Triplodon corrugatus is one of more than 70 species known from the region of northern South America, including the Amazon basin. Recently, KSC gave a presentation on the subject at the 7th Malacological Congress of the European Malacological Societies entitled, "The Freshwater Mussels (Bivalvia: Unionoida) of Northern South America and the Amazon." He discussed our systematic re-evaluation of the taxa of the region based on 1) fieldwork conducted by KSC in collaboration with Christine A. Mayer (1986-1995), 2) our collections-based study of specimens in 17 major research collections, and 3) a comprehensive literature review.
The 71 species of the region are classified in 16 genera and 3 families: Hyriidae (29 spp.), Mycetopodidae (40), and Etheriidae (2). Thirty-nine species are found in northern South America, 19 of which are thought to be endemics. Forty-four species are recognized from the Amazon Basin — 14 of which are endemics (46 & 19 including the Rio Tocantins).
The genus Triplodon is known only from a few drainages in Northern South America and the Amazon (including the Tocantins) with the exception of a disjunct population located near Victoria in the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil collected as part of the Thayer Expedition to Brazil conducted by the MCZ.
* 71 species according to us. Only 5 of these await description. |
