Bivalvia | Unionida | Unionoidea | Unionidae | Ambleminae | Pleurobemini | Elliptio

species Elliptio complanata (Lightfoot, 1786): specimens

81 available nominal species synonyms (94 total synonyms)

Recent Taxonomic Opinions

Elliptio complanata — Graf & Cummings (2007), Kneeland & Rhymer (2007), Watters et al. (2009), Bogan (2010), Ward et al. (2010), ... Wu et al. (2024), Dai et al. (2025), Chen et al. (2025), FMCS (2025), Campbell & Lydeard (2026)
“L.” complanata — Marshall et al. (2018)

Range

Widespread from the Hudson Bay and the Great Lakes basins, and down the Atlantic Slope to Georgia, North America. Introduced to various localities in the Interior basin. (North America: NA2 NA3)

Map of Georeferenced Specimens

specimens map of Elliptio complanata

MUSSELp Specimen Records

Type Specimens

image of lot USNM_85658
USNM_85658
Santee Canal, S.C.
type
Margarita paliatus Lea, 1836

image of lot USNM_85583
USNM_85583
Newmarket (Abbeville District) S. Carolina
holotype
Unio abbevillensis Lea, 1857

image of lot USNM_85600
USNM_85600
Neuse R., 10 mi E of Raleigh, N. Carolina
holotype
Unio aberrans Lea, 1863

image of lot USNM_85591
USNM_85591
Irwins Cr., Mecklenberg Co., N.C.
type
Unio amplus Lea, 1872

image of lot USNM_85420
USNM_85420
Carter’s Cr., Baldwin Co., N.C. [Georgia]
type
Unio baldwinensis Lea, 1859

image of lot USNM_85598
USNM_85598
Beaver Cr., Cahawba R., N.C.
type
Unio beaverensis Lea, 1868

image of lot USNM_85998
USNM_85998
Buck Head Cr., Burke Co., Ga.
type
Unio burkensis Lea, 1859

image of lot USNM_85547
USNM_85547
Catawba R., N.C.
lectotype
Unio catawbensis Lea, 1857

image of lot USNM_85672
USNM_85672
Rocky R., Chatham Co., N.C.
type
Unio chathamensis Lea, 1863

image of lot USNM_85584
USNM_85584
Abbeville District, S. Carolina
type
Unio cirratus Lea, 1874

image of lot MNHN_MPL_0005
MNHN_MPL_0005
[Habite la rivière d’Hudson [New York]
holotype
Unio coarctata Lamarck, 1819

image of lot USNM_86102
USNM_86102
Roanoke R., Weldon, N.C.
type
Unio contractus Lea, 1857

image of lot USNM_85550
USNM_85550
Pfeiffer’s Pond, Mecklenburg Co., N. Carolina
holotype
Unio curvatus Lea, 1872

image of lot USNM_85401
USNM_85401
Washington Co., Ga.
type
Unio cuvierianus Lea, 1852

image of lot USNM_85097
USNM_85097
Beaver Cr., Catawba R., N.C.
figured type
Unio datus Lea, 1868

image of lot USNM_86150
USNM_86150
Alabama
type
Unio decumbens Lea, 1861

image of lot USNM_85399
USNM_85399
Savannah R., Ga.
type
Unio differtus Lea, 1872

image of lot USNM_86019
USNM_86019
Long Creek, Gaston Co., N.C.
type
Unio dissimilis Lea, 1872

image of lot USNM_85002
USNM_85002
Neuse R., near Raleigh, N.C.
type
Unio exactus Lea, 1858

image of lot USNM_85665
USNM_85665
Cobbs Cr., near Phil, Pennsylvania
type
Unio fuliginosus Lea, 1845

image of lot USNM_85409
USNM_85409
Mine Cr., Gaston Co., N.C.
type
Unio gastonensis Lea, 1863

image of lot USNM_84856
USNM_84856
Buckhead Cr., Burke Co., Ga
figured type
Unio geminus Lea, 1857

