NOTE: Hover over the bold words for definitions or see the Glossary.

The kidneyshell is a relatively large species with a heavy, elongated shell. The anterior end is well rounded, while the posterior end is more blunt. The periostracum ranges in color from yellow to golden brown, with green rays common to most individuals. The hinge teeth are robust with two serrated pseudocardinal teeth in the left valve accompanied by two straight lateral teeth. In the right valve, there is a one pseudocardinal tooth and one serrated lateral tooth. The interdentum is broad. (Parmalee and Bogan 1998).

 

Shell Anatomy
 

The kidneyshell may be found in the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland river basins, north to Michigan, west to Oklahoma and Arkansas, and south to Tennessee and Louisiana (Parmalee and Bogan 1998 and references therein). The conservation status of the kidneyshell is currently stable (Williams et al. 1993). It is no longer found in North Carolina.

 

Although tolerant of many habitat conditions, the kidneyshell is typically found in rivers with coarse sand and gravel substrates (Parmalee and Bogan 1998).

This species is bradytictic (Ortmann 1919). Host fish have not been identified. 

General Life History For Mussels