The common and scientific names of fresh-water mussels

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE y
BUREAU OF FISHERIES

Economic Circular No. 15 g : : : 5 : : E cS Issued April 8, 1915

THE COMMON AND SCIENTIFIC NAMES OF FRESH-WATER MUSSELS."

It is a matter of general knowledge that the common names of
mussels, like those of fish, are not fixed. Therefore, in recording
definite information regarding the distribution or qualities of species
it becomes necessary to use the scientific or Latin names, which cor-
respond not only to explicit published descriptions of species, but
also to type specimens located in museums. There are examples of
shells which may seem intermediate and of doubtful identification,
but the scientific name offers the nearest practicable approach to a
positive nomenclature.

Should one write of the ‘‘bank-climbers,”’ a reader familiar with
common names as used on the Wabash River understands that refer-
ence is made to a shell of white nacre very similar to the yellow sand-
shell but inferior in quality (Lampsilis fallaciosa); while one more
familiar with the common names applied in Arkansas would think
reference was made to a very different species having a purple nacre
and regarded as worthless for purposes of manufacture (Quadrula tra-
pezoides). It is unavoidable, therefore, that in its publications the
Bureau should use the scientific names of unmistakable application,
while it endeavors to couple with such names the appropriate common
names.

On account of the direct commercial value of some 40 species
of fresh-water mussels, there are many persons without scientific
training who are yet interested in scientific papers dealing with their
distribution, habits, and life history.

It has been suggested that the Bureau should publish in con-
venient reference form a list of the species most commonly mentioned,
showing the scientific name with its common equivalent. The list
which follows is not offered as complete. Where two or more com-
mon names occur, the first-mentioned is given as the one in most
general use and the one which it is desirable should be universally
accepted. The species adapted for present commercial use are indi-
cated by the use of holdface type, but some of the marked species

a By Robert E. Coker, director of the United States Pisheries Biological Station, Fairport, Iowa.

wi W
81738°—15 hy > Monograph

2 ae we i
are not highly valued and others that are not here rated as commer-
cial are sometimes used in manufacture. .

In a third column there are singled out certain qualities or charac-
ters which determine the commercial rating. The record of these
qualities will be of some value and will also serve to aid anyone
familiar with mussels to relate the common and scientific names in
cases of present confusion. The list thus becomes a catalogue of the
commercial and noncommercial species more commonly encountered
by pearlers and shell fishermen.

It may be noted that while a commercial species may vary in
quality according to the locality from which it comes, it is almost
universally true “inet a commercial species is a commercial species
wherever found. A striking exception is the case of the fat mucket,
which, as found in some ines, is entirely worthless, while in other
places, as in Lake Pepin, it appears as one of the most valuable of
all shells. It seems unavoidable, therefore, that a distinctive name,
such as ‘‘Lake Pepin mucket,”’ guild be retained in use for the good
form characteristic of certam bodies of water. It may be added
that the Lake Pepm mucket is not a true mucket, but is really a
fat mucket which is greatly superior not only to ordinary fat muckets
but even to the true muckets of the river or of Lake Pepin itself. A
more appropriate common name might be desirable, but it is not our
purpose here to create new names, and ‘Lake Pepin mucket”’
represents an unmistakable type.

Two questions that may arise from perusal of the list may be
anticipated. The three-ridge and the blue-point are certainly not
regularly distingushed. Perhaps the two species (Q. undulata and
Q. plicata) are somewhat arbitrary. As used here, the three-ridge
(undulata) is the more compressed form characteristic of headwater
streams or shallow clearer streams, and the blue-point (plicata) is
characteristic of the deeper and slacker waters of main streams.
Essentially the same difference of distribution is noted in the case of
the two purple warty-backs—the more compressed Q. tuberculata
and the heavier Q. granifera; as the shells of neither are valued, no
distinction by common name has arisen in this case.

