Physiological and Taxonomic Separation of Two Dreissenid Mussels in the Laurentian Great Lakes

1993 ◽  
Vol 50 (11) ◽  
pp. 2294-2297 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Domm ◽  
R.W. McCauley ◽  
E. Kott ◽  
J. D. Ackerman
Keyword(s):  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Morphological Characteristics ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Shell Morphology ◽  
Survival Times ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
Average Survival ◽  
Thermal Histories ◽  
Allozyme Loci ◽  
Ecological Differences

Physiological techniques were used to separate two related Dreissena species initially established by electrophoretic and morphological characteristics (May and Marsden. 1992. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 49: 1501–1506). Samples of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and "quagga" mussels (provisionally either Dreissena polymorpha andrusovi or Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) of the same size growing side by side were collected in Lake Erie, thereby ensuring that they had identical thermal histories. Upper lethal temperatures of zebra mussels were significantly higher than those of quagga mussels. The critical thermal maxima of zebra mussels acclimatized at 20 °C were half a degree higher than those of quagga mussels. The average survival times of zebra mussels held at a constant lethal temperature were also significantly longer. These results indicate that in addition to differences in allozyme loci and shell morphology, these two dreissenids may be distinguished by important physiological differences in their thermal resistance; moreover, there may be important ecological differences associated with the different species of dreissenids in North America.

Sources of bias in the use of shell fragments to estimate the size of zebra and quagga mussels (Dreissena polymorpha and Dreissena bugensis)

1999 ◽  
Vol 77 (6) ◽  
pp. 910-916 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy S Mitchell ◽  
Robert C Bailey ◽  
Richard W Knapton
Keyword(s):  
Shell Length ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Shell Morphology ◽  
Selective Predation ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
Length Relationship ◽  
Mussel Shells ◽  
Study Sites

Several researchers have examined size-selective predation on dreissenid mussels by first measuring septa from crushed mussel shells found in predators' gastrointestinal tracts and then using a regression of septum length on shell length to infer the size of consumed mussels. We examine three assumptions made when using this approach: (1) that the shell length : septum length relationship is site-independent within the study area, (2) where both zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis) are present, that the shell length : septum length relationship is the same for both mussel species, and (3) that the predator foraged exclusively at the site of collection. We collected mussels at 6 sites along an 8-km stretch of Lake Erie shoreline and found that the shell length : septum length relationship varied significantly both among sites and between zebra mussels and quagga mussels. We then compared the regression for quagga mussels at one of these sites with that for intact valves of mussels taken from scaup (Aythya marila, Aythya affinis) collected at the site. Although ice cover at the time of collection restricted scaup to the site while foraging within the study area, regressions were again significantly different, i.e., scaup had been foraging elsewhere. Our results indicate that for at least some study sites, the use of septa to estimate dreissenid mussel size is not appropriate. However, when intact valves are found in a predator, variation in shell morphology can help to confirm or exclude possible foraging locales.

Genetic Identification and Implications of Another Invasive Species of Dreissenid Mussel in the Great Lakes

1992 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 1501-1506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernie May ◽  
J. Ellen Marsden
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Lake Ontario ◽  
Acute Angle ◽  
Shell Morphology ◽  
Genetic Identification ◽  
Species Identity ◽  
Allozyme Loci ◽  
Dreissenid Mussel

In this paper we report the discovery and implications of a second nonindigenous species of dreissenid mussel in the Great Lakes. This species was detected in a routine screening of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) for allozyme variability. The two species differ at allozyme loci (Nei's I = 0.30 using 12 loci) and in their shell morphology (the second species lacks the acute angle, or carina, between the ventral and dorsal surfaces of the shell of the zebra mussel). As a working name, at least until its species identity is discovered, we have called the new species the "quagga mussel." Currently, this mussel occurs in Lake Ontario in equal frequencies with D. polymorpha. Its low frequency of occurence in neighboring waters (e.g. the Erie canal, Niagara River, and outlet to Onondaga Lake) and lack of occurrence in any of the other Great Lakes suggest that (1) its point of introduction to North America was in Lake Ontario and (2) its range may expand.

Deepwater population structure and reproductive state of quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis) in Lake Erie

1997 ◽  
Vol 54 (10) ◽  
pp. 2428-2433 ◽  
Author(s):  
S L Roe ◽  
H J MacIsaac
Keyword(s):  
Population Structure ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Gonadal Development ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Reproductive State ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Frequency Distributions ◽  
Quagga Mussels

Quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis) population structure and reproductive status were assessed at deepwater (37 and 55 m) sites in eastern Lake Erie during July 1996. Mussels occupied ~70% of soft substrates at 37-m sites and between 63 and 90% at 55-m sites. Shell length and dry mass frequency distributions were similar at both sites, although recruits <<= 5 mm comprised a larger proportion of the population at the deeper site. The population surveyed here allocated disproportionately less mass to shell and more to soft tissues relative to zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) from shallow-water sites in eastern Lake Erie and from Lake St. Clair. The population at 55 m was slightly skewed toward male mussels (58%). Female mussels that were examined for reproductive state contained mature oocytes (80%) or had spent gonads (20%). Because water temperature at the site was only 4.8°C, this survey provides the first evidence of gonadal development and spawning by quagga mussels at low temperature. These findings contrast with most reports of spawning by congeneric zebra mussels at temperatures >=>12°C but are consistent with distributions of the species in different basins of the lake.

