Yellow sandshell
Lampsilis teres (Rafinesque, 1820) |
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Yellow sandshell |
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| Lampsilis teres, INHS 7386. Embarras River, Lawrence County, Illinois. Length: 4.5 inches (11.4 cm) for male (top), 4.4 inches (11.2 cm) for female (bottom).
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| Other common names Banana shell, bank climber, slough sandshell, creeper, sand clam, luster shell.
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| Key characters Elongate, relatively thick, often glossy shell; adults usually solid yellow, juveniles yellowish green with fine green rays.
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| Similar species Fat mucket, black sandshell, pondhorn, scaleshell.
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| Description Shell relatively large, elongate, moderately thick, and
somewhat inflated. Anterior end rounded, posterior end pointed in males,
truncated in females. Dorsal margin straight, ventral margin straight or
occasionally pinched in the middle. Umbos only slightly elevated above the
hinge line. Beak sculpture of four to six double-looped ridges. Shell smooth,
very shiny when young, becoming dull with age. Periostracum yellow, usually
with green rays in young shells, rayless in older individuals. Length to 6
inches (15.2 cm). Pseudocardinal teeth elongate and compressed; two in the left valve, one in the right (occasionally with a thin, ridgelike tooth in front). Lateral teeth long and straight to slightly curved; two in the left valve, one in the right. Beak cavity moderately deep. Nacre silvery white, occasionally tinged with cream or salmon near the beak cavity, iridescent posteriorly.
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| Habitat Medium to large rivers in sand or fine gravel.
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Status Endangered in Iowa, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
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