The scientific nomenclature followed is that of Simpson’s descrip-
tive catalogue.? Investigations of the present and future will lead to
some permanent changes of scientific nomenclature, which will probably
affect generic names (the first name in each case) more than specific
names (the second name). It seems obviously advisable to follow
the only complete monograph now available, even though a revision
‘might be necessary after some years.

cs
a Simpson, Charles Torrey: A descriptive catalogue of the Naiades or pearly fresh-water mussels. Bryant
Walker, publisher, Detroit, Mich., 1914.

fod. ie |i

3

List oF THE Common MusseL SPECIES AND SoMeE oF THEIR CHARACTERS.

(Note.—C after the scientific name indicates that the species is used commercially, but that owing to
its scarcity or inferior quality it has little standing as a commercial shell.]

Scientific name.

Common name.

Alasmidonta calceola...-.-.-..-
Alasmidonta marginata.-......
Anodonta corpulenta.....-.--
Anodonta grandis........-.-..
Arcidens confragosus. ......-.--

Cyprogenia irrorata, C.......

Dromus;, dromus, © ls. -..--.- |
Bampsilisialatas: s- osc. --2---- }

Lampsilis anodontoides. .--

Mampsilisicapax.<.2-.--.-.-..-

Lampsilis fallaciosa, C........

Lampsilis gracilis-.......-..--
Lampsilis higginsii..-._.---
HM SIISMTIS Mel eas see se 2 =
Lampsilis leevissima. ......-.-
Lampsilis ligamentina..-.-

Lampsilis ligamentina |
gibba. |
Lampsilis luteola.-.....-_..-

WAM PSUISIOVATAL <<< ce <lecee =~ =

‘bamupsilisiperdix:..:...---~-=-

Lampsilis purpurata.........- foie}

Lampsilis recta..-........... |

Lampsilis ventricosa. . .-.-

Margaritana margaritifera.....

Margaritana monodonta. .-_.... |
Medionidus subtentus.........
Micromya célata.............
Obliquaria reflexa, C.......-..
Obovaria ellipsis.........._.. |

Plagiola elegans.....-........-
Plagiola securis.............

Pleurobema esopus, C...-.- a

Ptychobranchus phaseolus, C.
Quadrula coccinea, C.........)

Quadrula cylindrica...........

Quadrula ebenus...........
Quadrula granifera......... a3
Quadrula heros. ...........-

Quadrula lachrymosa......

Quadrula metanevra-..._...
Quadrula obliqua._......._..

Quadrula plicata........_..

Quadrula pustulata, C_.......
Quadrula pustulosa.._____.

Quadrula subrotunda, C.__....
Quadrula trapezoides. Se eee
Quadrula tuberculata......_.-
Quadrula undata..........-
Quadrula undulata... ..__-

Strophitus edentulus......-...

Slough

Elk-toe

Floater
Rock pocketbook; bastard;
rock-shell.
Fan-shell;
back.a
Dromedary mussel @.......-
Pink heel-splitter; pancake;
hatchet-back.
Yellow sand =shell; ba-
Pockethbookssseces=--s:e5-=-

ringed warty-

nana-shell.

sand-shell; bank-
climber (Indiana).

Raper-shellen acces asaeceects

Higevin’s' eye 3-5-5 2-2-2555"

Rainbow-shell @._...........

Paper-shellu re -a2 4. cases

Mucket; includes grass
mucket.

Southern mucket;
low-back mucket.
Fat mucket; Lake Pepin

mucket.
Grandma; southern pocket-
book.a
Pheasantishelliasoa-s0-2--<-

yel-

sand-shell; long
John; honest John (Michi-

gan).
+) Pocketbook. ----.-- ..-. =...

River pearl mussel.......-.-

SI POCACle-CaSGsaeee se seee eee

Fluted kidney-shell = Selena

iBind=win gail! [S252 Seca

Three - horned warty-back.

