The cracking pearlymussel (Hemistena lata) is an endangered species of freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusk in the family Unionidae. This species is native to the United States, where it remains only in Tennessee and Virginia. It was originally distributed in the Ohio River, Cumberland River and Tennessee River systems, but it has been extirpated from most of its previous range. Parmalee and Bogan reported that there were still populations in the Clinch River in Tennessee. Other populations that are known to survive are located in the Powell and Elk Rivers.