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Ptychobranchus occidentalis
Conservation status
Near Threatened  (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Bivalvia
Order:	Unionida
Family:	Unionidae
Genus:	Ptychobranchus
Species:	P. occidentalis
Binomial name
Ptychobranchus occidentalis (Conrad, 1836)

Ptychobranchus occidentalis is a species of freshwater mussel in the family Unionidae, the river mussels. It is endemic to the United States, where it is known from Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Its common name is Ouachita kidneyshell.

This mussel packages its larvae, or glochidia, in a membranous conglutinate which resembles a small prey item. When a fish comes to investigate this lure, the glochidia attach to its gills and use it as a host during their development.

References

1. ^ Bogan, A.E. (1996). "Ptychobranchus occidentalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T18827A8645284. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T18827A8645284.en. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
2. Ptychobranchus occidentalis. NatureServe. 2012.
3. Orangethroat darter (Etheostoma spectabile) with the conglutinates of Ouachita kidneyshell, (Ptychobranchus occidentalis). Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society.

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• IUCN Red List near threatened species
• Ptychobranchus
• Endemic molluscs of the United States
• Bivalves described in 1836
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