image of lot USNM_85610
USNM_85610
S.C.
type
Unio griffithianus Lea, 1834

image of lot USNM_85414
USNM_85414
Sugar Cr., near Charlotte, Mecklenburg, Co., N.C.
type
Unio humerosus Lea, 1868

image of lot USNM_85388
USNM_85388
Long Creek, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.
type
Unio indefinitus ‘Lea’ of Authors

image of lot USNM_85403
USNM_85403
Stewart’s Pond, Union Co., N.C.
type
Unio infulgens Lea, 1874

image of lot USNM_85587
USNM_85587
Fox R., N.C.
type
Unio infuscus Lea, 1872

image of lot USNM_85644
USNM_85644
Roanoke R., Weldon, N.C.
type
Unio insulsus Lea, 1857

image of lot USNM_85680
USNM_85680
Irwins Cr., N.C.
type
Unio irwinensis Lea, 1872

image of lot USNM_85475
USNM_85475
near Camden, S.C.
type
Unio jejunus Lea, 1838

image of lot USNM_85590
USNM_85590
Irwins Cr., Mecklenberg Co., N.C.
type
Unio ligatus Lea, 1872

image of lot USNM_85419
USNM_85419
near Charlotte, Mecklenburg, Co., N.C.
type
Unio mecklenbergensis Lea, 1863

image of lot USNM_85465
USNM_85465
Neuse R., near Raleigh, N.C.
type
Unio neusensis Lea, 1858

image of lot USNM_85527
USNM_85527
Conn. R., Northampton, Mass.
type
Unio northamptonensis Lea, 1861

image of lot USNM_85417
USNM_85417
Paw Cr., near Charlotte, Mecklenburg, Co., N.C.
type
Unio nubilus Lea, 1868

image of lot USNM_85572
USNM_85572
Irwins Cr., Mecklenberg Co., N.C.
type
Unio oblongus Lea, 1872

image of lot USNM_85529
USNM_85529
Catawba R., Mecklenburg Co., N.C.
type
Unio percoarctatus Lea, 1857

image of lot USNM_85076
USNM_85076
Six Runs, Sampson Co., N Carolina
holotype
Unio perlucens Lea, 1863

image of lot USNM_85470
USNM_85470
Carter’s Cr., Baldwin Co., Ga.
type
Unio postellii Lea, 1858

image of lot USNM_85994
USNM_85994
River Eno, near Millsburg, Orange Co., N. Carolina
holotype
Unio protensus Lea, 1865

image of lot MNHN_MPL_0008
MNHN_MPL_0008
Habite les rivières de l’etat de New-Yorck [Lives in the rivers of the State of New York ]
paralectotype
Unio purpurascens Lamarck, 1819

image of lot USNM_85003
USNM_85003
Neuse R., near Raleigh, N.C.
figured type
Unio purus Lea, 1858

image of lot USNM_85385
USNM_85385
Neuse R., near Raleigh, N.C.
holotype
Unio quadrilaterus Lea, 1863

image of lot USNM_85571
USNM_85571
Rae Cr., Georgia
type
Unio raeensis Lea, 1859

image of lot USNM_85592
USNM_85592
Neuse R., near Raleigh, N.C.
type
Unio raleighensis Lea, 1863

image of lot USNM_85382
USNM_85382
Neuse R., N.C.
type
Unio ratus Lea, 1872

image of lot USNM_85556
USNM_85556
Davidson Co., N.C.
type
Unio rostrum Lea, 1861

image of lot USNM_85635
USNM_85635
Santee Canal, S.C.
holotype
Unio santeensis Lea, 1871

image of lot USNM_85404
USNM_85404
Savannah R., Ga.
type
Unio savannahensis Lea, 1857

image of lot USNM_85251
USNM_85251
Deep R., N.C.
figured type
Unio spadiceus Lea, 1857

