Epioblasma

Taxobox
name = "Epioblasma"


regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Bivalvia
ordo = Unionoida
familia = Unionidae
genus = "Epioblasma"

"Epioblasma" is a genus of bivalve in the Unionidae family. It contains the following species:
* sugarspoon ("Epioblasma arcaeformis")
* angled riffleshell ("Epioblasma biemarginata")
* Cumberlandian combshell ("Epioblasma brevidens")
* oyster mussel ("Epioblasma capsaeformis")
* leafshell ("Epioblasma flexuosa")
* Curtis pearlymussel ("Epioblasma florentina curtisii")
* tan riffleshell ("Epioblasma florentina walkeri")
* acornshell ("Epioblasma haysiana")
* narrow catspaw ("Epioblasma lenior")
* forkshell ("Epioblasma lewisii")
* upland combshell ("Epioblasma metastriata")
* catspaw ("Epioblasma obliquata obliquata")
* white catspaw ("Epioblasma obliquata perobliqua")
* southern acornshell ("Epioblasma othcaloogensis")
* southern combshell ("Epioblasma penita")
* round combshell ("Epioblasma personata")
* Tennessee riffleshell ("Epioblasma propinqua")
* Wabash riffleshell ("Epioblasma sampsonii")
* Cumberland leafshell ("Epioblasma stewardsonii")
* green blossom ("Epioblasma torulosa gubernaculum")
* northern riffleshell ("Epioblasma torulosa rangiana")
* tubercled blossom ("Epioblasma torulosa torulosa")
* snuffbox ("Epioblasma triquetra")
* turgid riffle shell ("Epioblasma turgidula")

This entire genus is imperiled. Among these 15 species or subspecies are believed to be extinct. Of those remaining all but one are federally protected species. Only "Epioblasma triquetra" does not have federal protection at this time, but is considered endangered or threatened on the state level in most of the states within its range. This group of freshwater mussels is threatened primarily by habitat alteration as are other freshwater mussels. Dams, erosion, and pollution appear to be the primarily threats. Some workers recognize additional species not currently on the official list of recognized species.