Zebra Mussels,

Dreissena polymorpha washed up in
huge numbers
in the first flush
of their abundance
in Lake Erie,
soon after
their introduction
from Europe
in the ballast
water of ships.

Attaching to
any hard object
by their elastic
byssus threads,
here they
have pulled the
juveniles of native
Unionid mussels
out of the bottom
and onto the shore.

These are attached to the native mussel Ligumia nasuta.which proved to be one
of the species most quickly
eliminated by their effects

Detail from "Drifted Lake Erie 1993"

watercolour by Aleta Karstad

[Zebra Mussels]



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