Northern riffleshell (Epioblasma torulosa rangiana)Life HistoryRiffleshell are found in packed sand substrate in riffles and runs. Females move eggs into the gill marsupial where they will be fertilized by sperm from males as water passes through the gills. Tiny larvae develop over days or months but if spawning is late, they may hold through winter. They are obligate parasites in that they need a host fish to complete their life cycle and to move within the watershed. We know that they can spawn from spring through mid-summer. Females display a white mantle-lining to lure hosts but the hosts remain unknown. RangeHistoric range included the Maumee and Ohio River drainages. The largest remaining populations of Northern riffleshell are in the Allegheny River and French Creek, Pennsylvania. Its’ also seen in the Elk River in West Virginia. Fun Facts Listed as endangered on February 22, 1993. More InformationClubshell and Northern Riffleshell Recovery Plan (pdf - 3.69MB) Back to Aquatic Species Profiles |
