zebra mussel

noun

: a chiefly freshwater Eurasian bivalve mollusk (Dreissena polymorpha) that was accidentally introduced into the Great Lakes and has spread to other waterways where it colonizes and clogs water intake pipes and competes with native fish for food

Examples of zebra mussel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There, zebra mussels and quagga mussels have thrived and caused a major decline in the yellow perch fishery. —Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2024

Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials on Tuesday announced the discovery of zebra mussel larvae in the river east of Grand Junction. —Elise Schmelzer, The Denver Post, 18 July 2024

But a sample in the outer harbor only got a few shells, because zebra mussels cannot survive in the sandy bottom. —Siddhant Pusdekar, Journal Sentinel, 16 July 2024

And reassuring, after what seemed like dire zebra mussel news last month from the Rocky Mountains. —Neal Rubin, Detroit Free Press, 1 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

so named from a comparison of the irregular dark striping on the shell to a zebra's stripes

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined above