Cumberlandia monodonta

Cumberlandia monodonta NatureServe Explorer Species Reports — NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports — Cumberlandia monodonta ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world. Cumberlandia monodonta (common name spectaclecase) is a freshwater mussel endemic to the United States. Currently, C. monodonta is listed as an endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the International Union for Conservation of Nature. C. monodonta was first reported in a newspaper titled The Disseminator (New Harmony, Ind.) by Thomas Say in 1829 under the name Unio monodonta. The spectaclecase was then reclassified into the genus Cumberlandia by A. E. Ortmann in 1912. C. monodonta has experienced a drastic decline in population due to human activity, resulting in its listing as “Endangered” by the Endangered Species Act and the IUCN. In particular, the construction of dams has caused significant problems that disrupt C. monodonta’s habitat and food supply. The Endangered Species Act classifies C. monodonta as a highly threatened species with a low potential for recovery.

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