Species Profile: Apalachian Elktoe

Photo credit: Jason Fridell

Appalachian Elktoe (Alasmidonta raveneliana)

Endemic to the upper Tennessee River system, the Appalachian Elktoe has been federally and state-endangered in North Carolina since 1994. This thin-shelled freshwater mussel can be found in creeks and medium rivers with a mix of coarse and fine substrates. Appalachian Elktoe are only found in Western North Carolina and small parts of Eastern Tennessee. Their limited range leaves them especially vulnerable to threats that could alter their habitat.

Like most species in the genus Alasmidonta, the Appalachian Elktoe has a distinguishing bright orange foot and ray patterns on its shell that can be a beautiful bright green. For freshwater mussels, their “foot” is a muscular organ that extends from their soft anatomy out of their shell to allow the mussel to move and anchor it into the substrate.

Species profile provided by Chantelle Rondel, NCWRC