Kingdom Animalia Order Unionoida Genus Theliderma Higher classification Quadrula | Phylum Mollusca Family Unionidae Scientific name Quadrula sparsa Rank Species | |
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Similar Cumberland monkeyface pearly mu, Quadrula, Fine‑rayed pigtoe pearly mu, Rough pigtoe pearly mu, Cumberland bean pearly mu | ||
The Appalachian monkey-face pearly mussel or Appalachian monkeyface, scientific name Theliderma sparsa, is a species of freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusk in the family Unionidae, the river mussels.
This species is endemic to western Virginia and eastern Tennessee in the Appalachia region, in the Southeastern United States.
It is critically endangered due to pollution of the rivers in which it lives. Being a detritivore, the mussel absorbs the pollutants which contaminate the river as it feeds.
Distribution
There are two to three populations remaining. In the Clinch River of Virginia there is a small, isolated population. A population in the upper Powell River in Tennessee is nearly gone. These occurrences may not be viable. All other occurrences have been extirpated.