New Distributional Record of the Federally Threatened Rabbitsfoot (Theliderma Cylindrica) Mussel in Oklahoma

Hunter M. Torolski, James M. Long, Robert C. Lonsinger, Lindsey A. Bruckerhoff. Southeastern Naturalist 24(1), N1-N8, (13 February 2025. doi.org/10.1656/058.024.0103

Abstract

Sampling conducted from May to August of 2024 yielded new distributional records for the federally threatened Theliderma cylindrica (Rabbitsfoot) in the Caney River, OK. We found 4 live individuals, representing at least 2 age classes, ∼7 km upstream of the confluence with the Verdigris River. This report is the first documentation of live Rabbitsfoot in the Caney River, where the species was previously known only from weathered shells. This finding extends the known distribution of Rabbitsfoot into a system previously unrecognized as part of its range.