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.

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.

A genetic and morphological comparison of shallow- and deep-water populations of the introduced dreissenid bivalve Dreissena bugensis

1998 ◽  
Vol 76 (7) ◽  
pp. 1269-1276 ◽  
Author(s):  
W Trevor Claxton ◽  
Anthony B Wilson ◽  
Gerry L Mackie ◽  
Elizabeth G Boulding
Keyword(s):  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Mitochondrial Gene ◽  
Shell Height ◽  
Shell Morphology ◽  
Quagga Mussel ◽  
Morphological Comparison ◽  
Separate Species ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Shell Mass ◽  
Dreissenid Mussel

The discovery of a morphologically distinct dreissenid mussel in the profundal zone of Lake Erie suggests the presence of either a third dreissenid mussel species in the Great Lakes or a previously unknown morphological phenotype of an existing dreissenid species. We examined the morphometrics and molecular systematics of the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) and the profundal and epilimnetic forms of the quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis) from Lakes Erie and Ontario. In an attempt to resolve the taxonomic status of the profundal form of the quagga mussel, we sequenced a 710 base pair fragment of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I mitochondrial gene of the two forms of the quagga mussel. No nucleotide differences were found, supporting the hypothesis that the profundal form of the quagga mussel is a phenotype of D. bugensis, not a separate species. In contrast, the second and third principal component scores from an analysis of the morphological variables shell length, shell width, shell height, and shell mass separated the epilimnetic and profundal forms of the quagga mussel into two groups, but grouped zebra mussels from all depths together. The most parsimonious explanation for our results is that D. bugensis shows plasticity in shell morphology with respect to depth, whereas D. polymorpha does not.

Aerial exposure tolerance off zebra and quagga mussels (Bivalvia: Dreissenidae): implications for overland dispersal

1995 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 470-477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Ricciardi ◽  
Robert Serrouya ◽  
Frederick G. Whoriskey
Keyword(s):  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Depth Distribution ◽  
Quagga Mussel ◽  
Relative Depth ◽  
Aerial Exposure ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
Weight Losses ◽  
St Lawrence River

We examined the effects of ambient temperature (10, 20, and 30 °C) and relative humidity (10, 50, and 95% RH) on the aerial exposure tolerance of adult zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga mussel (D. bugensis) collected from the St. Lawrence River. Survivorship of mussels in air significantly increased with increasing RH, decreasing temperature, and increasing mussel size. At 20 °C and 50% RH (early temperate summer conditions), large (21–28 mm) D. polymorpha survived more than 5 days exposure, whereas small (10–18 mm) D. polymorpha survived 1–3 days. Seventy-three percent of large D. polymorpha and 10% of small D. polymorpha survived 10 days exposure at conditions considered optimal for survivorship (10 °C and 95% RH). Survivorship of D. bugensis was tested at 20 °C and was 15–100% lower than that of D. polymorpha at all RH levels combined with exposures less than 5 days. Dreissena bugensis also suffered significantly higher percent weight losses because of desiccation than D. polymorpha. The differences in the desiccation tolerance of zebra and quagga mussels reflect their relative depth distribution in lakes. Our results suggest that, given temperate summer conditions, adult Dreissena may survive overland transport (e.g., on small trailered boats) to any location within 3–5 days' drive of infested waterbodies.

Influence of physicochemical factors on the distribution and biomass of invasive mussels (Dreissena polymorpha and Dreissena bugensis) in the St. Lawrence River

2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (9) ◽  
pp. 1953-1962 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A Jones ◽  
Anthony Ricciardi
Keyword(s):  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Calcium Concentration ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Stepwise Multiple Regression ◽  
Quagga Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
Substrate Size ◽  
St Lawrence River

