# Ptychobranchus

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Genus of bivalves

Ptychobranchus Ptychobranchus subtentum Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Bivalvia Order: Unionida Family: Unionidae Tribe: Lampsilini Genus: Ptychobranchus Simpson, 1900

***Ptychobranchus*** is a [genus](/source/Genus) of [freshwater](/source/Freshwater_bivalve) [mussels](/source/Mussel) in the family [Unionidae](/source/Unionidae). They are [endemic](/source/Endemism) to [North America](/source/North_America), and are mainly found in the Midwest and southeastern [United States](/source/United_States) as well as [Ontario](/source/Ontario), [Canada](/source/Canada). Several members of the genus are considered [endangered species](/source/Endangered_species).

The genus is characterized by folded gills of the female that accommodate larvae packages, thus the meaning of the genus name, "folded gills". She produces one conglutinate in each demibranch of the gills. Members of this genus are long-term brooders and hold their eggs over winter.[1]

Species of this genus package their [larvae](/source/Larva), known as [glochidia](/source/Glochidium), in conglutinates that resemble prey items such as aquatic insects, [fish fry](/source/Juvenile_fish), or fish eggs. The lures are intended to attract fish that the glochidia can use as hosts during development. When squeezed, the conglutinate will rupture, allowing the larvae to parasitically attach to the fish.[2][1]

Species include:[3]

- *[Ptychobranchus fasciolaris](/source/Ptychobranchus_fasciolaris)* – kidneyshell

- *[Ptychobranchus foremanianus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ptychobranchus_foremanianus&action=edit&redlink=1)* – rayed kidneyshell

- *[Ptychobranchus greenii](/source/Ptychobranchus_greenii)* – triangular kidneyshell

- *[Ptychobranchus jonesi](/source/Ptychobranchus_jonesi)* – southern kidneyshell

- *[Ptychobranchus occidentalis](/source/Ptychobranchus_occidentalis)* – Ouachita kidneyshell

- *[Ptychobranchus subtentum](/source/Ptychobranchus_subtentum)* – fluted kidneyshell

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-haag_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-haag_1-1) Wendall R. Haag (2008). ["Adaptations to Host Infection and Larval Parasitism in Unionoida"](https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/articles-cnas/31). *Journal of the North American Benthological Society*. **27** (2): 370–394. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1899/07-093.1](https://doi.org/10.1899%2F07-093.1).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Zanatta, D. T. and R. W. Murphy. (2006). [Evolution of active host-attraction strategies in the freshwater mussel tribe Lampsilini (Bivalvia: Unionidae).](http://labs.eeb.utoronto.ca/murphy/PDFs%20of%20papers/2006-Zanatta_MPE.pdf) *Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution* 41(1), 195-208.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-itis_3-0)** [*Ptychobranchus*.](https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=80157) Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).

Taxon identifiers Ptychobranchus Wikidata: Q3016350 BOLD: 5129 CoL: 7PF6K EoL: 57630 GBIF: 3243222 iNaturalist: 91572 IRMNG: 1194271 ITIS: 80157 NCBI: 52405 Open Tree of Life: 15451 WoRMS: 856826

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ptychobranchus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptychobranchus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptychobranchus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.