- Range:
Blue = current range
Hollow circles = former range
- Status in Kansas:
Extirpated
- North American Status:
(From NatureServe)
This species occurs
throughout most of the Mississippi River drainage from western Pennsylvania north into
Michigan and Minnesota, southwest to eastern Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas; and in the
Coosa-Alabama River and Tombigbee River systems in the southeast. Although once recorded
from Lake Erie and its tributaries, recently this species has been confirmed to be likely
extirpated from the main channel of the Detroit River between Lake St. Clair and Lake
Erie, Michigan/Ontario; due to zebra mussel invasion. Otherwise it is considered stable
throughout its range.
- Comments:
The threehorn wartyback typically has three large protruding pustules on its shell
which led to its common name. However, sometimes two or four of these pustules are found
on each valve. These pustules are arranged alternately from the ones on the opposite
valve. The similar-appearing wartyback (Q. nodulata) has pustules arranged opposite the
ones on the opposing valve. The threehorn wartyback is a river species, and it ranks near
the top in overall density at several sample sites. It is seldom found in small streams.
The female releases glochidia in the late spring to early summer. There is some
speculation this mussel does not always require a fish host to metamorphose from the
larval to the juvenile stage. More research is needed to clarify the life history of this
shell.
- Fish Hosts:
unknown
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