Deertoe - Truncilla truncata
Federal Status: Not listed (Watters 1995)
Ohio Status: Soecial interest (Watters 1995)
Key charactersistics: Triangular shell, sharply angled posterior ridge, inflated, yellow, green, or brown, usually with numerous green rays (Cummings, Mayer 1992).
Similar species: Fawnsfoot, butterfly, Wabash pigtoe, elktoe (Cummings, Mayer 1992).
Description: Shell triangular, thin to moderately thick, and somewhat inflated. Anterior end rounded, posterior end bluntly pointed or truncated. Posterior ridge sharply angled. Umbos full and elevated well above the hinge line. Beak sculpture of three to five fine, double-looped ridges. Periostracum highly variable in color from yellow, green, yellowish brown to dark brown, with numerous green rays of variable widths and shape, often composed of fine broken lines or V-shaped or zigzag markings; occasionally rayless. Length to 2 inches (5.1 cm) (Cummings, Mayer 1992).
Pseudocardinal teeth well developed, elevated and divergent; two in the left valve, one in the right. Lateral teeth straight to slightly curved, high, roughened, occasionally with an incomplete, smaller inner lateral developed. Interdentum narrow or absent. Beak cavity shallow to moderately deep. Nacre white, occasionally pink, iridescent posteriorly (Cummings, Mayer 1992).
Hosts: Freshwater drum, sauger (Watters 1995).
Habitat: Medium to large rivers in mud, sand, or gravel (Cummings, Mayer 1992).
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