This species can exhibit considerable ecophenotypic variation depending on stream size. Ortmann (1918) distinguished three morphs relative to the inflation of the shell: bigsbyensis Lea, 1841, a compressed form from small creeks and small rivers: barnesiana s.s., an intermediately inflated shell from medium-sized rivers; and tumescens Lea, 1845, an inflated morph from large river habitats. In that the degree of inflation varied clinally with the increasing size of the river, subspecific status is not warranted for this species although in the past some authors have found it convenient to designate the degree of inflatedness with these names in a varietal context but in the nomenclatural form of a subspecies. Interestingly, both the tumescens and barnesiana morphs have been recorded from Muscle Shoals, suggesting that microhabitat may influence the degree of inflation rather than river size alone.

Williams et al. (2008) has placed this species in the genus Pleuronaia.   Pleuronaia barnesiana has historically been treated as a member of the genus Fusconaia despite differences from other members of the genus (Ortmann, 1917; 1918).  Preliminary genetic analyses suggest it is more closely related to Pleuronaia dolabelloides than to species of Fusconaia (Campbell et al., 2005; Bogan et al., unpublished).  Bogan et al. (unpublished) found Lexingtonia subplana is synonymous with Fusconaia masoni and since L. subplana is the type species for the genus, Lexingtonia becomes a synonym of Fusconaia.  The next available generic name for barnesiana and dolabelloides is Pleuronaia Frierson, 1927.  Pleurobema gibberum was also found to belong to the Pleuronaia clade (see Williams et al., 2008).

A list of synonyms for this species can be found on The MUSSEL project web site (Graf and Cummings 2011).

Pleuronaia barnesiana has been assessed as Least Concern. Although populations of this species are currently declining, this species has a relatively large extent of occurrence of between 70,000 and 90,000 km² and a relatively large area of occupancy. Recent records from North Carolina have contributed to this expanded extent of occurrence compared to previous range estimates. However, populations of this species continue to be lost and population monitoring is recommended to ensure these declines do not threaten the survival of this species in the long run. Specifically, TVA data indicates a sharp drop in occurrence in the Clinch River over the last ten years. In Tennessee, it was known from the Emory, Watauga, French Broad, Holston, Sequatchie, and Tennessee Rivers but only prior to 1960 (Parmalee and Bogan 1998). It is questionable as to whether this species still occurs in Georgia (J. Wisniewski pers. comm. 2007).

This species was restricted to the Cumberlandian regions of the Tennessee River drainage in Tennessee, Alabama, Virginia and Mississippi (Simpson 1914, Parmalee and Bogan 1998, Jones et al. 2005), with recent records from two counties in North Carolina (LeGrand et al. 2006) which have expanded the extent of occurrence for this species dramatically. Overall, there are around 20 to 90 known occurrences for this species (J. Cordeiro pers. comm. 2012). It is questionable as to whether this species still occurs in Georgia, but it may still be surviving in the Tennessee River basin somewhere (J. Wisniewski pers. comm. 2007). Remnant populations appear to persist in diminished numbers in small, fragmented reaches of the Clinch, Powell, Holston, Nolichucky, Little Pigeon, Paint Rock, Elk, and Duck river systems. It occurs in many of the small to medium-sized rivers in East and Middle Tennessee (Parmalee and Bogan 1998). It purportedly was described from the Cumberland River; however, this probably reflects the collector's address (Professor Troost, Nashville, Tennessee; Lea assumed that the shells must have been from the Cumberland River) rather than the collection locality. A few other records for this species from the Cumberland River have been reported, but these have been misidentifications probably of Pleurobema oviforme (e.g., as Pleurobema cruda in Wilson and Clark 1914). Ortmann (1917) considered this name to be a synonym of F. barnesiana, but Ortmann (1918) doubted that this was the case for Wilson and Clark's specimens, which are specimens of Pleurobema [vouchers at UMMZ]). The extent of occurrence of this species is estimated as between 70,000 and 90,000 km².

