# White Heelsplitter (*Lasmigona complanata*) The White Heelsplitter is a special kind of freshwater mussel that helps keep rivers clean. It has a smooth, shiny shell that can be white or light-colored, making it look beautiful in the water. - **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Freshwater rivers and streams ![White Heelsplitter](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Naturalis_Biodiversity_Center_-_RMNH.MOL.326512_-_Lasmigona_complanata_%28Barnes%252C_1823%29_-_Unionidae_-_Mollusc_shell.jpeg&width=800) Photo: Barnes, 1823, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Naturalis_Biodiversity_Center_-_RMNH.MOL.326512_-_Lasmigona_complanata_%28Barnes%252C_1823%29_-_Unionidae_-_Mollusc_shell.jpeg) ## Appearance The White Heelsplitter has a smooth, oval shell that can grow quite large, often yellowish-brown or greenish on the outside. Its inner shell, where the two halves meet, is usually shiny white or bluish-white, making it distinct from many other mussels. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Mollusca - **Class:** Bivalvia - **Order:** Unionida - **Family:** Unionidae - **Genus:** Lasmigona ## Interesting facts - A single White Heelsplitter can filter dozens of gallons of water every day – like a natural water treatment plant! - Did you know, some mussels can live longer than your grandparents – over 50 years old! - Mussels don't have eyes or ears, but they can still sense changes in water quality around them! - Their babies, called glochidia, are so tiny they look like specks of dust in the water! ## Special abilities - **Water Purifier:** White Heelsplitter can clean the water by filter-feeding because it sifts out tiny bits of food, making the water clearer for other animals. - **Mud Mover:** White Heelsplitter has a strong muscular 'foot' that helps them burrow into the sand or mud, staying safe from predators and currents. - **Hidden Hitchhiker:** White Heelsplitter's microscopic babies can attach to fish gills, catching a free ride to new places and spreading their population. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 10 cm - **Weight:** 150 g - **Lifespan:** 35 years ## Diet & Feeding Tiny bits of algae, bacteria, and other particles scooped from the water. - **Primary Foods:** algae, bacteria, phytoplankton, detritus - **Foraging Method:** Filter feeding ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** [Largemouth Bass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/largemouth-bass) (*Micropterus salmoides*) — Their larvae attach to the fish's gills for a period of development. - **Eaten by:** [Raccoon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/raccoon) (*Procyon lotor*) — Raccoons often pry open and eat these mussels found near the shore. - **Eaten by:** [Muskrat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/muskrat) (*Ondatra zibethicus*) — Muskrats consume mussels, leaving piles of shells behind after feeding. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Mollusks](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mollusks) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash your hands after touching water or mud where mussels live. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify White Heelsplitter? Compare body symmetry, shells, segments, legs, tentacles and how the animal moves. Invertebrates span many unrelated groups, so start with body structure. Invertebrate Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is White Heelsplitter? 10 cm ### How much does White Heelsplitter weigh? 150 g ### How long does White Heelsplitter live? 35 years ### What does White Heelsplitter eat? Tiny bits of algae, bacteria, and other particles scooped from the water. ### Where is White Heelsplitter usually found? Freshwater rivers and streams ### How does White Heelsplitter hunt? Filter feeding ## More Invertebrate - [Coral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coral) - [Crab Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crab-spider) (*Mecaphesa asperata*) - [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*) - [Brown Recluse Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-recluse-spider) (*Loxosceles reclusa*) --- Source: [White Heelsplitter: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-heelsplitter)