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Definition of zebra mussel
: a chiefly freshwater Eurasian lamellibranch 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 The widespread invasive species wasn’t found in South Dakota until 2016, when the zebra mussels were discovered in Lewis and Clark Lake and McCook Lake.
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USA TODAY, "Lobster blood, Washington’s teeth, Hawaii shark hero: News from around our 50 states," 21 Feb. 2020 In some lakes where zebra mussels were once pervasive, gobies have thinned them out substantially.
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Colin Moore, Outdoor Life, "These 8 Aquatic Invasive Species are Threatening Fisheries Across the U.S.," 7 Feb. 2020 Mainly because there are so many four-legged and two-legged critters there that like to eat them.
Anglers can be their own worst enemies by inadvertently spreading waterborne nuisances such as zebra mussels and didymo with their boats.
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Colin Moore, Outdoor Life, "These 8 Aquatic Invasive Species are Threatening Fisheries Across the U.S.," 7 Feb. 2020 If not for some fast action by wildlife agencies, raccoon dogs otherwise may have joined the growing list of foreign invaders that are doing harm here — everything from zebra mussels and emerald ash borer to Asian carp.
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John Myers, Twin Cities, "Never heard of the Minnesota raccoon dog, either? We are lucky," 23 Oct. 2019 That group focuses on all invasives, including animals like the Asian carp and zebra mussel, and aquatic plants such as milfoil.
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Bob Shaw, Twin Cities, "U of M center battles hungry invasives," 2 Dec. 2019 Its source of water is Lake Ashtabula, where zebra mussels were recently discovered.
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USA TODAY, "Titanic auction, Legos, mighty Mississippi: News from around our 50 states," 22 July 2019 According to the United States Geological Survey, power plants spend millions of dollars removing zebra mussels from clogged water intakes.
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Melissa Locker, Southern Living, "What are Zebra Mussels?," 23 Aug. 2019 Jackson said a recent inspection revealed zebra mussels on screens in the system.
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Josh Baugh, ExpressNews.com, "Zebra mussel infestation spurs Canyon Lake water utility to ask customers to cut back," 25 July 2019
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'zebra mussel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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The first known use of zebra mussel was in 1866
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