A. pertexta differs from the other species of Alathyria in being less elongate (height/length ratio less than 56%). Two subspecies are recognised, with the shell of A. pertexta wardi differing from A. pertexta pertexta in its truncate posterior, a generally weaker hinge, a marked posterior ventral sinuation, and in its slight anterior dorsal excavation. Another subspecies, A. pertexta magnifica, occurs in Papua.
Alathyria pertexta wardi Iredale, 1943
Common name: Ward's freshwater mussel
Infraclass Heteroconchia
Cohort Palaeoheterodonta
Order Unionida
Superfamily Unionoidea
Family Hyriidae
Subfamily Velesunioninae
Genus Alathyria Iredale, 1934
Original name: Quaesithyria wardi Iredale,1943. In Iredale, T. (1934). The freshwater mussels of Australia. Australian Zoologist 8: 57-78.
Type locality: Einasleigh River, Queensland.
The last major taxonomic revision of Australian freshwater mussels was conducted by McMichael & Hiscock (1958). Based on recent molecular results, Walker et al. (2014) suggested that a reassessment of Australian hyriids is needed.
Shallow burrower in sand or gravel. Suspension feeder. Although the life cycle of this taxon has not been reported, larvae (glochidia) are likely brooded in marsupia in the gills of females and, when released, become parasitic on fish gills or fins where they presumably undergo metamorphosis before dropping to the sediment as free-living juvenile mussels.
Cape York and Gulf of Carpentaria rivers and streams, Queensland.
Another subspecies, Alathyria pertexta magnifica McMichael & Hiscock, 1958, occurs in Papua.
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Walker, K. F. (1981b). The distribution of freshwater mussels (Mollusca: Pelecypoda) in the Australian zoogeographic region. Pp. 1233-1249 in A. Keast. Ecological Biogeography of Australia. The Hague, Dr W. Junk.
Walker, K. F. (2004). A guide to the provisional identification of the freshwater mussels (Unionoida) of Australasia. Albury, Murray Darling Freshwater Research Centre.
Walker, K. F., Byrne, M., Hickey, C. W. & Roper, D. S. (2001). Freshwater Mussels (Hyriidae) of Australasia. Pp. 5-31 in G. Bauer & Wächtler, K. Ecology and Evolution of the Freshwater Mussels Unionoida. Ecological Studies. Berlin, Springer-Verlag.
Walker, K. F., Jones, H. A. & Klunzinger, M. W. (2014). Bivalves in a bottleneck: taxonomy, phylogeography and conservation of freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionoida) in Australasia. Hydrobiologia 735:61–79.
