MUSSELpdb
Taxonomy
Species & Genus Richness of
freshwater mussels
by Taxonomy
Species & Genus Richness of
freshwater bivalves
by Family
Geography
Species Richness & Endemism of
freshwater mussels
by Geography
Bivalvia | ... | Unionoidea | Unionidae | Unioninae | Anodontini | Anodontina | Brachyanodon
species Brachyanodon californiensis (Lea, 1852): specimens
4 available nominal species synonyms (5 total synonyms)
Recent Taxonomic Opinions
Anodonta californiensis — Graf & Cummings (2007), Chong et al. (2008), Bogan (2010), Cummings & Graf (2010), IUCN (2011), ... Galal-Khallaf et al. (2024), FMCS (2025), Cummings et al. (2025), Altaba et al. (2025), Wu et al. (2026)
Anodonta dejecta — Graf & Cummings (2007), Chong et al. (2008), Bogan (2010), Cummings & Graf (2010), ITIS (2012), Mock et al. (2013)
Pyganodon grandis — Williams et al. (2008)
Pyganodon grandis grandis — Watters et al. (2009)
Anodonta nuttalliana — IUCN (2016)
Brachyanodon californiensis — Campbell & Lydeard (2026)
Range
California and east to the Great Basin, USA, south into Mexico. (North America: NA5)
Map of Georeferenced Specimens
MUSSELp Specimen Records
Type Specimens
MCZ_187290
Boundary Survey - Texas
lectotype
Anodon micans J.G. Anthony, 1865
USNM_86393
Colo. R., Calif.
lectotype
Anodonta californiensis Lea, 1852
USNM_30721
Arkansas River ?
lectotype
Anodonta dejecta Lewis, 1875
USNM_610313
San Bernadino Ranch, Arizona, boundary between Ariz. and Mexico
lectotype
Anodonta mearnsiana Simpson, 1893
USNM_130173
San Bernadino Ranch Boundary line between Arizona & Mexico
paralectotypes
Anodonta mearnsiana Simpson, 1893
MCZ_161905. Colo. R., Calif. — lectotype [as holotype] Anodonta californiensis Lea, 1852
MCZ_247226. (near Fort Clark) Rancho San Bernardino, Mexican Boundary line, Arizona — lectotype [as holotype] Anodonta mearnsiana Simpson, 1893
USNM_129973. San Bernardino Ranch, Arizona — lectotype [as holotype] Anodonta mearnsiana Simpson, 1893
Other Specimens by Country | show by collection
8 Specimens from Mexico
USNM_894268
Casas Grandes River, Zaragoza, at road crossing (Ford) to school
USNM_631878
Mexico, Chihuahua, Colonia Juarez, Rio Pedras Verdes
USNM_86376
Pilotada, Chihuahua, Mexico
USNM_86400
Pilotada, Chihuahua, Mexico
FMNH_55049
Rio Piedras Verdes, near Colonia, Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico
USNM_892842
Rio Sirupa, upstream from Madera Road bridge, Chihuahua, Mexico
USNM_1152159
Rio Sirupa, upstream from Madera Road bridge, Station L80-92
TMYERS_009. Laguna El Fresnal, Guzman Basin, Chihuahua, Mexico
26 Specimens from USA
USNM_130171
Colorado R., Mexican Boundary, Station 204
USNM_130451
Salt Creek, W side of Colorado Desert, near Mexico line, USA. 100 Ft Below Sea Level.
USNM_892838
United States: Arizona; Apache County; East Fork Black River, in side channel, 1.8 mi upstream from Buffalo crossing junction. T5N, R28E, Sec. 36
USNM_892843
United States: Arizona; Apache County; West Fork Black River, Road 25 crossing. T4N R28E, Sec 11.
USNM_892841
United States: Arizona; Apache County; West Fork Black River, Road 25 crossing. T4N R28E, Sec 11.
USNM_130170
United States: Arizona: near San Bernadino Ranch
MCZ_79763. Above Dos Palmas, Colorado Desert, California
USNM_272304. Babocomari River at Huachuca Siding, Arizona 31.636145, -110.490272
USNM_7072. Colorado Desert near Carriso Creek “Colorado Desert, Teriary Strat 'A Drift, Near Carriso Creek”
USNM_128802. Colorado Desert, on Mexico- California boundary between Salton River and New River at Monument 219
USNM_128801. Colorado River, at mouth
UMMZ_64081. Floor of Colorado Desert, Riverside Co., California
USNM_519291. Imperial Valley, Colorado Desert, Indio, California
ANSP_94250. Imperial Valley, Colorado Desert, Indio, California
USNM_128812. New River (Colorado Desert) at Laguna Station, San Diego Co., California.
USNM_128817. New River (Colorado Desert) at Laguna Station, San Diego Co., California.
ANSP_112129. Old mill dam near Tu…
UMMZ_103244. Rancho San Bernardino, Mexican Boundary line
UMMZ_300635. Rancho San Bernardino, Mexican Boundary line
ANSP_112128. Santa Cruz River, above Congress St. bridge, Pima Co., Arizona, USA
LACM_1980.95.1. United States: Arizona; Apache County; Three Forks, W tributary of East Fork Black River
USNM_894305. United States: Arizona; Gila County; Black River, Black River crossing
LACM_1968.258.1. United States: Arizona; Gila County; Black River, Black River crossing
LACM_1967.201.1. United States: Arizona; Gila County; Black River, Tick Flats
LACM_1968.257.1. United States: Arizona; Navajo County; Black River, Military Crossing
LACM_126304. United States: California; Imperial County; New River, Calexico
GenBank Vouchers
Georeferenced GenBank Vouchers
USA
Mp_2668_Acal_ABR. (COI: EU327356, go to GenBank) Black River, Arizona.
GenBank Vouchers Not Yet Georeferenced
ANCA1. (COI: OP498262, go to GenBank)
ANCA2. (COI: OP498263, go to GenBank)
ANCA3. (COI: OP498264, go to GenBank)
ANCA4. (COI: OP498265, go to GenBank)
ANCA5. (COI: OP498266, go to GenBank)
