Zebra Mussel, Dreissena polymorpha

What's in a Name?

Zebra mussels get their common name from the zebra-like stripes on their shells. The stripes alternate between white or cream and black or brown. Their scientific name, Dreissena polymorpha, also refers to its shell. Polymorpha comes from the Greek "poli", which means "many", and "morpha", which means "shapes". So Polymorpha means "many shapes", in reference to the fact that both the stripe pattern and shape of zebra mussels' shells can be quite different from one individual to another.

Other important names to know

Dreissena polymorpha is a bivalve mollusc belonging to the family Dreissenidae. There are two species of Dreissena now in North America, both of European origin.