endemic to a single nation

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: (20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)) Burch (1989, based on Goodrich, 1942) cites New York to North Carolina with potential in South Carolina for the nominal subspecies and Hot Springs in Bath Co., West Virginia for Leptoxis carinata nickliniata as well as other areas in West Virginia nearby (Miller-Way and Way, 1989). It is also known from the Roanoke River in western Virginia, Appomatox River in central Virginia, Buffalo Creek in central Virginia, and Nottaway River in southern Virginia. Populations inhabiting the Kanawha River and its tributaries (i.e. South Fork New River, Knapp Creek) conventionally have been referred to as Leptoxis dilatata but Dillon and Robinson (2008) could find no significant difference, morphological or otherwise, to distinguish them from Leptoxis carinata. Dillon and Robinson (2008) argue that it represents a living fossil left relictually from the Paleozoic uplift of the Appalachians.

• Freshwater

Habitat Type: Freshwater

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Note: For many non-migratory species, occurrences are roughly equivalent to populations.

Estimated Number of Occurrences: > 300

Comments: Goodrich (1938) lists the South Branch Potomac River, Pendleton Co., West Virginia; and Roanoke River, Montgomery Co., Virginia. Parodiz (1956) cites New York (Broome Co.), Pennsylvania (Bradford, Wyoming, Snyder, Juniata, Huntingdon, Dauphin, Bedford, Cumberland, Adams, York, Franklin, Fulton Cos.), Maryland (Washington, Alleghany Cos.), West Virginia (Hampshire, Morgan, Jefferson, Hardy Cos.), Virginia (August, Rockingham, Spotsylvania, Culpeper, Rockbridge, Chesterfield, Henrico, Amherst, Albermarle, Campbell, Dimwiddie, Prince Edward, Amelia, Allegheny, Montgomery, Roanoke, Franklin, Henry Cos.), and North Carolina (Halifax Co.). Dillon (1989) lists occurrences from Pratts Run, Waynesboro, Augusta Co., Virginia; and in much of northern and northwestern North Carolina (Dillon et al., 2006). In West Virginia it is found in and around Bath Co. (Goodrich, 1942; Miller-Way and Way, 1989). Pearce and Evans (2008) documented it in Plummers Island (Middle Potomac River system), Maryland. Dillon and Robinson (2008) include populations in North Carolina (Yadkin River, Caldwell Co.; South Fork of New River, Watauga Co.), West Virginia (Knapp Creek, Pocahontas Co.), and Virginia (Jackson River, Bath Co.) [note: listing Leptoxis dilatata as a synonym due to lack of any morphological differences to differentiate it]. Stansbery and Clench (1974) documented "Spirodon patula" [likely Leptoxis carinata] in 11 of 12 sites on the North Fork Holston River above Saltonville, Virginia. In Pennsylvania, it occurs in the Potomac and Susquehanna basins (Evans and Ray, 2010).

>1,000,000 individuals

Comments: Leptoxis carinata densities can exceed 500 individuals per square meter, and this species can constitute more than 80% of total macroinvertebrate biomass (Miller, 1985; Stewart and Garcia, 2002; Stewart and Dillon, 2004).

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Reasons: Burch (1989) cites New York to North Carolina with potential in South Carolina for the nominal subspecies and Hot Springs in Bath Co., West Virginia and other areas in West Virginia nearby for Leptoxis carinata nickliniata. This species, although seldom recorded, has a wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is not in decline or is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

Global Protection: Unknown whether any occurrences are appropriately protected and managed