- Source: Utterbackia imbecillis
Utterbackia imbecillis, commonly called the paper pondshell, is a species of freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusk in the family Unionidae, the river mussels.
Description
It is characterized by its unusually thin shell.
Distribution
This species is native to the United States. It is present in the Mississippi interior basin, western and eastern gulf, and the Atlantic Slope drainages. It is a common and widespread species. Thousands of individuals can inhabit a single pond.
References
Haag, W. R. (2012). North American Freshwater Mussels: Natural History, Ecology, and Conservation. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521199384
Vidrine, M. F. (1993) The historical distributions of fresh-water mussels in Louisiana. Gail O. Vidrine Collectibles. ISBN 978-0963730404.