Population genetics of the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas): local allozyme differentiation within midwestern lakes and streams

2000 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 637-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin M Lewis ◽  
Jeffrey L Feder ◽  
Gary A Lamberti
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Heterogeneity ◽  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Population Subdivision ◽  
Fine Scale ◽  
Freshwater Bivalve ◽  
Free Swimming ◽  
Allozyme Loci

Several aquatic invertebrates with free-swimming larvae have paradoxically demonstrated fine-scale genetic heterogeneity. In this study, we tested for genetic heterogeneity in an exotic freshwater bivalve, the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas), which like many marine molluscs has a free-swimming larval stage. Zebra mussels were collected from 22 sites in the Great Lakes and from a small inland lake complex in southwestern Michigan and scored for 13 allozyme loci. Sites were sampled in a hierarchical fashion to assess the spatial scale of genetic variation. Zebra mussel populations exhibited significant genetic heterogeneity on a local scale within lakes, even though populations remained homogenous on a larger regional scale between lakes or lake complexes. The allozyme loci that exhibited heterogeneity differed from lake to lake. Populations also displayed significant heterozygote deficiencies from Hardy-Weinberg expectations for a majority of loci, implying population subdivision and (or) inbreeding on a fine scale. Our results suggest that local genetic differentiation for zebra mussels is both spatially and temporally fluid and is the product of stochastic processes, such as spawning asynchrony and uneven mixing of larval cohorts, rather than natural selection.

scholarly journals Structure, function and parallel evolution of the bivalve byssus, with insights from proteomes and the zebra mussel genome

2021 ◽  
Vol 376 (1825) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael A. McCartney
Keyword(s):  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Morphological Evolution ◽  
Parallel Evolution ◽  
Rapid Evolution ◽  
Low Complexity ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Economic Damage ◽  
Natural Material ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
Invasive Bivalves

The byssus is a structure unique to bivalves. Byssal threads composed of many proteins extend like tendons from muscle cells, ending in adhesive pads that attach underwater. Crucial to settlement and metamorphosis, larvae of virtually all species are byssate. By contrast, in adults, the byssus is scattered throughout bivalves, where it has had profound effects on morphological evolution and been key to adaptive radiations of epifaunal species. I compare byssus structure and proteins in blue mussels ( Mytilus ), by far the best characterized, to zebra mussels ( Dreissena polymorpha ), in which several byssal proteins have been isolated and sequenced. By mapping the adult byssus onto a recent phylogenomic tree, I confirm its independent evolution in these and other lineages, likely parallelisms with common origins in development. While the byssus is superficially similar in Dreissena and Mytilus , in finer detail it is not, and byssal proteins are dramatically different. I used the chromosome-scale D. polymorpha genome we recently assembled to search for byssal genes and found 37 byssal loci on 10 of the 16 chromosomes. Most byssal genes are in small families, with several amino acid substitutions between paralogs. Byssal proteins of zebra mussels and related quagga mussels ( D. rostriformis ) are divergent, suggesting rapid evolution typical of proteins with repetitive low complexity domains. Opportunities abound for proteomic and genomic work to further our understanding of this textbook example of a marine natural material. A priority should be invasive bivalves, given the role of byssal attachment in the spread of, and ecological and economic damage caused by zebra mussels, quagga mussels and others. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue ‘Molluscan genomics: broad insights and future directions for a neglected phylum’.

Physiological energetics of Lake Erie dreissenid mussels: a basis for the displacement of Dreissena polymorpha by Dreissena bugensis

2003 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Stoeckmann
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
Shell Growth ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Sympatric Populations ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
Respiration Rates ◽  
Western Lake

I measured respiration, shell growth, body mass, and reproduction in sympatric populations of zebra (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga (Dreissena bugensis) mussels in western Lake Erie to determine if the species differ in physiological parameters and if any differences provide an explanation for the recent displacement of zebra mussels by quagga mussels. Between May and August, I measured respiration (1998), shell growth of marked mussels suspended in cages in the lake (1999–2000), soft body mass and mass of gametes released (1998–2001), and the number of gametes released by individual mussels (1999). Quagga mussels had lower respiration rates and greater shell growth and body mass. There was no difference in the percentage of spawning mussels or the number of sperm released by individuals, but zebra mussels generally released more eggs and a greater mass of gametes than did quagga mussels. Similar reproduction at a lower body mass indicates that zebra mussels devote a greater proportion of body tissue to reproduction. Lower respiration rates and larger size give quagga mussels a competitive advantage and may explain their displacement of zebra mussels.

