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  3. Dreissena polymorpha

Dreissena polymorpha

Basic information
Scientific name Dreissena polymorpha

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カワホトトギスガイ
Common names Zebra mussel
Higher taxon Dreissenidae, Veneroida, Bivalvia, Mollusca
Natural range Black and Caspian Seas, and adjacent rivers. Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine.
Habitat Lakes, ponds, rivers. Forming colonies by fouling on hard surface using byssal threads.
Invasion information
Range in Japan Not established in Japan Range in Japan
Origin Unintroduced to Japan.
Date Not Introduced to Japan. The first record in the Great Lakes of North America was in 1985.
Route Accidental: Contamination in ballast water, fouling on drifting objects.
Impact Explosive infestation of this species cause inhibition of growth or suffocation of native bivalves, change of community structure by infestation of submerged plants through change of water clarity by filter feeding, pollution of ships, constriction of supply pipes of power plants, etc.
Native organism(s) affected: Various freshwater animals and plants.
Regulation in Japan Import, transport and keeping are prohibited by the Invasive Alien Species Act.
Introduced range in other countries Europe, North America (the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River, Mississippi River, etc.)
Reference Notes
  • Ackerman et al. (1994) A Review Of The Early Life History Of Zebra Mussels (Dreissena Polymorpha): Comparisons With Marine Bivalves. Can J Zool. 72, 1169-1179.
  • DECO (ed) (2006) Dictionary of Alien Species. Tokyo-Shoseki. (in Jpn)
  • Hebert et al. (1989) Ecological and Genetic Studies on Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas): a new mollusc in the Great Lakes. Can J Fish Aquat Sci. 46, 1587-1591.
  • ISSG. Global Invasive Species Database (GISD) (Accessed on 2012-7-18) http://www.issg.org/database/welcome/.
  • JWRC (ed) (2008) A Photographic Guide to the Invasive Alien Species in Japan. Heibonsha. (in Jpn)
  • Ricciardi et al. (1995) Aerial exposure tolerance of zebra and quagga mussels (Bivalvia: Dreissenidae): implications for overland dispersal. Can J Fish Aquat Sci. 52, 470-477.
  • USGS (2009) NAS -Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (Accessed on 2011-01-06) http://nas.er.usgs.gov/
  • etc.
 100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species.