Hickory=-nut; Missouri nig-
gerhead.

| Bullhead; sheepnose; “‘clear
profit. ”
Kk anes Snell Se Oe eee
| Hlat mipzerhead: 5.2225... -
Rabbistoonessssee sess sses
Niggerhead .........-..----
Purple warty-back.........-
Washboard:.-2..2..:..--.:
Maple=leat:..: 2<=..2.55-256

MionkKey-face.........-.-.-
Ohio River pig-toe.-.-....--

Blue-point.........-....--
\Pimple-back; warty-back -

Wong Solidi sees eeeiae ee ose
Bank-climibers = 2252525 -2- =

IPis=OC@see coe osc ee eee

SQUWaw=l00bs sence eso oe.: 2

Characters.
Very small.
Small.
Inflated, thin-shelled.
Thin-shelled.
Rough exterior, inclined to be thin and
brittle.

Quality acceptable but hard; rather small
and scarce.

Similar to fan-shell in quality.

Thin, brittle; generally purple or pink.

Best for novelty and export trade; well
known.

Thin, inflated, often pink; not commonly
distinguished from ventricosa.

Thinnish; large shells used; similar to yel-
low sand-shell, but restricted in distribu-
tion, and generally too thin and small.

Very thin.

Ranks with mucket.

Small; like a very young mucket.

Very thin.

Staple shell; well known,

Unsurpassed for buttons.

Cuts and finishes with least waste; quality
excellent.

Like ventricosa,
brittle.

Like mucket, but too brittle and thin.

Thin and purple-nacred.

White examples good; in form like yellow
sand-shell.

but thinner and more

Inflated; inclined to brittleness; useful for
novelties.

Thin; not found in Mississippi Basin; pearl
mussel of Europe and north-Atlantic
drainage.

Thin and brittle.

Small.

Very small.

Small; otherwise equal to pimple-back.

Good; yields some “‘iridescents;’’ accepta-
ble with niggerhead.

Small, white.

Excellent, but never abundant; quality
like mucket, but superior.

Tough, brittle.

Good, but hard and scarce.

Quality good, but yields many ‘‘tips;’’
thin; often pink.

Long, narrow, rough back; hard; often
stained.

Unsurpassed; yields ‘“‘iridescents.”’

Good quality, but purple-nacred.

Very large; usually second grade; often dis-
colored by stains; valued chiefly for large
buttons.

Rough back; excellent in texture; yields
“jridescents,” but thinnish at tips.

Like maple-leaf, but inferior.

Good quality; pure white, but lacking in
luster.

Staple shell of second quality.

Quality good; yields iridescents; almost
equal to niggerhead. These two species
not commonly distinguished.

Like niggerhead.

Purple nacre.

Purple; not distinguished from granifera.

- Good; somewhat inferior to niggerhead.

Like plicata; quality superior, but thinnish
at tip

Thin, inflated; generally yellowish.

a Book name; no common name.

an

2

List OF THE ComMMON MussEL SPECIES AND SoME oF THEIR CHARACTERS—Con.

Scientific name.

Common name. Characters.

Symphynota complanata, C..

Symphynota costata.......---
Tritogonia tuberculata. ----
Truncilla arceeformis. .--------
Truncilla capszeformis....--.--
Truncilla haysiana.-_-.....-----
Traneillasulcatas- 222-25 -s-n.-
Mrunevla triqueima—— 2-4-2654
Unio crassidens .---.....-----

Unio gibbosus...-...---.-.---

White heel-splitter;
hackle-back; elephant’s
ear (Indiana).

Fluted shell 20-2 =e gosh

Buckhorn; pistol-grip-.--.-

Sugar-spoon @..............- |

@ystermausselia= 2.5222 ac. 5 |

Acorm-shell @22232- 62h Ses ye: Small.

Cat?sipaw; pewee.-22-5-2.--

Snufibomias: 72352. 2222s. 2

Elephant’s ear...-...-..-.- | Nacre generally purple, pink, or salmon;

| quality otherwise unsurpassed, nacre be-
| ing soft but firm; preferred for novelties.

Resembles elephant’s ear, but smaller,
Longer, and often with uneven inner sur-
ace. ‘

Large examples good, but often brittle.

Generally too thin and off-color.
Rough exterior; quality good.

a Book name; no common name.

WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1915

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