Abstract Unionida is the most diverse clade of freshwater bivalves. Among the groups occurring in South America, one with the highest number of species is Rhipidodontini (Hyriidae, Unionida, Paleoheterodonta, Bivalvia). However several issues remains on taxonomy and systematic of this group, leading to problems on species identification, description, as also as a limiting factor to other type of studies (e.g., ecology, conservation,…). In this paper is presented a synthesis of available knowledge about Diplodon Spix in Wagner, 1827 and Rhipidodonta Mörch, 1853 in South America, as a first step in order to a better understating of Rhipidodontini. The evaluation of different authors exposes the little agreement between them that resulted in a sort of... |