanniana pectorosa*
  17. Paetulunio fabalis*
  18. Pegias fabula*
  19. Platynaias compressa
  20. Platynaias subviridis
  21. Plectomerus dombeyanus
  22. Plethobasus cicatricosus*
  23. Plethobasus cooperianus*
  24. Plethobasus cyphyus*
  25. Pleurobema clava*
  26. Pleurobema cordatum*
  27. Pleurobema oviforme*
  28. Pleurobema plenum*
  29. Pleurobema sintoxia*
  30. Pleuronaia barnesiana*
  31. Pleuronaia dolabelloides*
  32. Pleuronaia gibber*
  33. Potamilus alatus
  34. Potamilus capax*
  35. Potamilus fragilis
  36. Potamilus leptodon*
  37. Potamilus ohiensis
  38. Potamilus purpuratus
  39. Pressodonta viridis*
  40. Pterosyna complanata
  41. Ptychobranchus fasciolaris*
  42. Ptychobranchus occidentalis*
  43. Ptychobranchus subtentus*
  44. Pustulosa nodulata
  45. Pustulosa pustulosa
  46. Pyganodon grandis
  47. Pyganodon lacustris
  48. Quadrula fragosa*
  49. Quadrula nobilis
  50. Quadrula quadrula
  51. Quadrula verrucosa
  52. Reginaia ebenus
  53. Sagittunio nasutus
  54. Sagittunio subrostratus
  55. Simpsonaias ambigua*
  56. Strophitus undulatus
  57. Theliderma cylindrica*
  58. Theliderma intermedia*
  59. Theliderma metanevra
  60. Theliderma sparsa*
  61. Toxolasma cylindrellus*
  62. Toxolasma lividum*
  63. Toxolasma parvum
  64. Toxolasma texasiense
  65. Truncilla donaciformis
  66. Truncilla truncata
  67. Uniomerus declivis
  68. Uniomerus tetralasmus
  69. Utterbackia imbecillis
  70. Utterbackiana suborbiculata
  71. Venustaconcha ellipsiformis*
  72. Venustaconcha pleasii*
  73. Venustaconcha trabalis*
  74. Venustaconcha troostensis*
  75. Villosa vibex
Atlantic Slope Subregion (NA3)
  1. Alasmidonta arcula*
  2. Alasmidonta marginata
  3. Alasmidonta robusta*
  4. Alasmidonta undulata*
  5. Alasmidonta uwharriensis*
  6. Alasmidonta varicosa*
  7. Anodontoides ferussacianus
  8. Atlanticoncha ochracea*
  9. Cambarunio iris
  10. Elliptio angustata*
  11. Elliptio arctata
  12. Elliptio cistellaeformis*
  13. Elliptio complanata
  14. Elliptio congaraea*
  15. Elliptio dariensis
  16. Elliptio downiei*
  17. Elliptio fisheriana*
  18. Elliptio folliculata*
  19. Elliptio fraterna
  20. Elliptio hopetonensis*
  21. Elliptio icterina*
  22. Elliptio lanceolata
  23. Elliptio marsupiobesa*
  24. Elliptio producta*
  25. Elliptio roanokensis*
  26. Elliptio shepardiana*
  27. Elliptio spinosa*
  28. Fusconaia flava
  29. Fusconaia masoni*
  30. Lampsilis cardium
  31. Lampsilis cariosa*
  32. Lampsilis dolabraeformis*
  33. Lampsilis radiata*
  1. Lampsilis siliquoidea
  2. Lampsilis splendida*
  3. Lasmigona costata
  4. Ligodonta obscura*
  5. Ligumia recta
  6. Margaritifera margaritifera
  7. Parvaspina collina*
  8. Parvaspina steinstansana*
  9. Platynaias compressa
  10. Platynaias decorata*
  11. Platynaias subviridis
  12. Potamilus alatus
  13. Potamilus fragilis
  14. Prolasmidonta heterodon*
  15. Pyganodon cataracta
  16. Pyganodon fragilis*
  17. Pyganodon gibbosa*
  18. Pyganodon grandis
  19. Pyganodon lacustris
  20. Sagittunio aldermani*
  21. Sagittunio nasutus
  22. Sagittunio vaughanianus*
  23. Sinanodonta pacifica
  24. Strophitus undulatus
  25. Toxolasma pullus*
  26. Uniomerus carolinianus
  27. Utterbackia imbecillis
  28. Utterbackiana couperiana
  29. Utterbackiana implicata*
  30. Venustaconcha constricta*
  31. Villosa delumbis*
  32. Villosa vibex
Gulf of Mexico-Florida Subregion (NA4)
  1. Alasmidonta mccordi*
  2. Alasmidonta triangulata*
  3. Alasmidonta wrightiana*
  4. Alasminota etowaensis*
  5. Amblema elliottii*
  6. Amblema neislerii*
  7. Amblema plicata
  8. Arcidens confragosus
  9. Cambarunio jonesii
  10. Cambarunio nebulosus
  11. Cyrtonaias tampicoensis
  12. Disconaias conchos*
  13. Ellipsaria lineolata
  14. Elliptio ahenea*
  15. Elliptio arca*
  16. Elliptio arctata
  17. Elliptio chipolaensis*
  18. Elliptio crassidens
  19. Elliptio dariensis
  20. Elliptio fraterna
  21. Elliptio fumata*
