Dreissena polymorpha

9.3

A small freshwater mussel called the zebra mussel that clogs pipes and harms native water animals

noun

Specialized

: Dreissena polymorpha

Researchers are studying ways to control the population of Dreissena polymorpha in affected waterways.

Examples

The spread of Dreissena polymorpha threatens native aquatic species and disrupts ecosystems.
Dreissena polymorpha has caused problems in North American lakes by clogging water intake pipes.
The Dreissena polymorpha is often found in lakes.
Did you see a Dreissena polymorpha today?
The zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, is known for its ability to rapidly reproduce and clog water intake systems.
Scientists study Dreissena polymorpha to understand how it affects local ecosystems by outcompeting native mussel species.
Invasive species like Dreissena polymorpha can cause significant problems for water treatment facilities by blocking pipes.

Synonyms

zebra mussel

vsDreissena polymorpha

1 7.5

A small water animal with a striped shell that clogs pipes and harms native animals

is the formal scientific name used for this same species in biology

Surface Forms

Dreissena polymorpha singular

Dreissena polymorphas plural

Morphology

Dreissena + polymorpha

This is a Latin binomial taxonomic name functioning as a proper label for a specific species; even if a learner recognises 'Dreissena' as a genus and analyses 'polymorpha' as 'many-formed', those constituents do not transparently yield the common referent 'zebra mussel' or its ecological properties. Species names are arbitrary lexical labels in English and typically require specialist or prior exposure, so the meaning is not derivable by a B1 learner from the parts.

Etymology

Dreissena polymorpha is often called the 'zebra mussel' because its shell has dark stripes like a zebra. It likes to stick in large groups to pipes and rocks, so it can 'clog' water pipes and harm local wildlife, which is why people worry about it.