Elliptio spinosa, the Altamaha spinymussel, is an endangered species of freshwater mussel in the family Unionidae.

Juvenile Altamaha spinymussels feed with their foot by pulling bacteria, algae, and decomposing organisms from the sediment on the river floor.

[6] As water passes through their gills they are able to capture their food and can filter out the undesirable parts and intake small pieces of prey all at once.

[3] The Altamaha spinymussel uses the spines on their backs to help anchor themselves in the shifting environments of sandy river bottoms.

[3] Altamaha spinymussels are generally found in a range of coarse to fine sediments in sandbars, sloughs, and mid-channel islands.

[3] Altamaha spinymussels are restricted to areas of swift flowing water[6] and will bury 5–10 cm into the sediment (1.96-3.94 inches).

The water quality that Altamaha spinymussels need has not been studied but mussels in general need to tolerate a wide range of conditions because they are sedentary.

[7] The Altamaha spinymussel survives in an area as long as the sandbar, slough, or mid-channel island habitat is maintained and water quality is high enough year-round.

[7] There have been historic sightings of the Altamaha spinymussels in all 4 rivers (see Species Status Assessment for range map).

Increased sediments in the water decreases breathing and feeding efficiency, making it more difficult for the mussels to survive, especially in the juvenile stages.

[6] The final major threat to the Altamaha spinymussel is risk of inbreeding and low genetic diversity.

It was listed as threatened or endangered on November 10, 2011, due to threats including habitat destruction and modification.

[6] This review is meant to decide whether the species should still be considered endangered or threatened by analyzing its abundance, genetics, spatial distribution, and habitat.

The analysis of abundance of the Altamaha spinymussel looked back on two recent surveys in its native habitat.

[6] This is primarily due to the small population sizes and fragmentation of their habitat and could pose large problems in the future of the species.

The surveys were in areas of proposed boat ramp construction and only covered 30 meters (98.4 feet) of the river.

Due to the Altamaha spinymussel brooding for short periods it is unlikely its spatial distribution will change in the future.

The habitat of the Altamaha spinymussel was damaged due to historic low water levels in the river in 2011 which likely caused a large mussel kill.

[6] Also, the Ohoopee river, which contained a population of Altamaha spinymussel, was found to have increased mercury levels which were not supporting fish growth.

[6] As the host fish for the Altamaha spinymussel is unknown, no conservation, management, or data collection can be performed.

[7] By identifying the host fish, researchers believe the Altamaha spinymussel could be bred in captivity allowing for later reintroduction to its native habitats.

Future conservation must also include a range wide survey to truly establish the overall Altamaha spinymussel population in order to quantify the decline.

[7] There is currently no recovery plan for the Altamaha spinymussel, but the 5-year review established future goals for species conservation.

[6] Second, a range wide survey in the Altamaha spinymussel native habitat should be conducted to inform future conservation.