Page last updated
5 October 2023

MUSSELp Evolution

Family-Group Level Classification of the Unionoida

The following classification of the Unionoida is the one that we use on this website. It is based on the classification that we followed in our most-recent check list:

• Graf, D.L. & K.S. Cummings. 2021. A 'big data' approach to global freshwater mussel diversity (Bivalvia: Unionoida), with an updated checklist of genera and species. Journal of Molluscan Studies 87(1): 1-36 [eyaa034].

Order UNIONOIDA

• Superfamily UNIONOIDEA Rafinesque, 1820
  • Family UNIONIDAE s.s.
    • Subfamily UNIONINAE s.s.
      • Tribe UNIONINI s.s.
      • Tribe ACUTICOSTINI Starobogatov, 1967
      • Tribe LANCEOLARIINI Froufe, Lopes-Lima & Bogan, 2017
      • Tribe LEPIDODESMINI Huang & Wu in Huang et al. 2019
      • Tribe ANODONTINI Rafinesque, 1820
        • Subtribe ANODONTINA s.s.
        • Subtribe ALASMIDONTINA Rafinesque, 1820
        • Subtribe CRISTARIINA Lopes-Lima, Bogan & Froufe, 2017
    • Subfamily AMBLEMINAE Rafinesque, 1820
      • Tribe AMBLEMINI s.s.
      • Tribe LAMPSILINI Ihering, 1901
      • Tribe PLEUROBEMINI Hannibal, 1912
      • Tribe POPENAIDINI Heard & Guckert, 1970
      • Tribe QUADRULINI Ihering, 1901
        • Subtribe QUADRULINA s.s.
    • Subfamily GONIDEINAE Ortmann, 1916
      • Tribe GONIDEINI s.s.
      • Tribe CHAMBERLAINIINI Bogan, Froufe & Lopes-Lima, 2017
      • Tribe CTENODESMINI Pfeiffer, Zieritz, Rahim & Lopes-Lima in Zieritz et al., 2021
      • Tribe LAMPROTULINI Modell, 1942
      • Tribe SCHEPMANIINI Lopes-Lima, Pfeiffer & Zieritz in Zieritz et al., 2021
      • Tribe PSEUDODONTINI Frierson, 1927
        • Subtribe PSEUDODONTINA s.s.
        • Subtribe INDOPSEUDODONTINA Bolotov, Konopleva, Kondakov & Vikhrev in Bolotov et al., 2023
      • "Rectidentinae"
        • Tribe RECTIDENTINI Modell, 1942
        • Tribe CONTRADENTINI Modell, 1942
    • Subfamily MODELLNAIINAE Brandt, 1974
    • Subfamily PARREYSIINAE Henderson, 1935
      • Tribe PARREYSIINI s.s.
      • Tribe COELATURINI Modell, 1942
      • Tribe INDOCHINELLINI Bolotov, Pfeiffer, Vikhrev, & Konopleva, 2018
      • Tribe LAMELLIDENTINI Modell, 1942
      • Tribe LEOPARREYSIINI Vikhrev, Bolotov & Aksenova, 2017
  • Family MARGARITIFERIDAE Haas, 1940
    • Subfamily MARGARITIFERINAE s.s.
    • Subfamily GIBBOSULINAE Bogan, Bolotov, Froufe & Lopes-Lima, 2018
• Superfamily HYRIOIDEA Swainson, 1840
  • Family HYRIIDAE Swainson, 1840
    • Subfamily HYRIIINAE s.s.
      • Tribe HYRIINI s.s.
      • Tribe CASTALIINI Morretes, 1949
      • Tribe HYRIDELLINI McMichael, 1956 (1934)
      • Tribe RHIPIDODONTINI Starobogatov, 1970
    • Subfamily VELESUNIONINAE Iredale, 1934
• Superfamily ETHERIOIDEA Deshayes, 1830
  • Family ETHERIIDAE s.s.
  • Family MYCETOPODIDAE Gray, 1840
    • Subfamily MYCETOPODINAE s.s.
    • Subfamily ANODONTITINAE Modell, 1942
    • Subfamily LEILINAE Lange de Morretes, 1949
    • Subfamily MONOCONDYLAEINAE Modell, 1942
  • Family "Iridinidae" Swainson, 1840
    • Subfamily IRIDININAE s.s.
    • Subfamily ASPATHARIINAE Modell, 1942

This textual representation of the classification of the Unioinoida can also be depicted as a cladogram, shown below.

The phylogeny of the Unionoida is an area of active research. We expect that as more information in acquired and analyzed, the preferred classification will be further refined and improved.