Alternative Text Description for Shinyrayed Pocketbook (Endangered) Distribution Map

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays the geographic distribution of the Shinyrayed Pocketbook, an endangered freshwater mussel species, across the southeastern United States. The map shows a single small polygonal area where this species is documented, highlighting its extremely limited range. The distribution is mapped as understood by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for the State of Florida, emphasizing the conservation status and restricted habitat of this endangered species.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers the southeastern United States, including all of Florida and portions of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Major cities labeled on the map include Atlanta, Athens, Greenville, Columbia, Charleston, Jacksonville, Wilmington, Savannah, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Cape Coral, Fort St. Lucie, West Palm Beach, Coral Springs, and Freeport. The map extends from the Atlantic Ocean on the east to parts of Georgia and northern Florida on the west, and from the Carolinas in the north to the southern tip of Florida and the Gulf of America coastline.

KEY INSIGHTS

The most significant pattern revealed by this map is the extremely limited and isolated distribution of the Shinyrayed Pocketbook. The species occupies only one small area in the northern interior region between Tallahassee and Valdosta, near the Georgia-Florida border. This single documented location emphasizes the critically restricted range of this endangered species and its vulnerability. The absence of any other marked areas across the entire mapped region demonstrates that this mussel species does not occur in the vast majority of the southeastern United States, including most of Florida's river systems, coastal areas, and the entire Atlantic and Gulf of America coastlines.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

Shinyrayed Pocketbook Distribution

This layer represents the documented range boundaries for the endangered Shinyrayed Pocketbook freshwater mussel species.

Shinyrayed Pocketbook (Endangered) - Pink crosshatch pattern

Appearance:

A small polygonal area marked with a pink crosshatch or diagonal line pattern, clearly distinguished from the light gray base map.

Distribution:

The species occurs in a single small area located in the north-central portion of the mapped region, positioned between Tallahassee, Florida and Valdosta, Georgia, closer to the Georgia-Florida state border.

Notable locations:

The habitat area is situated west of Jacksonville and north of Gainesville, in the interior northern region of the Florida peninsula, far from any coastal areas.

Spatial patterns:

The distribution is highly localized with no other occurrences visible anywhere else on the map. This isolated single polygon indicates an extremely restricted range with no apparent corridors or connections to other populations. The species is absent from all major river systems shown on the map, including those near major population centers and throughout the rest of Florida.

Overlapping Patterns

No overlapping patterns are present. The species distribution consists of a single isolated area with no interaction with other mapped features.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map focuses exclusively on the distribution of a single endangered species, the Shinyrayed Pocketbook freshwater mussel. The extremely limited range shown reflects the species' endangered conservation status and highlights the critical need for habitat protection in the identified area. The map does not show other species distributions, habitat quality, or specific water bodies, but rather presents the broad geographic boundary where this species is understood to exist. Users should note that the small scale and limited distribution suggest this is a species of significant conservation concern with very specific habitat requirements.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

The data comes from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and represents species boundaries as understood by the agency for the State of Florida. The source dataset is CR_USFWS_POLY_JUL25.

Definition Query:

The map displays a filtered subset of species data where COMNAME = 'SHINYRAYED POCKETBOOK', showing only the distribution of this specific endangered mussel species rather than all species in the source dataset.

Scale Information:

The map is displayed at a regional scale covering multiple states, appropriate for showing broad species distribution patterns rather than site-specific habitat details. This scale is suitable for understanding the overall geographic range and conservation context of the species.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Time Period of Content:

The source dataset name includes "JUL25," indicating the data reflects species distribution information as of July 2025.

Limitations:

The map shows species boundaries as broad polygonal areas rather than specific point locations or detailed habitat mapping. The data represents the understood range of the species but may not indicate actual population density, habitat quality, or specific stream reaches occupied. Areas outside the mapped polygon do not necessarily indicate surveyed areas where the species was confirmed absent, but rather areas where the species is not currently documented.

Map Coverage:

The map extends from northern Georgia and South Carolina in the north to the southern tip of Florida in the south, and from the Gulf of America coast in the west to the Atlantic Ocean and portions of North Carolina in the east. The primary focus is on Florida, with surrounding states shown for geographic context.

The alternative text description of this map was AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies.