Lasmigona decorata 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 — Lasmigona decorata 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.
FWS Digital Media Library — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video. The Carolina heelsplitter is a species of freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusk in the family Unionidae. It is named the “Carolina heelsplitter” because in life the sharp edge of the valves protrudes from the substrate and could cut the foot of someone walking on the river or stream bed. The first recorded encounter with the Carolina heelsplitter was in 1852 by Isaac Lea. He described this new creature as Unio decoratus. The largest recorded specimen was about five inches long.
This freshwater mussel has a shell which is greenish-brown to dark brown on the outside. The inside of the shell usually has nacre that is pearly white or bluish-white, although the nacre can be pale orange in older specimens. The younger individuals tend to have faint black or greenish-brown rays on the outer surface of the shell.
This medium-sized mussel has well-developed, but thin, lateral teeth that are somewhat delicate. The Carolina heelsplitter also has two blade-like pseudocardinal teeth in the left valve, and one in the right valve.
