The Endangered Appalachian Elktoe
Claude W. Boyd
Environmental Science II
Mr. Ray Stafford
14 October 2012
The Endangered Appalachian Elktoe
(Alasmidonta raveneliana) There are several mussel listed on the endangered species in the state of Tennessee but one that stood out the most is the Appalachian Elktoe. There is little known about how this species became endangered but it seem that pollutants to the Tennessee rivers and streams are the main culprits. The Elktoe was added to the Federal Endangered list November23, 1994. Since the listing, there are three important facts to consider from this research; they are; how they got to be endangered, and the recovery plan to bring them back.
The Appalachian Elktoe is a small freshwater animal that reside in Eastern Tennessee and Western, North Carolina. It has a thin familiar shell, extending to about 4 to 5” inches in length. To the common untrained eye, it looks like any other mussel. The adult mussels are usually dark brown to greenish-black. They have the appearance of a lob-sided flying saucer with striated lines. Further, “ The shell nacre (inside shell surface) is shiny, often white to bluish-white, changing to a salmon, pinkish, or brownish color in the central and beak cavity portions of the shell; some specimens may be marked with irregular brownish blotches”[2] . The reproductive cycle of the species is similar to other native mussels. Historically, the species has been recorded from the Tululu Creek (Tennessee River Drainage, the main stem of the French Broad River, and the Swannanoa River (French Broad River” (Clarke 1981). The elktoe mussel requires a specific habitat in order to maintain a healthy population. The components of habitat that the elktoe requires respectively a specific depth, a specific flow of water, and a specific mix of bottom composition. The elktoe is known to live in the “riffle sections” [3]of small to medium sized streams with gravel and sand bottoms. It was stated earlier that little was known
Environmental Science II
Mr. Ray Stafford
14 October 2012
The Endangered Appalachian Elktoe
(Alasmidonta raveneliana) There are several mussel listed on the endangered species in the state of Tennessee but one that stood out the most is the Appalachian Elktoe. There is little known about how this species became endangered but it seem that pollutants to the Tennessee rivers and streams are the main culprits. The Elktoe was added to the Federal Endangered list November23, 1994. Since the listing, there are three important facts to consider from this research; they are; how they got to be endangered, and the recovery plan to bring them back.
The Appalachian Elktoe is a small freshwater animal that reside in Eastern Tennessee and Western, North Carolina. It has a thin familiar shell, extending to about 4 to 5” inches in length. To the common untrained eye, it looks like any other mussel. The adult mussels are usually dark brown to greenish-black. They have the appearance of a lob-sided flying saucer with striated lines. Further, “ The shell nacre (inside shell surface) is shiny, often white to bluish-white, changing to a salmon, pinkish, or brownish color in the central and beak cavity portions of the shell; some specimens may be marked with irregular brownish blotches”[2] . The reproductive cycle of the species is similar to other native mussels. Historically, the species has been recorded from the Tululu Creek (Tennessee River Drainage, the main stem of the French Broad River, and the Swannanoa River (French Broad River” (Clarke 1981). The elktoe mussel requires a specific habitat in order to maintain a healthy population. The components of habitat that the elktoe requires respectively a specific depth, a specific flow of water, and a specific mix of bottom composition. The elktoe is known to live in the “riffle sections” [3]of small to medium sized streams with gravel and sand bottoms. It was stated earlier that little was known