Zebra mussel

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/zebra-mussel

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is Zebra mussel?Typically 10-25 mm, maximum length around 50 mm (2 inches)
2. What is the scientific name?Dreissena polymorpha
3. What is the diet?Filter feeder, consuming phytoplankton, zooplankton, and suspended organic matter
4. What is a zebra mussel and why does it have stripes?A zebra mussel is a tiny freshwater mussel with a D‑shaped shell that often has dark, wavy stripes. The stripes help scientists spot them in the water.
5. How do zebra mussels get to new lakes and rivers?They travel in the water that ships carry in their ballast tanks. Their tiny larvae can also drift with currents and settle far from where they started.

Byssal Threads: Strong, proteinaceous filaments secreted by bivalves for attachment to substrates.
Invasive Species: A non-native species whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm.
Phytoplankton: Microscopic, photosynthetic organisms that form the base of aquatic food webs.
Ponto-Caspian Region: A biogeographical region encompassing the Black Sea, Caspian Sea, and their associated river systems.