Lexingtonia subplana
CR

Lexingtonia subplana

Unknown

Photo: (c) Athan Anderson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Athan Anderson

Overview

The Atlantic pigtoe is a species of bivalve in the family Unionidae. It is endemic to the United States.

Lexingtonia subplana faces severe threats from limestone quarrying and cave disturbance in its restricted Kentucky range. The species' dependence on specific cave microhabitats makes it extremely vulnerable to hydrological changes and direct habitat destruction. Urban development and groundwater pollution in the karst landscape further compromise the delicate cave ecosystems this snail requires for survival.

Threat summary

Habitat

This critically endangered land snail is endemic to limestone cave systems and associated karst formations in Kentucky. It inhabits the twilight zones and deeper recesses of caves where stable humidity and temperature conditions support specialized cave-adapted communities.

Other threatened species in UNIONIDAE

VU

Brazzaea anceyi

Unknown
Lampsilis higginsiiEN

Lampsilis higginsii

Unknown
CR

Recovery Pearly Mussel

Elliptio nigella

Declining
EN

Triangle Pigtoe

Fusconaia lananensis

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Lexingtonia subplana classified as Critically Endangered?
Lexingtonia subplana is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Lexingtonia subplana faces severe threats from limestone quarrying and cave disturbance in its restricted Kentucky range. The species' dependence on specific cave microhabitats makes it extremely vulnerable to hydrological changes and direct habitat destruction. Urban development and groundwater pollution in the karst landscape further compromise the delicate cave ecosystems this snail requires for survival.
Where does Lexingtonia subplana live?
Lexingtonia subplana occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Lexingtonia subplana?
The main threats to Lexingtonia subplana are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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