Zebra Mussel

Dreissena polymorpha

The zebra mussel is a small freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusc in the family Dreissenidae. The species originates from the lakes of southwestern Russia and southeastern Europe, but has been accidentally introduced to numerous other areas and has become an invasive species in many countries in the Northern Hemisphere. Since the 1980s, the species has invaded the Great Lakes, Hudson River, Lake Travis, Finger Lakes, Lake Bonaparte, and Lake Simcoe. The adverse effects of dreissenid mussels on freshwater systems have led to their classification as among the world's most invasive aquatic species.

Scientific name

Dreissena polymorpha

Family

Dreissenidae

IUCN status

LC