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Bleufer, Potamilus purpuratus
Description: The Bleufer has a large
oval-shaped shell that can get as large
as 170mm in length. The shell is
greatly inflated and has a small wing
on the posterior dorsal edge of the
shell. The nacre varies from pink to
deep purple. The exterior is smooth
and very dark brown to black. The
anterior end is rounded and narrower
than the posterior end which is
squarish. The beaks are raised above
the hinge line. There really isn't any
beak sculpture that I can see.
Similar species: It is quite similar to
the Pink Heelsplitter. The Pink
Heelsplitter tends to have a large wing
that the Bleufer lacks. The Bleufer is
more inflated than the Pink
Heelsplitter.
Distribution: The Mississippi River
basin and Gulf Coast drainages from
Texas to Florida and Alabama then up
to Illinois.
Conservation status: G5, N5, SX.
This one is extirpated from the state.
Hosts: Freshwater drum, golden
shiner.
Habitats used: Large rivers in mud
or mixed mud and gravel (Cummings
and Mayer 1992). Large rivers in
small to medium gravel, sometimes
with mud (Oesch 1995). Quiet or
slow-moving water in mud or gravel
bottom (Parmalee and Bogan 1998).
Large or smaller reservoirs, streams
or rivers with slow to moderate
currents, slow-moving sloughs on mud
or gravel (Howells et.al. 1996).
Collection notes: This species has
only been found as relict shell in three
locations, the Big Blue River, South
Fork Big Nemaha River, and Logan
Creek.
Comments: Nebraska is quite a way
outside the known range of this
species so finding any here is
something of a surprise. This one of
those species that, apparently, has
always been incredibly rare.
