''Pyganodon cataracta'', formerly ''Anodonta cataracta'', is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of large

freshwater mussel Freshwater bivalves are molluscs of the order Bivalvia that inhabit freshwater ecosystems. They are one of the two main groups of freshwater molluscs, along with freshwater snails. The majority of bivalve molluscs are saltwater species that l ...

, an

aquatic Aquatic means relating to water; living in or near water or taking place in water; does not include groundwater, as "aquatic" implies an environment where plants and animals live. Aquatic(s) may also refer to: * Aquatic animal, either vertebrate ...

bivalve Bivalvia () or bivalves, in previous centuries referred to as the Lamellibranchiata and Pelecypoda, is a class (biology), class of aquatic animal, aquatic molluscs (marine and freshwater) that have laterally compressed soft bodies enclosed b ...

mollusc Mollusca is a phylum of protostome, protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant taxon, extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum ...

in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Unionidae The Unionidae are a Family (biology), family of freshwater mussels, the largest in the order Unionida, the bivalve molluscs sometimes known as river mussels, or simply as unionids. The range of distribution for this family is world-wide. It is a ...

, the river mussels. Its common name is the eastern floater.

Subspecies

*''Pyganodon cataracta'' subsp. ''cataracta'' *''Pyganodon cataracta'' subsp. ''marginata''

Description

''Pyganodon cataracta '' can reach a size of .

Distribution and habitat

This

mussel Mussel () is the common name used for members of several families of bivalve molluscs, from saltwater and Freshwater bivalve, freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other ...

is present in freshwater habitats along the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...

coast of North America, ranging from Alabama to some parts of

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. It is typically found in soft-bottomed ponds, rivers and small lakes.

Taxonomy

Like many other of its relatives, the eastern floater was thought to be in the genus ''

Anodonta ''Anodonta'' is a genus of freshwater mussels in the family Unionidae, the river mussels. Species (and previous species) Species in this genus include: * '' Anodonta anatina'' Linné, 1758 – duck mussel * '' Anodonta beringiana'' Middendo ...

'', but was since moved to other genera such as '' Pyganodon'', ''

Utterbackia ''Utterbackia'' is a genus of freshwater mussels, Aquatic animal, aquatic bivalve mollusks in the family Unionidae. Species Species within the genus ''Utterbackia'' include: * ''Utterbackia imbecillis'' * ''Utterbackia peggyae'' * ''Utterbackia ...

'', and more.https://www.molluscabase.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1351487

References

*Richard A. Tankersley
Larval Brooding by the Freshwater Unionid Mussel Anodonta Cataracta
- Wake Forest University. Department of Biology, 1992
The Freshwater Mussels (Unionoida) of the WorldCatalogue of Life

cataracta ''Cataracta microphysa'' is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family, Solanaceae Solanaceae (), commonly known as the nightshades, is a family of flowering plants in the order Solanales. It contains approximately 2,700 species, ...

Bivalves described in 1817 {{Unionidae-stub