image of lot USNM_85530
USNM_85530
N.C.
type
Unio squameus Lea, 1861

image of lot USNM_85562
USNM_85562
Walnut Creek, near Macon, Ga.
type
Unio subflavus Lea, 1857

image of lot ANSP_119985
ANSP_119985
Augusta, Ga.
type
Unio subinflatus Conrad, 1835

image of lot USNM_85564
USNM_85564
Fox R., N.C.
type
Unio subolivaceus Lea, 1874

image of lot USNM_85418
USNM_85418
near Charlotte, Mecklenburg, Co., N.C.
type
Unio subparallelus Lea, 1872

image of lot USNM_85557
USNM_85557
Yadkin R., N.C.
type
Unio subsquamosus Lea, 1872

image of lot BMNH_74-12-11-25
BMNH_74-12-11-25
Maryland
holotype
Unio tortuosus Sowerby, 1868

image of lot USNM_85576
USNM_85576
Uharee R., Mongomery Co., N.C.
type
Unio uhareensis Lea, 1868

image of lot USNM_85543
USNM_85543
Swift Cr., bel. Macon, Ga.
type
Unio vicinus Lea, 1857

image of lot USNM_85544
USNM_85544
Georgia
type
Unio virens Lea, 1857

image of lot USNM_85407
USNM_85407
Roanoke R., Weldon, N.C.
type
Unio weldonensis Lea, 1863

image of lot USNM_85387
USNM_85387
Yadkin R., Salisbury, [Rowand Co.], N.C.
type
Unio yadkinensis Lea, 1872

Other Specimens by Country | show by collection

3 Specimens from unknown

image of lot ANSP_42758
ANSP_42758
[no locality available - North America]

image of lot ZMB_MP_0463
ZMB_MP_0463
Australien [No - North America]

image of lot MPM_ACC1867
MPM_ACC1867
Eastern N.A. to Manitoba; Conn. River, Vt.

6 Specimens from USA

image of lot MNHN_MPL_0006
MNHN_MPL_0006
[Habite la rivière d’Hudson [Lives in the Hudson River, New York]

image of lot MNHN_MPL_0029
MNHN_MPL_0029
Connecticut

image of lot MNHN_MPL_0021
MNHN_MPL_0021
Habite la rivière de l’Ohio. Michaud.

image of lot MNHN_MPL_0012
MNHN_MPL_0012
Habite la rivière Hudson de l’etat de New-Yorck [Lives in the Hudson River, New York]

image of lot MNHN_MPL_0013
MNHN_MPL_0013
Habite le lac George

image of lot MNHN_MPL_0011
MNHN_MPL_0011
La variété [b] vient de la rivière Hudson des Etas-Unis [The [b] variety comes from the Hudson River of the United States]

GenBank Vouchers

Georeferenced GenBank Vouchers

USA

UAUC_384. (ND1: AY158780, go to GenBank) Connecticut R., Massachusetts.

GenBank Vouchers Not Yet Georeferenced

ANSP_334428. (28S: U82343, go to GenBank)

CBU-060518-2. (ND1, tRNA-Leu, tRNA-Gly: PQ015237, go to GenBank)

CBU-061418-1. (ND1, tRNA-Leu, tRNA-Gly: PQ015238, go to GenBank)

CBU-121221-3. (ND1, tRNA-Leu, tRNA-Gly: PQ015235, go to GenBank)

NBM-010201. (ND1, tRNA-Leu, tRNA-Gly: PQ015230, go to GenBank)

NBM-010220. (ND1, tRNA-Leu, tRNA-Gly: PQ015232, go to GenBank)

NBM-010226. (ND1, tRNA-Leu, tRNA-Gly: PQ015233, go to GenBank)

NBM-010475. (ND1, tRNA-Leu, tRNA-Gly: PQ015231, go to GenBank)

NBM-011188. (ND1, tRNA-Leu, tRNA-Gly: PQ015234, go to GenBank)

NBM-011211. (ND1, tRNA-Leu, tRNA-Gly: PQ015236, go to GenBank)