Comparative growth and feeding in zebra and quagga mussels (Dreissena polymorpha and Dreissena bugensis): implications for North American lakes

2002 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 680-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brad S Baldwin ◽  
Marilyn S Mayer ◽  
Jeffrey Dayton ◽  
Nancy Pau ◽  
Johanna Mendilla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Assimilation Efficiency ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Functional Responses ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Chl A ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
High Productivity ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
Lower Biomass

In laboratory experiments, quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis) survived as well as zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and equaled or exceeded their growth rate (–3 to 242% change in wet mass) when reared at 6 or 23°C and fed natural seston or Chlamydomonas at food levels ranging from 0.05–7.4 µg·L–1 chlorophyll a (chl a). Superior growth of quagga mussels was most pronounced at low food levels. We found no significant differences in per capita clearance rates (CR), functional responses, or feeding behavior between zebra and quagga mussels fed Chlamydomonas, Nannochloris, or mixed suspensions of Nannochloris and clay. Per capita CR ranged from 0.018 to 0.402 L·mussel–1·h–1 for zebra mussels and from 0.010 to 0.407 L·mussel–1·h–1 for quagga mussels. Because quagga mussels had more biomass per unit shell length, we found lower biomass-specific CR for quagga mussels. When fed natural seston, zebra and quagga mussels could selectively reject inorganic material and at the lowest seston level the assimilation efficiency of quagga mussels (81%) was significantly higher than that of zebra mussels (63%). Our experiments suggest that quagga mussels can survive, grow, and feed as well or better than zebra mussels in epilimnetic waters with either low or high productivity.

scholarly journals Invader invaded: population dynamics of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) in polymictic Oneida Lake, NY, USA (1992–2013)

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 1529-1544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Lee Hetherington ◽  
Lars G. Rudstam ◽  
Rebecca L. Schneider ◽  
Kristen T. Holeck ◽  
Christopher W. Hotaling ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
Oneida Lake ◽  
Dreissena Rostriformis Bugensis

Comparative shell morphology of Dreissena polymorpha, Mytilopsis leucophaeata, and the "quagga" mussel (Bivalvia: Dreissenidae) in North America

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (5) ◽  
pp. 1012-1023 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane A. Pathy ◽  
Gerald L. Mackie
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Shell Structure ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Shell Morphology ◽  
Diagnostic Feature ◽  
Quagga Mussel ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
Freshwater Habitats ◽  
Mussel Shells

Dreissena polymorpha, recently introduced to freshwater habitats of North America, has been confused with Mytilopsis leucophaeata, a related species that is native to brackish and fresh waters of North America. The 1991 discovery of a second exotic dreissenid mussel, the "quagga" mussel, suggests there may be more than one species of Dreissena in the Great Lakes, resulting in even more confusion in identification within the family Dreissenidae. To help distinguish the species, internal and external features, ultrastructure, and composition of D. polymorpha, M. leucophaeata, and quagga mussel shells were determined using stereoscopic, scanning electron microscopic, and X-ray diffraction techniques. The most reliable diagnostic feature is the presence of an apophysis in M. leucophaeata and its absence in D. polymorpha and the quagga mussel. Mytilopsis leucophaeata and quagga mussels also lack the acute shoulder or ridge located ventrolaterally. Dreissena polymorpha, M. leucophaeata, and the quagga mussel all have an outer crossed-lamellar shell structure with an inner complex crossed-lamellar shell structure and a thin, prismatic pallial myostracum between. Microtubules are more prominent in M. leucophaeata than in D. polymorpha. No microtubules were found in the quagga mussels. Shells of D. polymorpha, M. leucophaeata, and the quagga mussel are composed entirely of aragonite crystals.

Discrimination of field-collected juveniles of two introduced dreissenids (Dreissena polymorpha and Dreissena bugensis) using mitochondrial DNA and shell morphology

1997 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 1280-1288 ◽  
Author(s):  
W Trevor Claxton ◽  
André Martel ◽  
Ronald M Dermott ◽  
Elizabeth G Boulding
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Markers ◽  
Shell Length ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Restriction Pattern ◽  
Shell Morphology ◽  
Quagga Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Early Juvenile ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
Juvenile Stages

We developed molecular markers to distinguish two species of exotic bivalves, the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) and the quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis sensu lato). Restriction analysis of a 710 base pair fragment of the COI mitochondrial gene showed a single restriction pattern for zebra mussels and a single restriction pattern for quagga mussels for each of the enzymes ScrfI, Csp6I, and Sau96I. This molecular analysis also confirmed that there were no sex-specific restriction patterns for either species. We then used our molecular markers to confirm the species identity of postmetamorphic and early juvenile stages (>=>300 µm shell length) of zebra and quagga mussels from Lake Erie and the Rideau River (Ottawa, Ont.). Useful shell characteristics to discriminate between postmetamorphic and early juvenile stages (>=>300 µm shell length) of zebra and quagga mussel included (i) overlap of valves at the posterior region, (ii) position of the dorsal point of curvature, (iii) angle of shell at the dorso-anterior region (hinge), and (iv) level of flatness of the ventral region (>2 mm shell length). Juveniles of approximately 300-700 µm shell length can be identified using the valve overlap criterion alone.

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