80
White heelsplitter, Lasmigona complanata
Description: The White heelsplitter
is a large, compressed mussel that can
grow to over 200mm. The posterior
end has the appearance of a blunt
point that has had its tip cut off so the
point is now squared off. There is
usually a large wing that makes the
shell look very high. It is dark brown
to black and the shell is moderately
thick and solid. The nacre is white
and the pseudocardinal teeth are well
developed. The lateral teeth of the
White heelsplitter appear as a single
ridge with a wavy surface which is
unique to this species. The beak
sculpture consists of a series of strong
double loops.
Similar species: The Creek
heelsplitter has a much smaller wing
and it has lateral teeth similar to
other mussels, one in one valve and
two in the other. The Pink
heelsplitter has pink nacre and
normal lateral teeth.
Conservation status: G5, N5, S5.
The White heelsplitter is one species
that is doing well in Nebraska.
Hosts: Black crappie, common carp,
gizzard shad, green sunfish,
largemouth bass, longnose gar,
orangespotted sunfish, sauger, white
crappie.
Habitats used: Pools or sluggish
streams with mud, sand, or fine gravel
bottom (Cummings and Mayer 1992).
Creeks to large rivers in soft or coarse
substrate (Seitman 2003). Rivers that
are sluggish and turbid with mud or
mud-gravel bottoms (Oesch 1995).
Quiet water with mud or fine sand
substrate (Parmalee and Bogan 1998).
Creeks, rivers and lakes with in
sluggish water in sandy mud and silt
(Watters et.al. 2009).
Distribution: The Mississippi River
basin from Oklahoma and Tennessee
north to the Great Lakes and North
Dakota. Great Lakes tributaries from
Erie to Superior. Manitoba and
Saskatchewan in Canada.
Collection notes: This species is
widespread in the southeastern half of
Nebraska.
Comments: Their current range
nicely overlaps the historic range
shown by archeological collections.
The White heelsplitter has found
reservoir habitats to its liking as it
prefers quiet waters with soft bottoms
and can use sunfishes as hosts. They
are doing fine in streams and
reservoirs.
