This list of Indiana's freshwater mussel species was compiled by the state's Nongame Aquatic Biologist based on accepted taxonomic standards and other relevant information. It is periodically reviewed and updated. References for scientific names are listed at the bottom. Revised February 2025.
Key to Status: (SC) Special Concern; (SE) State Endangered; (FT) Federal Threatened; (FE) Federal Endangered; (EX) Extirpated; (-) not listed
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Family: Margaritiferidae | ||
| Spectaclecase | Cumberlandia monodonta | FE, EX |
| Family: Unionidae | ||
| Elktoe | Alasmidonta marginata | - |
| Slippershell Mussel | Alasmidonta viridis | SC |
| Cylindrical Papershell | Anodontoides ferussacianus | - |
| Rock Pocketbook | Arcidens confragosus | - |
| White Heelsplitter | Lasmigona complanata | - |
| Creek Heelsplitter | Lasmigona compressa | - |
| Flutedshell | Lasmigona costata | - |
| Giant Floater | Pyganodon grandis | - |
| Salamander Mussel | Simpsonaias ambigua | SE, FE |
| Creeper | Strophitus undulatus | - |
| Paper Pondshell | Utterbackia imbecillis | - |
| Flat Floater | Utterbackiana suborbiculata | - |
| Mucket | Actinonaias ligamentina | - |
| Threeridge | Amblema plicata | - |
| Rainbow | Cambarunio iris | SC |
| Wartyback | Cyclonaias nodulata | - |
| Pimpleback | Cyclonaias pustulosa | - |
| Purple Wartyback | Cyclonaias tuberculata | - |
| Fanshell | Cyprogenia stegaria | SE, FE |
| Butterfly | Ellipsaria lineolata | - |
| Elephantear | Elliptio crassidens | SC |
| Ohio Riffleshell | Epioblasma cincinnatiensis | EX |
| Leafshell | Epioblasma flexuosa | EX |
| Catspaw | Epioblasma obliquata | FE, EX |
| White Catspaw | Epioblasma perobliqua | SE, FE |
| Round Combshell | Epioblasma personata | EX |
| Tennessee Riffleshell | Epioblasma propinqua | EX |
| Northern Riffleshell | Epioblasma rangiana | SE, FE |
| Wabash Riffleshell | Epioblasma sampsonii | EX |
| Tubercled Blossom | Epioblasma torulosa | FE, EX |
| Snuffbox | Epioblasma triquetra | SE, FE |
| Spike | Eurynia dilatata | SC |
| Wabash Pigtoe | Fusconaia flava | - |
| Longsolid | Fusconaia subrotunda | FT, EX |
| Cracking Pearlymussel | Hemistena lata | FE, EX |
| Pink Mucket | Lampsilis abrupta | FE, EX |
| Plain Pocketbook | Lampsilis cardium | - |
| Wavyrayed Lampmussel | Lampsilis fasciola | SC |
| Pocketbook | Lampsilis ovata | SC |
| Fatmucket | Lampsilis siliquoidea | - |
| Yellow Sandshell | Lampsilis teres | - |
| Little Spectaclecase | Leaunio lienosa | SC |
| Black Sandshell | Ligumia recta | SC |
| Washboard | Megalonaias nervosa | - |
| Threehorn Wartyback | Obliquaria reflexa | - |
| Hickorynut | Obovaria olivaria | - |
| Ring Pink | Obovaria retusa | FE, EX |
| Round Hickorynut | Obovaria subrotunda | SE, FT |
| Rayed Bean | Paetulunio fabalis | SE, FE |
| Bankclimber | Plectomerus dombeyanus | - |
| White Wartyback | Plethobasus cicatricosus | FE, EX |
| Orangefoot Pimpleback | Plethobasus cooperianus | FE, EX |
| Sheepnose | Plethobasus cyphyus | SE, FE |
| Clubshell | Pleurobema clava | SE, FE |
| Ohio Pigtoe | Pleurobema cordatum | SC |
| Rough Pigtoe | Pleurobema plenum | SE, FE |
| Pyramid Pigtoe | Pleurobema rubrum | EX |
| Round Pigtoe | Pleurobema sintoxia | - |
| Pink Heelsplitter | Potamilus alatus | - |
| Fat Pocketbook | Potamilus capax | SE, FE |
| Fragile Papershell | Potamilus fragilis | - |
| Scaleshell | Potamilus leptodon | FE, EX |
| Pink Papershell | Potamilus ohiensis | - |
| Kidneyshell | Ptychobranchus fasciolaris | SC |
| Winged Mapleleaf | Quadrula fragosa | FE, EX |
| Mapleleaf | Quadrula quadrula | - |
| Ebonyshell | Reginaia ebenus | SC |
| Pondmussel | Sagittunio subrostrata | - |
| Rabbitsfoot | Theliderma cylindrica | SE, FT |
| Monkeyface | Theliderma metanevra | - |
| Purple Lilliput | Toxolasma lividum | SC |
| Lilliput | Toxolasma parvum | - |
| Texas Lilliput | Toxolasma texasiense | SC |
| Pistolgrip | Tritogonia verrucosa | - |
| Fawnsfoot | Truncilla donaciformis | - |
| Deertoe | Truncilla truncata | - |
| Pondhorn | Uniomerus tetralasmus | - |
| Ellipse | Venustaconcha ellipsiformis | - |
References
- Turgeon, D.D., J.F. Quinn, Jr., A.E. Bogan, E.V. Coan, F.G. Hochberg, W.G. Lyons, P.M. Mikkelsen, R.J. Neves, C.F.E. Roper, G. Rosenberg, B. Roth, A. Scheltema, F.G. Thompson, M. Vecchione, and J.D.Williams. 1998. Common and Scientific Names of Aquatic Invertebrates from the United States and Canada: Mollusks. 2nd ed. American Fisheries Society Special Publication 26. Bethesda, Maryland. 359 pp.
- Williams, J.D., A.E. Bogan, R.S. Butler, K.S. Cummings, J.T. Garner, J.L. Harris, N.A. Johnson, and G.T. Watters. 2017. A revised list of the freshwater mussels (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Unionida) of the United States and Canada. Freshwater Mollusk Biology and Conservation 20: 33-58.
- Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society (FMCS). 2019. The 2019 checklist of freshwater bivalves (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Unionida) of the United States and Canada. Considered and approved by the Bivalve Names Subcommittee 14 April 2019.
- Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society (FMCS). 2021. The 2021 checklist of freshwater bivalves (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Unionida) of the United States and Canada. Considered and approved by the Bivalve Names Subcommittee December 2020.
- Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society (FMCS). 2023. The 2023 checklist of freshwater bivalves (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Unionida) of the United States and Canada. Considered and approved by the Bivalve Names Subcommittee October 2023.
Support Indiana's nearly 160 Species of Greatest Conservation Need. The management and conservation of these species is supported through the generosity of Hoosiers who donate to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund. To donate, visit the Nongame Wildlife Fund Donation page.