TN00350 APPALACHIAN MONKEY FACE PEARLY MUSSEL QUADRULA S PARSA
Physical description: The shell of this species is medium sized and sub-triangular in shape, with a shell color from yellow-green to brown with green chevron markings. The nacre color is generally white, but may be salmon posteriorly *2100*. Reproduction: This species is probably tachytictic, i.e. males release sperm into the water column in the spring. The sperm are taken in by females while siphoning. Fertilization of the eggs occurs in the gills of the female. The fertilized eggs (embryos) develop to maturity (glochidia) in the gills of the female. Fully developed glochidia are released into the water column in late spring and early summer where they attach to the gills or fins of thew host fish. The metamorphic period on fish depends on water temperature, and meta- morphosed juveniles drop off the fish to begin life as free-living mussels *2100*. Behavior: This species is sedentary but may move with water depth fluctua- tions. The juveniles are dispersed by the host fish *02*. Origin: This species is presently known only from the free-flowing reaches of the Powell and Clinch Rivers above the backwater impoundment of Norris Reservoir *JRK1*. Limiting factors: The host fish is necessary for the completion of this species reproductive cycle. The host species of fish is unknown *4273*. Acidic water erodes the shell *2100*. Impoundment, siltation, and pollution are the major causes of decline *4273*. Aquatic/terrestrial associations: This species serves as a food source for muskrats and raccoons. TN00350PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: SHELL IS MEDIUM-SIZED, SPARSELY TUBERCULATE, AND TRIANGULAR TO IRREGULARLY RHOMBOIDIAL IN OUTLINE, BEAKS ARE ELEVATED AND SITUATED IN ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE SHELL, VALVES ARE SOMEWHAT INFLATED AND SUBEQUILATERAL, THE ANTERIOR MARGIN OF THE SHELL BEING BROADLY ROUNDED, HINGE LIGAMENT IS VERY SHORT AND THICK, DORSAL SLOPE IS OBLIQUELY TRUNCATED AND THE SULCUS ABOVE THE POSTERIOR RIDGE ENDS IN A SHALLOW SINUS, POSTERIOR RIDGE IS ROUNDED, SLIGHTLY ELEVATED AND TYPICALLY LACKING PUSTULES, POSTERIOR RIDGE IS DEFINED BY A POSTERIOR AND ANTERIOR SULCUS, SURFACE IS ONLY SPARSELY COVERED WITH SMALL LACHROYMOSE KNOBS OR TUBERCLES, VALVES LACK LARGE OR PRONOUNCED KNOBS ON THE POSTERIOR RIDGE, TUBERCLES ARE LACKING ON THE ANTERIOR THIRD OF THE SHELL, EPIDERMIS IS YELLOWISH, YELLOWISH-GREEN OR BROWNISH, SUBSHINY TO DULL, OFTEN WITH SMALL, GREENISH CHEVRONS OR TRIANGLES, LEFT VALVE HAS TWO RUGGED PSEUDOCARDINAL TEETH, A BROAD INTERDENTUM AND TWO SHORT, STRAIGHT LATERAL TEETH, RIGHT VALVE HAS TWO OR THREE ROUGH PSEUDOCARDINALS, THE MIDDLE TRIANGULAR TOOTH BEING THE LARGEST, THE OTHERS QUITE REDUCED, LATERAL TOOTH IS SHORT AND STRAIGHT, BEAK CAVITY IS DEEP AND COMPRESSED, NACRE COLOR IS WHITE AND IRIDESCENT, BUT SOME SPECIMENS MAY BE SALMON COLORED POSTERIORLY *TN5587* REPRODUCTION: THIS SPECIES IS INFERRED TO BE TACHYTICTIC, BREEDING FROM MAY TO JULY *TN5587*
| Life History |
References for Life History Codes
02, 4273, 2100, JRK1
Comments on Life History Codes
Life history information for Quadrula sparsa is scarce. The above information is based on knowledge of other closely related more abundant species *02*.