Threatened species are animals and plants that are likely to. Endangered species are animals and plants that are in danger of becoming extinct. Dreissena polymorpha, photo by jonne kotta, source. Quaggazebra mussel fact sheet state and federal agencies have initiated a unified response to the quaggazebra mussel invasion in california.
Fact sheet written by john tautin native freshwater mussels freshwater mussels, sometimes called clams, have always been and continue to be, an important food source for muskrat, minks, raccoons, otters. They will also know that the hudson river food web is changing in response to the zebra mussel invasion, and will be able to make predictions about how native organisms will be affected by this invasion. Zebra mussels are thumbnailsized mollusks with dshaped shells that are often striped with alternating light and dark bands like a zebra. How to build a zebra mussel settlement sampler materials one brick with holes in it one 14inch polypropylene rope a piece of 14inch plastic mesh screen about 6 by 12 inches two 1foot sections of 1 12inch or 2inch pvc pipe two washers with a 14inch. Native freshwater mussels french creek valley conservancy.
They came to north american waters in international shipping ballast water and were discovered in lake st. For these reasons the zebra mussel is often described as the poster child of biological invasions. Zebra mussels are small, thumbnailsize, dshaped mussels, with a zebra like pattern of stripes, that are native to the caspian sea region of asia. The program is designed to assess zebra mussel occurrence, distribution, and densities in north texas waters by using four approaches. Zebra mussel fact sheet ontarios invading species awareness. The dshaped shells have alternating light and dark bands, and the inside of the shell is white. Org zebra mussels secrete durable elastic strands called byssal fibers, which can glue the mussel to hard objects. Adults range from 14 to 112 inches long and have yellow and brown striped shells. Zebra mussel fact sheet the zebra mussel dreissena polymorpha is a small bivalve originally native to the area near the caspian sea.
The zebra mussel dreissena polymorpha is a small bivalve originally native to the caspian sea region. Zebra mussel fact sheet cary institute of ecosystem studies. Quagga mussels were discovered in lake mead, lake mojave, and lake havasu on the colorado river in january 2007. Efforts to control zebra mussels have already cost billions of dollars in other states. Mussel qu gg mussel zebra mussel occurrences quagga mussel occurrences both species. Zebra mussels have an extremely high reproductive rate of 30,0001,000,000.
Aquatic invasive species zebra mussel fact sheet author. Hot on the heels of the famous zebra, quagga mussels were first found in 1989 along lake erie. The invasive mussel collaborative announced today that it has released a new strategy to reduce invasive mussels and their negative impacts. Zebra mussels are a small, destructive invasive species that can spread across texas by hitching a ride on boats and trailers. During the summer of 1993, the zebra mussel was discovered in lake champlain, vermont. Zebra mussels are small freshwater mussels that are not native to. Zebra mussels grow up to two inches long, but most are less than one inch. They rapidly became established in the great lakes and the waters draining them. Description of the usgs zebra mussel monitoring program the u. Zebra mussels dreissena polymorpha are small, freshwater bivalve mollusks relatives to clams and oysters that are triangular in shape with an obvious ridge between the side and bottom. They can attach to any hard surfaces in the water, forming dense carpets of shells. Where theyre found quagga mussels are native to the black sea. The zebra mussel gets its name from the black or dark brown and white striped markings that.
View all teaching resources use the filter to limit your results. Zebra mussel the zebra mussel gets its name from the dark and light stripes on its shell that resembles those on a zebra. The quagga mussel was introduced via ship ballast water to the great lakes in the 1980s, and has similar impacts as the zebra. If you spot a suspected zebra mussel, freeze it in a plastic bag or preserve it in a small bottle of rubbing. From its native origin, the species has spread to the point where the zebra mussel now affects the waters of most of europe. Invasive mollusk impacts, graphing and interpreting zebra mussel data.
