Tennessee clubshell facts for kids

The Tennessee clubshell (Pleurobema oviforme) is a type of freshwater mussel. It belongs to the family Unionidae, which are also known as river mussels. This special mussel lives in rivers and streams in the eastern United States. You can find it in states like Alabama, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Sadly, it used to live in Mississippi too, but it's not there anymore.

Quick facts for kids Tennessee clubshell
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 2.3)
Imperiled (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Bivalvia
Order:	Unionida
Family:	Unionidae
Genus:	Pleurobema
Species:	P. oviforme
Binomial name
Pleurobema oviforme (Conrad, 1834)
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Synonyms
Unio oviformis Conrad, 1834 Unio ravenelianus Lea, 1834 Unio rudis Conrad, 1837 Unio patulus Conrad, 1838 Unio holstonensis Lea, 1840 Unio argenteus Lea, 1841 Unio decisus Küster, 1852 Unio mundus Lea, 1857 Unio lesleyi Lea, 1860 Unio tesserulae Lea, 1862 Unio striatissimus J.G. Anthony, 1865 Unio clinchensis Lea, 1867 Unio planior Lea, 1868 Unio pattinoides Lea, 1871 Unio acuens Lea, 1871 Unio lawi Lea, 1871 Unio bellulus Lea, 1872 Unio brevis Lea, 1872 Unio conasaugaensis Lea, 1872 Unio clavus Call, 1885 Unio accuens Paetel, 1890 Unio swordianus S.H. Wright, 1897 Pleurobema swordiana Simpson, 1900 Pleurobema fassinans Ortmann, 1913

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What Does It Look Like?

The Tennessee clubshell is a medium-sized mussel. Its appearance can change quite a bit. It might be flat or puffy. Its shape can also vary from almost square to oval.

The outside of its shell can be yellowish, greenish, or brownish. Sometimes, it even has green stripes! The inside of the shell is usually white or silvery. It often has a shiny, rainbow-like look called iridescence. Different groups of these mussels can look a bit different from each other. This is called polymorphism.

Its Life Cycle and Fish Friends

Like many mussels, the Tennessee clubshell has a special way of reproducing. Its tiny young, called glochidia, need help to grow. They attach themselves to certain fish species for a short time. These fish are called "host fish."

Here are some of the fish that help the Tennessee clubshell's young:

• Central stoneroller (Campostoma anomalum)
• River chub (Nocomis micropogon)
• Common shiner (Luxilus cornutus)
• Whitetail shiner (Cyprinella galactura)
• Tennessee shiner (Notropis leuciodus)
• Telescope shiner (Notropis telescopus)
• Fantail darter (Etheostoma flabellare)

Where Does It Live?

In the past, the Tennessee clubshell was very common. It lived all over the Tennessee River system. But now, its home is broken up into smaller pieces. This is called habitat fragmentation. It means the mussel populations are separated.

Today, you can only find this mussel in a few different river systems. It's missing from many places where it used to live. All the groups of Tennessee clubshells that are left are considered to be in danger.

Protecting This Mussel

Many things are hurting the Tennessee clubshell. These include:

• Changes to river channels
• Water flow from dams
• Siltation (when dirt and mud build up in the water)
• New buildings and developments
• Commercial clam harvesting (people collecting mussels for sale)
• Loss of the fish species that help its young grow
• Water pollution from different sources, like waste from mines

Because of these threats, the Tennessee clubshell is being looked at for protection. As of 2023, the government is considering adding it to the Endangered Species Act of 1973. This law helps protect animals and plants that are in danger of disappearing forever.

One of the older names for this mussel, Unio lawi, was named after a scientist. She was a conchologist named Annie Law. A conchologist is someone who studies shells.