5% of profits support Endangered & Threatened Species.
"Sometimes referred to as the “livers of the river,” freshwater mussels are the cornerstones of clean water. A single mussel can filter up to 15 gallons of water each day! " (Pandolfi & Cummins)
COLOR PALETTE SAMPLED FROM IMAGES OF THE GUADALUPE ORB
SPECIES INFO:
- Unfortunately, many of these native mussel species are declining due to habitat loss, declines in water quality, changes in stream flow rates, and major impoundments (dams).
- Climate change is expected to make these threats worse with high water temperatures and more frequent droughts and floods.' (from: https://www.fws.gov/story/which-texas-mussel-are-... )
- The Guadalupe Orb is a rare mussel that was first identified as a unique species, exclusively found in the Guadalupe River Basin, in 2018. The mussel was originally thought to be a variation of the Texas pimpleback, which is found in the Colorado River Basin (Burlakova 2018). In September of 2021, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) proposed the Guadalupe Orb for listing as endangered under the ESA and designated critical habitat in the Guadalupe and San Marcos rivers. This decision was based on a completed species status assessment for six central Texas mussels that identified declining populations as a result of reduced water quality and habitat destruction.
IMAGE:
Guadalupe Orb (Cyclonaias necki). Credit: Gary Pandolfi, USFWS
RANGE:
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THREATENED TEXAS SERIES:
There are 148 Threatened Species & 74 Threatened Species in Texas. Each palette & species is unique. I have sampled colors from images of actual Texas Threatened Species and created original art inspired by each group. 5% of the profits from this series enthusiastically goes to help Threatened & Endangered Species.
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