Geological survey usgs zebra mussel monitoring program for north texas provides early detection and monitoring of zebra mussels by using a holistic suite of detection methods. Zebra mussel iowa aquatic invasive species dreissena polymorpha fact sheet zebra mussel fact sheet description. Lawrence, ohio, cumberland, missouri, tennessee, colorado. Nobanis invasive alien species fact sheet dreissena. Historically, native americans not only ate mussels but also used the shells for. Dreissena polymorpha zebra mussels are in the dreissenidae family, the false mussel and zebra mussel family. Zebra mussels can cause tremendous environmental and economic damage hurting aquatic life, damaging your boat, hindering water. Zebra mussel densities have been as high as 700,000m 2 at one power plant in michigan and have reduced water treatment pipe diameters by as much as twothirds griffiths et al. The zebra mussels is native to the black, caspian, and azov seas. Zebra mussels are a small, destructive invasive freshwater mussel that can be transported from waterway to waterway by boats and trailers. It is vital that each boater takes responsibility to prevent the spread of zebra muss. The adults are slightly larger than the zebra mussels. Eurasian water milfoil most of this plant is submersed. Choosing a monitoring site since recreational boating is the primary way that zebra and quagga mussels are spread in pennsylvania waters, boat ramps and public access areas along waterways are the most.
An aquatic invasive plant, eurasian watermilfoil, reduced. Aquatic invasive species zebra mussel fact sheet minnesota dnr. Byssal threads or ropes are on the hinge edge of its shell. Lake champlain basin program fact sheet series number 1 zebra mussels dreissena polymorpha and quagga mussels dreissena bugensis are closely related species native to fresh waters of southeast europe. The zebra mussel originated in the balkans, poland, and the former soviet union and was introduced in 1988 into the laurentian great lakes see figure 1 as a result of the discharge of contaminated ballast water which contained free swimming zebra mussel larvae, called veligers mackie et al. Zm fact sheet iowa department of natural resources. Zebra mussels fact sheet december 2019 what are zebra mussels. They are typically two inches or less roughly the size of a pistachio nut in size and have a life span of four to eight years. Rangehabitat since being introduced to the great lakes, zebra mussels have spread to a number of waterways, including the mississippi, hudson, st. During the summer of 2009, the zebra mussel was identified in a pond in the berkshire region of massachusetts. From ecologic standpoint an individual zebra mussel can filter one to two liters of water each day 14. Zebra mussels united states army corps of engineers. They rapidly became established in the great lakes and.
A long tradition of zebra mussel study exists in europe and the former soviet union, where the zebra mussel has been present for 150 years see mackie et al. Vermont lakefront property values up to 16 percent and. A close relative to the zebra mussel is the quagga mussel dreissena bugensis, which is also native to eurasia. Zebra mussels are striped like a quagga mussel also invasive, but typically smaller and less rounded than a. Jul 19, 2019 now, if we grabbed any great lakes native off the street and asked which great lakes invasive species is the densest and most dangerous, we can guarantee that at least 8 out of 10 would say the zebra mussel. Continued attachment of zebra mussel can cause corrosion of steel and concrete, affecting its structural integrity.
Invasive mussel monitoring network volunteers will be displayed using gis at the pennsylvania invasive mussel monitoring network website. Zebra mussels have an extremely high reproductive rate of 30,0001,000,000 new mussels per year and are able to reproduce at one year of age. Natively the zebra mussel inhabits parts of western russia near the caspian sea and the ural river. The longer a boat remains in zebra mussel infested waters, the more likely it is to be fouled by zebra mussels.
The program is designed to assess zebra mussel occurrence, distribution. Zebra mussels were introduced into the great lakes, likely from ballast water from oceangoing vessels, in the mid 1980s. Quaggazebra mussel fact sheet state and federal agencies have initiated a unified response to the quagga mussel invasion in california. This process can lead to increased water clarity and a depleted food questions and answers for inland lake managers the zebra mussel invasion of north america has generated.
