The Elktoe was not discovered in Vermont until 2000 in a short stretch (~ 5 miles) of the Lamoille River in Fairfax and Georgia.
Key Characteristics
- Size: Up to 4 inches.
- Shape: Elongate and quadrate. The shell is usually fairly thin and inflated. The anterior end is rounded, the posterior end is bluntly ended in a squarish point. The dorsal margin is slightly rounded and the ventral margin is nearly straight.
- Periostracum: Smooth, yellow-brown with broad green rays and dark green dots (usually absent in other species). The posterior end of the shell is usually lighter.
- Lateral Teeth: Generally absent.
- Pseudocardinal Teeth: Present. Both left and right valves have a thin, elongated tooth.
- Nacre: White, occasionally it is has a salmon tint near the beak.
- The foot of a live Elktoe tends to have an orangish color.
- Similar Species:
Conservation Status
- State and Global Rank: S1 (critically imperiled) G4 (apparently secure)
- Vermont Wildlife Action Plan: Species of Greatest Conservation Need
- Vermont Endangered Species Law: Special Concern
Habitat
Found in small to large streams and small to medium rivers. It is a riffle species, preferring swifter currents over packed sand and gravel substrates. It is typically only found in clean, clear water where it burrows securely into the sand-filled spaces between stones.
Host Species
Reported fish hosts found in Vermont include White Sucker (Catastomus commersoni), Shorthead Redhorse (Moxostoma nacrolepidotum), and Rockbass (Ambloplites rupestris).
Range
Only found in an approximately 5 mile stretch of the Lamoille River.
