Lake Waccamaw, Columbus Co., NC - 1: 64 mm; 2: 45 mm
Elliptio waccamawensis (Lea, 1863)
Lake Waccamaw, Columbus Co., NC - 1: 64 mm; 2: 45 mm
Type locality: Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina.
Range: Waccamaw River drainage.
Remarks: The thin shell and sharp, angular posterior ridge separate this from all other Elliptios in Lake Waccamaw. Curiously, it most closely resembles the unrelated Lampsilis fullerkati Johnson, 1984. That species is less angular, lighter colored, with a higher umbo, and purple nacre. It is odd that two unrelated taxa have converged to such a remarkable degree in this lake -- fullerkati also is endemic to the Waccamaw River system.