The quagga mussel dreissena bugensis invaded lake erie shortly after. The spread of these freshwater mussels threatens recreational boating and fishing, aquatic ecosystems and fisheries, water delivery systems, hydroelectric facilities, agriculture and the environment in general. Zebra mussels are small shellfish marked by alternating light and dark bands. Each year, a mature female zebra mussel may release up to one million eggs. In 1998, the mussel was found in east twin lake, connecticut. The strategy to advance management of invasive zebra and quagga mussels is intended to drive investments, policy, and research around invasive mussels across the great lakes region and beyond.
It reached north america in the mid1980s in the ballast water of a ship. They were likely brought to north america in the ballast water of ships and were discovered in lake erie in 1988. Aquatic nuisance species coordinator, division of fisheries region 2, department of biology, university of texas, arlington, texas zebra mussels dreissena polymorpha are prolific invaders that. Unlike native mussels, they can attach themselves to hard surfaces in the. It is similar in appearance and biology to the zebra mussel, but can live in deeper and colder waters. Zebra mussels reached north america in the mid1980s in the ballast water of a ship. Zebra mussel dreissena polymorpha invasive species.
Boats that are moored or docked for more than one day are more likely to be fouled by zebra mussels than boats launched and retrieved in a single day. The involved agencies include the california departments of fish and wildlife cdfw, water resources, food and agriculturecdfa, division of boating and waterways, parks and recreation, cal fire, caltrans. Quagga mussel shell is normally striped, as is that of the zebra mussel. The involved agencies include the departments of fish and game dfg, water resources, food and agriculture, boating and waterways, parks and recreation. Threatened species are animals and plants that are likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future. Both mussel species can attach to hard surfaces in the water of lakes and rivers, and quagga mussels also attach to soft surfaces. Zebra mussels are striped like a quagga mussel also invasive, but typically smaller and less rounded than a quagga or dark false mussel. Usgs zebra mussel monitoring program for north texas. Zebra mussels are small freshwater mussels that are not native to minnesota. Sign up to receive quagga and zebra mussel information by email. A zebra mussel starts its life as newly hatched larvae called veligers. Zebra mussels feed by drawing water into their bodies and straining out most of the suspended microscopic plants, animals, and debris for food.
Females produce 100,000 to one million eggs per year which. Wellington the zebra mussel dreissena polymorpha invaded presque isle bay in 1990, and quickly colonized most of the native unionid mussels freshwater clams. Quagga and zebra dreissenid mussels pose a serious threat to californias waters and fisheries. Nobanis invasive alien species fact sheet dreissena polymorpha. A mussel refugium at presque isle state park on lake erie investigators. Since then, zebra mussels have spread rapidly throughout the great lakes and. Environmental protection agency lists the golden mussel as a nonindigenous aquatic species with significant potential to invade the great lakes. Zebra mussels were confirmed to be present in pueblo reservoir in.
Quagga and zebra mussels quagga and zebra mussels arrived in the united states from europe in the 1980s and spread to many eastern waterways, rivers, and lakes. The involved agencies include the departments of fish and game dfg, water resources, food and agriculture, boating and waterways, parks and recreation, cal fire, caltrans, state water resources. The scaleshell is a freshwater mussel that was listed in 2001 as an endangered species by the u. Zebra mussel these nonnative shellfish are usually less than an inch long, with dshaped, brown shells that are striped. Quagga and zebra mussels california department of fish and.
Zebra mussels and a related species, quagga mussels, are highly invasive mollusks native to the caspian sea region of europe and asia. Zebra mussels what are zebra mussels and where do they come from. Pdf nobanis invasive alien species fact sheet dreissena. Now, if we grabbed any great lakes native off the street and asked which great lakes invasive species is the densest and most dangerous, we can guarantee that at least 8 out of 10 would say the zebra mussel.
The mussel has expanded to infest many lake and river systems of north america since then. Students will know what lives in the hudson river, and will be able to create a food web drawing to represent the organisms living in the river. Zebra mussels can cause tremendous environmental and economic damage hurting aquatic life, damaging your boat, hindering water recreation and even threatening your water supply. Zebra mussels are in the dreissenidae family, the false mussel and zebra mussel family. Zebra mussels look like small, fingernailsized clams. Im a very popular food item, and am nutritious too.