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Creek Heelsplitter, Lasmigona compressa
Description: The Creek Heelsplitter
is a smaller shell which gets up to 100-
110mm. It is somewhat compressed
and comparatively thin shelled. The
anterior end is rounded and the
posterior tip is squared like that of the
White Heelsplitter. The nacre is
white. The exterior is light brown, tan
or greenish and may have numerous
green rays on the posterior end. The
beaks are low and the sculpture
consists of several double-looped
ridges.
Similar species: It looks like a
smaller White Heelsplitter but the
difference is that the lateral teeth do
not have the wavy texture of the
White Heelsplitter but look like
regular lateral teeth.
Conservation status: G5, N5, SH.
The Creek Heelsplitter is probably
extirpated from Nebraska.
Hosts: Black bullhead, black crappie,
bluegill, brassy minnow, brook
stickleback, creek chub, emerald
shiner, flathead catfish, gizzard shad,
green sunfish, longnose dace,
orangespotted sunfish, shortnose gar,
smallmouth bass, spotfin shiner,
yellow bullhead, yellow perch
Habitats used: Creeks and
headwaters of small to medium rivers
in fine gravel or mud (Cummings and
Mayer 1992). Creeks to medium
rivers in soft or coarse substrate
(Seitman 2003). Clean creeks in sand
or cobble, in main current or
slackwater (Watters et.al. 2009).
Distribution: The upper Mississippi
River system, Ohio River drainage
except for Tennessee and Cumberland
Rivers. Great Lakes tributaries.
Hudson River and some tributaries to
the St. Lawrence River.
Collection notes: This species is rare
being found only once in Logan Creek
and once in Omaha Creek.
Comments: This species looks a lot
like a small White Heelsplitter. It
appears to have been extremely rare
and on the edge of its range in
Nebraska.
