Alabama lamp naiad
Encyclopedia
The Alabama lamp naiad, Alabama lamp pearly mussel, or Alabama lampmussel, scientific name Lampsilis virescens, is a species
of freshwater mussel, an aquatic
bivalve mollusk in the family Unionidae
, the river mussels.
This species is endemic to the United States
. This river mussel is currently limited to the Paint Rock River
drainage in northeastern Alabama
.
This mussel grows up to 6 centimeters long and is straw-colored or greenish and smooth and shiny.
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
Aquatic animal
An aquatic animal is an animal, either vertebrate or invertebrate, which lives in water for most or all of its life. It may breathe air or extract its oxygen from that dissolved in water through specialised organs called gills, or directly through its skin. Natural environments and the animals that...
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 the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. This river mussel is currently limited to the Paint Rock River
Paint Rock River
The Paint Rock River is a tributary of the Tennessee River in northern Alabama in the United States. Its tributaries also drain a portion of south-central Tennessee....
drainage in northeastern Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
.
This mussel grows up to 6 centimeters long and is straw-colored or greenish and smooth and shiny.
External links
- Bogan, A.E. 1996. Lampsilis virescens. 2011 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 19 September 2011.