Aquatic Consulting & Testing, Inc

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Quagga and Zebra Mussels

Quagga and zebra mussels are aquatic invasive species. Quagga and zebra mussels get their common names from the zebra-type striping on the shells. Both mussel species are small and typically grow to the size of a fingernail. They are prolific breeders and these mussels can attach to both hard and soft surfaces in freshwater ways.

Quagga mussels were first found in the USA in the Great Lakes in 1989, Nevada in 2007, and California and Arizona in 2008. Ballast water discharge from transoceanic ships is likely responsible for the spread of zebra and quagga mussels to the US. Short distance dissemination between waterways within the US most likely occurs via movement of recreational boats. Where quagga and zebra mussels co-exist, quagga mussels usually outcompete zebra mussels, and quagga mussels can colonize to greater depths than those achieved by zebra mussels and are more tolerant of colder water temperatures.

Quagga and zebra mussel invasions have had catastrophic impacts in the ecosystems in which they have established. These organisms clog water intake structures, which increases maintenance costs for water treatment and power plants. Recreational activities on lakes and rivers are negatively affected as mussels accumulate and encrust on docks, buoys, boat hulls, anchors, and beaches. Zebra and quagga mussels can kill native freshwater mussels by attachment to the shells of native species or by outcompeting native mussels and other filter feeding invertebrates for food. Ecosystem impacts include displacing native aquatic arthropods, increasing water acidity, and decreasing dissolved oxygen concentrations.

Aquatic Consulting & Testing, Inc. provides quagga and zebra mussel monitoring assistance. AC&T staff can identify both adult and larval (veliger) forms of the mussels. Veliger monitoring provides information regarding potential for infestation and degree of success of abatement procedures. AC&T has appropriate sampling equipment, including Wisconsin plankton nets, for collecting the larvae. The veligers are quantified based on volume of sample filtered and concentrated in the field and the laboratory count. Species composition is determined by cross-polarized light microscopy.