Twenty sites along the St. Lawrence River were sampled to determine if the distribution and abundance of invasive mussels (zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis)) are explained by physicochemical variables. Calcium concentration, substrate size, and depth independently explained significant proportions of variation in biomass for both species. Zebra mussel populations occurred at calcium levels as low as 8 mg Ca·L–1, but quagga mussels were absent below 12 mg Ca·L–1, suggesting that they have higher calcium requirements. Both species increased in biomass with increasing substrate size but displayed contrasting patterns with depth. Using combinations of these environmental variables, we developed stepwise multiple regression models to predict zebra mussel biomass and quagga mussel biomass. The zebra mussel model included calcium concentration, substrate size, and depth (r2 = 0.36, P < 0.0001), while the quagga mussel model included only substrate size and depth (r2 = 0.32, P < 0.0001). These results suggest that dreissenid mussel abundance (and correlated impacts) will vary predictably across environmental gradients, but the same predictive model will not be accurate for both species.

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.

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.

Chaetogaster limnaei (Annelida: Oligochaeta) as a parasite of the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha, and the quagga mussel Dreissena bugensis (Mollusca: Bivalvia)

1996 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Bruce Conn ◽  
Anthony Ricciardi ◽  
Mohan N. Babapulle ◽  
Kristine A. Klein ◽  
David A. Rosen
Keyword(s):  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Quagga Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis

Field biomonitoring using the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha and the quagga mussel Dreissena bugensis following immunotoxic reponses. Is there a need to separate the two species?

2018 ◽  
Vol 238 ◽  
pp. 706-716 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauris Evariste ◽  
Elise David ◽  
Pierre-Luc Cloutier ◽  
Pauline Brousseau ◽  
Michel Auffret ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Quagga Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis

Limits to tolerance of temperature and salinity in the quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis) and the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)

1995 ◽  
Vol 52 (10) ◽  
pp. 2108-2119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian P. Spidle ◽  
Bernie May ◽  
Edward L. Mills
Keyword(s):  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Temperature Limit ◽  
Acclimation Temperature ◽  
Quagga Mussel ◽  
Interspecific Difference ◽  
Thermal Limit ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Upper Thermal Limit

The quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis) and the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) were exposed to varied levels of salinity and temperature in the laboratory to compare the tolerance of each species to environmental stress. The zebra mussel could tolerate 30 °C for extended periods and higher temperatures (< 39 °C) for a period of hours depending on the acclimation temperature and the rate of temperature change. The upper thermal limit of the quagga mussel may be as low as 25 °C. Mussels of both species acclimated to 5 °C were less able to survive at high temperatures (30–39 °C) than mussels acclimated to 15 or 20 °C. The reduced upper temperature limit of the quagga mussel implies that it will not be able to expand as far south in North America as has the zebra mussel. Both D. bugensis and D. polymorpha were exposed to three concentrations of NaCl (5, 10, and 20‰) to test salinity tolerance. No individuals of either species survived beyond 18 days in salinities of 5‰ or higher. No interspecific difference occurred in salinity-induced mortality rate.

Occurrence of chironomid larvae (Paratanytarsus sp.) as commensals of dreissenid mussels (Dreissena polymorpha and D. bugensis)

1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
pp. 1159-1162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Ricciardi
Keyword(s):  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Mantle Cavity ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Chironomid Larvae ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
Elliptio Complanata ◽  
Dreissenid Mussels ◽  
First Case ◽  
St Lawrence River

Up to 38% of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and 10% of quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis) collected from the upper St. Lawrence River in July 1993 were invaded by larvae of the tanytarsine chironomid Paratanytarsus sp. Third- and fourth-instar larvae were found living in the mantle cavity around the gills, gonads, and siphonal tissues. The larvae were never observed feeding on these tissues, and no tissue damage was detected. Most frequently, a single Paratanytarsus sp. larva occurred in a mussel; otherwise, two to six larvae were found. Invaded mussels were significantly larger than co-occurring non-invaded mussels. No chironomid larvae were found in young-of-the-year dreissenids. This is the first case of a large-scale endosymbiotic association, apparently a form of inquiline commensalism, between chironomid larvae and dreissenid mussels. Paratanytarsus sp. larvae also occurred in unionid bivalves (Elliptio complanata, Lampsilis radiata, Anodonta cataracta), but at relatively lower frequencies.

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