# Ligodonta

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Species of bivalve

Ligodonta Conservation status Critically Imperiled (NatureServe)[1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Bivalvia Order: Unionida Family: Unionidae Genus: Ligodonta M. Perkins, DeVilbiss & Whelan, 2025 Species: L. obscura Binomial name Ligodonta obscura M. Perkins, DeVilbiss & Whelan, 2025

***Ligodonta obscura***, the **solstice creekmussel**, is a [species](/source/Species) of [freshwater mussel](/source/Freshwater_mussel) in the family [Unionidae](/source/Unionidae). It is the [only member](/source/Monotypic_taxon) of the genus ***Ligodonta***. The species is only known to live in [Randolph County](/source/Randolph_County%2C_North_Carolina), [North Carolina](/source/North_Carolina) in the [Little River](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Little_River_(Pee_Dee_River_tributary)&action=edit&redlink=1).

## Etymology

The genus name *Ligodonta* comes from the Greek ligo-, meaning little, and -donta, meaning tooth. The species name obscura comes from the English word obscure in reference to its ability to evade discovery until 2025. The common name solstice creekmussel is named after its reproductive period centered around the winter solstice.[2]

## Discovery

The mussel was first found during a routine mussel survey on the Little River.[3] Genetic testing revealed the species was unique and additional surveys were conducted to collect more individuals. The research culminated in a paper by Michael A. Perkins, Katharine L. DeVilbiss, Nathan V. Whelan, Rachael A. Hoch, Brena K. Jones, Jason W. Mays, Heather K. Evans, and Sierra B. Benfield published August 7, 2025 that described the new genus and species.[2]

## Taxonomy

Phylogenetic results place *Ligodonta* as a sister to [Alasmidonta](/source/Alasmidonta) within the family [Unionidae](/source/Unionidae).[2]

## Distribution

In contemporary surveys, *Ligodonta obscura* has been found exclusively within the mainstream of the [Little River](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Little_River_(Pee_Dee_River_tributary)&action=edit&redlink=1) in [Randolph County](/source/Randolph_County%2C_North_Carolina), [North Carolina](/source/North_Carolina). However, it is possible that the species could exist in additional waters.[2]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-NS_1-0)** [NatureServe](/source/NatureServe). ["*Ligodonta obscura*"](https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1370038/). *NatureServe Explorer*. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 28 December 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-discovery_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-discovery_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-discovery_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-discovery_2-3) Perkins, Michael A.; DeVilbiss, Katharine L.; Whelan, Nathan V.; Hoch, Rachael A.; Jones, Brena K.; Mays, Jason W.; Evans, Heather K.; Benfield, Sierra B. (7 August 2025). ["A new endemic freshwater mussel (Bivalvia, Unionidae) genus and species, Ligodonta obscura, from the Yadkin-Pee Dee River drainage in North Carolina, USA"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12355189). *ZooKeys* (1248): 245–265. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2025ZooK.1248..245P](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2025ZooK.1248..245P). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.3897/zookeys.1248.152952](https://doi.org/10.3897%2Fzookeys.1248.152952). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [12355189](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12355189). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [40823544](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40823544).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Gracia, Celeste. ["Biologists discover new mussel only found in one NC stream"](https://www.wunc.org/environment/2025-10-22/biologists-discover-new-mussel-nc-asheboro-little-river?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axioslocal_raleigh&stream=top). WUNC. Retrieved 27 October 2025.

Taxon identifiers Ligodonta Wikidata: Q136652942 CoL: V4L74 IRMNG: 11949025 WoRMS: 1827145

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