  22. Elliptio jayensis*
  23. Elliptio lanceolata
  24. Elliptio mcmichaeli*
  25. Elliptio monroensis*
  26. Elliptio nigella*
  27. Elliptio occulta*
  28. Elliptio pullata*
  29. Elliptio purpurella*
  30. Elliptoideus sloatianus*
  31. Epioblasma metastriata*
  32. Epioblasma othcaloogensis*
  33. Epioblasma penita*
  34. Fusconaia askewi*
  35. Fusconaia burkei*
  36. Fusconaia cerina*
  37. Fusconaia chunii*
  38. Fusconaia escambia*
  39. Fusconaia flava
  40. Fusconaia iheringi*
  41. Fusconaia lananensis*
  42. Fusconaia mitchelli*
  43. Glebula rotundata
  44. Hamiota altilis*
  45. Hamiota australis*
  46. Hamiota perovalis*
  47. Hamiota subangulata*
  48. Lampsilis bergmanni*
  49. Lampsilis binominata*
  50. Lampsilis bracteata*
  51. Lampsilis floridensis*
  52. Lampsilis hydiana
  53. Lampsilis ornata*
  54. Lampsilis satura
  55. Lampsilis sietmani
  56. Lampsilis siliquoidea
  57. Lampsilis straminea*
  58. Lampsilis teres
  59. Leaunio lienosus
  60. Leaunio umbrans
  61. Ligumia recta
  62. Margaritifera hembeli*
  63. Margaritifera marrianae*
  64. Medionidus acutissimus*
  65. Medionidus parvulus*
  66. Medionidus penicillatus*
  67. Medionidus simpsonianus*
  68. Medionidus walkeri*
  69. Megalonaias nervosa
  70. Obliquaria reflexa
  71. Obovaria arkansasensis
  72. Obovaria choctawensis*
  73. Obovaria haddletoni*
  74. Obovaria unicolor*
  75. Platynaias subviridis
  76. Plectomerus dombeyanus
  77. Pleurobema athearni*
  78. Pleurobema beadleianum*
  1. Pleurobema curtum*
  2. Pleurobema decisum*
  3. Pleurobema fibuloides*
  4. Pleurobema georgianum*
  5. Pleurobema hanleyianum*
  6. Pleurobema hartmanianum*
  7. Pleurobema marshalli*
  8. Pleurobema perovatum*
  9. Pleurobema pyriforme*
  10. Pleurobema riddellii*
  11. Pleurobema rubellum*
  12. Pleurobema stabile*
  13. Pleurobema strodeanum*
  14. Pleurobema taitianum*
  15. Pleurobema verum*
  16. Popenaias popeii*
  17. Potamilus amphichaenus*
  18. Potamilus fragilis
  19. Potamilus inflatus*
  20. Potamilus metnecktayi*
  21. Potamilus ohiensis
  22. Potamilus purpuratus
  23. Potamilus streckersoni*
  24. Pseudodontoideus connasaugaensis*
  25. Pseudodontoideus subvexus*
  26. Pterosyna alabamensis*
  27. Pterosyna complanata
  28. Ptychobranchus foremanianus*
  29. Ptychobranchus greenii*
  30. Ptychobranchus jonesi*
  31. Pustulosa infucata*
  32. Pustulosa kieneriana*
  33. Pustulosa kleiniana*
  34. Pustulosa necki*
  35. Pustulosa nodulata
  36. Pustulosa petrina*
  37. Pustulosa pustulosa
  38. Pustulosa succissa*
  39. Pyganodon cataracta
  40. Pyganodon grandis
  41. Quadrula couchiana*
  42. Quadrula nobilis
  43. Quadrula quadrula
  44. Quadrula verrucosa
  45. Reginaia apalachicola*
  46. Reginaia ebenus
  47. Reginaia rotulata*
  48. Sagittunio subrostratus
  49. Strophitus howellsi*
  50. Strophitus pascagoulaensis*
  51. Strophitus radiatus*
  52. Strophitus undulatus
  53. Strophitus williamsi*
  54. Theliderma johnsoni*
  55. Theliderma metanevra
  56. Theliderma stapes*
  57. Toxolasma corvunculus*
  58. Toxolasma parvum
  59. Toxolasma paulum*
  60. Toxolasma texasiense
  61. Truncilla cognata*
  62. Truncilla donaciformis
  63. Truncilla macrodon*
  64. Truncilla truncata
  65. Uniomerus carolinianus
  66. Uniomerus columbensis*
  67. Uniomerus declivis
  68. Uniomerus tetralasmus
  69. Utterbackia imbecillis
  70. Utterbackia peggyae*
  71. Utterbackia peninsularis*
  72. Utterbackiana couperiana
  73. Utterbackiana hartfieldorum*
  74. Utterbackiana heardi*
  75. Utterbackiana suborbiculata
  76. Villosa amygdalum*
  77. Villosa vibex
  78. Villosa villosa*
Pacific Subregion (NA5)
  1. Anodonta californiensis*
  2. Anodonta kennerlyi*
  3. Anodonta nuttalliana*
  4. Anodonta oregonensis*
  1. Beringiana beringiana
  2. Gonidea angulata*
  3. Margaritifera falcata

Page updated: 12:28:46 Fri 05 Sep 2025
 
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