Distribution: Distributed throughout the entire Mississippi River drainage from western New York and Pennsylvania west to western Iowa and eastern Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Occurs in Wisconsin and Minnesota south to Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. Also found in the Hudson Bay drainage and in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence system from southern Lake Huron and its tributaries to the Ottawa River and Lake Champlain. In Oklahoma, this species occurs in the Little River system in southeastern Oklahoma and was known historically from the Verdigris and Illinois rivers.

Life History and Ecology: Occurs in medium sized rivers with moderately strong current and coarse sand - gravel substrate. Long-term brooder that is a broadcast spawner that reportedly infects and metamorphoses on fish hosts including several darter species, river redhorse, bowfin, and largemouth bass. Periodic life history strategy.

Special Status: none

Shell Description: click here for shell description