History of Zebra Mussels
The zebra mussel was originally described
by the famous Russian scientist and explorer Pyotr Simon Pallas from a
population in a tributary of the Ural River in the Caspian Sea Basin. Aided by the expansion of commercial boat traffic through newly
constructed canals, this species spread west from Russia into most of Europe during 19th century. Zebra mussels are the only freshwater mussel that can attach to objects. They are native to Eastern Europe and Western Russia and were brought over to the Great Lakes in ballast water of freighters. Populations of zebra mussels were discovered in the Great Lakes about 1988. The common name of these mussels is derived from the zebra-like stripes on their shells.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Bivalvia
Subclass: Heterodonta
Order: Veneroida
Superfamily: Dreissenoidea
Family: Dreissenidae
Genus: Dreissena
Species: D. polymorpha
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Bivalvia
Subclass: Heterodonta
Order: Veneroida
Superfamily: Dreissenoidea
Family: Dreissenidae
Genus: Dreissena
Species: D. polymorpha