- Range:
Blue = current range
Hollow circles = former range
- Status in Kansas:
Extirpated
- North American Status:
(From NatureServe)
This species is widespread
in eastern and central U.S. and Canada, occurring from the Great Lakes basin south into
Mississippi River drainage to Louisiana and in some Gulf Coast drainages with some
declines throughout its range. Lately it has become increasingly more difficult to find
with many occurrences represented by few individuals, often without evidence of
recruitment.
- Comments:
The black sandshell resembles the yellow sandshell in shape, however, it gets
larger, darker, has a straighter dorsal margin and is less inflated than the yellow
sandshell. This mussel is sexually dimorphic with the female more inflated near the
posterior margin. The black sandshell does not have a viable population in Kansas, but it
was considered common in southeast Kansas rivers in the early 1900s. Bleached, white relic
shells are found along many gravel bars as evidence of its past existence. An old, living
male specimen was found in the Marais des Cygnes River in 2001. However, no others have
been located, even after extensive surveys at other suitable sites. The black sandshell is
typically found in clear streams with stable gravel substrate. Because of its elongated
shell and bright nacre, it was utilized for inlay work on pearl handled knives. When the
female is gravid, she displays a brilliant pulsating white lure to attract a host fish.
- Fish Hosts:
walleye, sauger, American eel, bluegill, largemouth bass and white crappie
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