# Zebra Mussel (*Dreissena polymorpha*)

The Zebra Mussel is a small freshwater mollusk with striped shells. They attach to hard surfaces in lakes and rivers. Zebra Mussels can be harmful to the environment.

- **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Freshwater

![Zebra Mussel](https://media.snappit.app/site-media-v1/8abedeeb78bf676d6d2835e363bc324e4bee62e76d4c472ef27edd0e6601aeb6/image-560x560/w-560.webp)

## Appearance

The Zebra Mussel has a distinctive D-shaped or triangular shell, typically measuring 0.5-4 cm. Its shell features a unique pattern of alternating dark and light zigzag stripes, resembling a zebra's markings. It often appears in dense clusters.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Mollusca
- **Class:** Bivalvia
- **Order:** Veneroida
- **Family:** Dreissenidae
- **Genus:** Dreissena

## Interesting facts

- A single female Zebra Mussel can lay over one million eggs in just one year!
- They arrived in North America in the 1980s, hidden in the ballast water of ships!
- They attach so tightly to surfaces that removing them often causes damage underneath!
- Zebra Mussels can survive out of water for several days if conditions are humid!

## Special abilities

- **Anchor Grip:** Zebra Mussels can securely attach to almost any hard surface using strong byssal threads because this helps them resist water currents.
- **Water Purifier:** Zebra Mussels can filter large volumes of water by consuming plankton, helping to clarify their aquatic environment.
- **Rapid Colonizer:** Zebra Mussels have a high reproductive rate and rapid growth that helps them quickly spread and dominate new habitats.
- **Survival Shield:** Zebra Mussels have a hard, protective shell that helps them defend against predators and resist physical damage.

## Measurements & details

- **Size:** 5-40 mm
- **Lifespan:** 1095-1825 days
- **Leg Count:** 0

## Diet & Feeding

They eat tiny floating organisms, helping to clear the water around them.

- **Primary Foods:** Phytoplankton, Zooplankton, Algae, Bacteria, Suspended organic matter
- **Foraging Method:** Filter feeding

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [Lesser Scaup](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lesser-scaup) (*Aythya affinis*) — This diving duck consumes many zebra mussels as a food source.
- **Eaten by:** [Yellow Perch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-perch) (*Perca flavescens*) — Larger perch and other fish sometimes prey on zebra mussels.
- **Eats:** Blue-green algae (*Microcystis aeruginosa*) — Filters vast amounts of this microscopic algae from the water column.

## Traits

- [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
- [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water.
- [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species.
- [Invasive](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/invasive): Invasive species are non-native organisms that cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 2/5 · Low

Do not touch or move Zebra Mussels. They can be sharp and may harm other animals in the water.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Zebra Mussel?

Compare body symmetry, shells, segments, legs, tentacles and how the animal moves. Invertebrates span many unrelated groups, so start with body structure. Invertebrate Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How big is Zebra Mussel?

5-40 mm

### How long does Zebra Mussel live?

1095-1825 days

### What does Zebra Mussel eat?

They eat tiny floating organisms, helping to clear the water around them.

### Where is Zebra Mussel usually found?

Freshwater

### How does Zebra Mussel hunt?

Filter feeding

### How many legs does Zebra Mussel have?

0

## Where to spot

- [Hale Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hale-avenue-historic-district) — Arkansas, US · Historic District
- [Pace Bend Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pace-bend-park) — Texas, US · Park

## More Invertebrate

- [Coral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coral)
- [Crab Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crab-spider) (*Mecaphesa asperata*)
- [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*)
- [Brown Recluse Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-recluse-spider) (*Loxosceles reclusa*)

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Source: [Zebra Mussel: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/zebra-mussel)