OutdoorNebraska

42 Fragile Papershell, Leptodea fragilis Description: The Fragile Papershell has an oval-shaped, thin and compressed shell that can get up to 140-150mm. The shell has a smooth, waxy exterior that is a yellow-tan color. Juveniles will have light green stripes on the posterior of the shell. The anterior is rounded and may have a tiny wing. The posterior is also rounded may small wing. The wings are most noticeable in juveniles. The nacre is white, occasionally with pink tones. The teeth are small and thin. The beaks are low and smooth with almost no visible beak sculpture. Similar species: The Fragile Papershell is often found along with the Pink Papershell which it resembles. The Fragile Papershell is always a yellow-tan color with white nacre while the Pink Papershell is a dark brown with dark pink or purple nacre. Conservation status: G5, N4, S4. The species is doing quite well in the Missouri River. It is also present in several other drainages but not doing as well there. Hosts: Freshwater drum. Habitats used: Streams of all sizes in mud, sand, or gravel (Cummings and Mayer 1992). Medium to large rivers in soft or coarse substrate (Seitman 2003). Small streams to large rivers with clear to murky water and mud, mud-gravel, or gravel substrates (Oesch 1995). Small streams with strong current in coarse gravel and sand substrate. Rivers or river-lakes with slow current and firm sand/mud substrate (Parmalee and Bogan 1998). Large streams, rivers and lakes on substrates varying from sandy mud to packed cobble (Watters et.al. 2009). Distribution: The Mississippi River basin, Gulf Coast from Texas to Alabama, Great Lakes and St. Lawrence. Collection notes: This species has been found as relict, dead and live in many areas in the eastern quarter of Nebraska. It is particularly common in Missouri River. Comments: The Fragile Papershell is doing ok though not as well as some other species. The habitat needs are pretty general though only one known host and barriers to the movement of host fish may be a limiting factor in some streams. Live Fragile Papershells have been found in the Little Blue below the Fairbury Dam but not above. In the Big Blue River they were found below the Blue Springs Dam but not above. Mother Nature removed the Blue Springs dam several years ago so maybe the species will be found upstream.

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