Brook Floater vs Western Thyme Plume

Alasmidonta varicosa compared with Merrifieldia tridactyla

Key Differences

• Brook Floater is Vulnerable while Western Thyme Plume is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Brook Floater	Western Thyme Plume
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Mollusca (Mollusks)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Bivalvia (Bivalvia)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Unionida (Unionida)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Unionidae	Pterophoridae
Genus	Alasmidonta	Merrifieldia
Species	Alasmidonta varicosa	Merrifieldia tridactyla

Evolutionary Relationship

Brook Floater and Western Thyme Plume share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Brook Floater

VU — Vulnerable

Western Thyme Plume

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Brook Floater	Western Thyme Plume
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Brook Floater

Habitat

Native to North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in United States. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Western Thyme Plume

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate coniferous forests, temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, and temperate grasslands and steppes, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Indomalayan and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found across Asia (5 countries) and Europe (28 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Brook Floater

The Brook Floater (Alasmidonta varicosa) is a species in the genus Alasmidonta. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Native to North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.