The historical distribution has been severely fragmented, but the species continues to be sporadically distributed throughout its former range in very low density populations. In North Carolina, it is known only from the Hiwassee and Little Tennessee River basins (Bogan 2002) in Macon and Swain Cos. (LeGrand et al. 2006). In Alabama, it is extant in only a few Tennessee River tributaries, including Limestone and Round Island Creeks, Limestone County, and Paint Rock River system (Mirarchi et al. 2004). In Tennessee, it occurs in many of the small to medium-sized rivers in the east and centre of the state including the upper Clinch and Powell, Little Pigeon, Nolichucky, Little, Elk, Duck, Buffalo, and Hiwassee Rivers (Parmalee and Bogan 1998). It was reported by Johnson et al. (2005) from the Hiwassee River inside and adjacent to Cherokee National Forest, Polk Co., Tennessee. In Mississippi, it is found only in the Tennessee River drainage (Jones et al. 2005). It is questionable as to whether this species still occurs in Georgia but it may still be surviving in the Tennessee River basin somewhere (J. Wisniewski. pers. comm. 2007). Occurrences in Virginia are limited to the Powell, Clinch (Jones et al. 2001) - including Copper Creek (Fraley and Ahlstedt 2000) - and North and South Fork Holston (VA NHP pers. comm. 2007). Jones and Neves (2007) summarize the distribution in the upper North Fork Holston River (Smyth and Bland Cos., Virginia) as river km 142.7 to 199.6.

Present populations appear to exist at very low densities, but it persists in considerable numbers in many of the small streams and rivers in Tennessee, such as the Little Pigeon and Hiwassee (Parmalee and Bogan 1998). Overall, populations continue to be lost at a high rate. TVA data indicate a sharp drop in occurrence in the Clinch River over the last ten years. In Tennessee, it was known from the Emory, Watauga, French Broad, Holston, Sequatchie, and Tennessee Rivers, but only prior to 1960 (Parmalee and Bogan 1998). It is questionable as to whether this species still occurs in Georgia (J. Wisniewski pers. comm. 2007). The big river form, Pleuronaia barnesiana tumescens, apparently disappeared with the establishment of the Tennessee River reservoirs, but Pleuronaia barnesiana barnesiana and Pleuronaia barnesiana bigbyensis still occur, often as one of the most abundant mussels present, in many of the small to medium-sized rivers in east and middle Tennessee. Current populations are now more reduced or localized (Parmalee and Bogan 1998).

The total number of occurrences is difficult to determine, but is probably between 20 and 90 (J. Cordeiro pers. comm. 2012).

This species occurs in a wide variety of habitats, ranging from small headwater streams to large rivers, generally in flowing water. It inhabits riffle and shoal areas with moderate to swift current velocities. It rarely has been found in pools or slackwater areas (Ahlstedt 1984). Its preferred substrate appears to be stable gravel with interstitial sand, but substrates range from cracks in bedrock to mixtures of coarse sand, gravel, cobble, and boulder-sized particles. Depths rarely exceed 1 m.

The species is a short-term brooder, spawning in spring and early summer and brooding glochidia from mid-May to mid-July (Ortmann 1917). Glochidial hosts are unknown (Williams et al. 2008).

Chemical and organic pollution, alteration and inundation of river channels, siltation from agriculture and clear-cutting, and toxic run-off from coal mines have and continue to impact this species severely. This species is very sensitive to pollution, siltation, habitat perturbation, and loss of glochidial hosts (A. Bogan pers. comm. 2010).

This species is not utilized.

This species is known to occur at TNC's Pendleton Island Preserve. There is inadequate protection from potential catastrophic threats within the upstream sections of the watershed and it is unknown whether other populations occur within protected areas. It was reported by Johnson et al. (2005) from the Hiwassee River inside and adjacent to Cherokee National Forest, Polk Co., Tennessee.

The species was considered a species of special concern throughout its range by Williams et al. (1993). In Alabama, it was listed as endangered by Stansbery (1976), named a species of special concern by Lydeard et al. (1999) and a species of high conservation concern by Garner et al. (2004). Williams et al. (2010) lists this species as vulnerable according to the American Fisheries Society assessment.

Further research regarding taxonomy and population trends, accompanied by monitoring of population trends is required to help guide conservation actions in relation to population status. Effective and enforced species and site protection - at national and state-level - is needed in order to protect this species.