What conditions must be met for *D. polymorpha* adults to survive for extended periods after being removed from the water?

Answer

If kept cool and moist

Management protocols for decontaminating boats and equipment must specifically account for the Zebra Mussel's capacity to survive temporarily out of its natural aquatic environment. This survival capability is contingent upon specific environmental parameters: the mussels must be kept cool and moist. This physiological tolerance means that simply pulling a boat out of the water is insufficient for eradication, as adults can remain viable. Therefore, effective decontamination procedures must go beyond rinsing visible material; they must include cleaning surfaces to remove adults and juveniles, and then drying or chemically treating surfaces to ensure the eradication of any remaining attached individuals or microscopic veligers that might also be able to withstand brief periods of environmental stress.

What conditions must be met for *D. polymorpha* adults to survive for extended periods after being removed from the water?

Related Questions

Where did the Zebra Mussel, *Dreissena polymorpha*, originally originate?What Class classification places *D. polymorpha* within the Mollusca group alongside snails and squid?What is the microscopic, free-swimming larval stage of *D. polymorpha* that serves as a vector for long-distance transport?Which family classification distinguishes *D. polymorpha* taxonomically from native North American freshwater mussels?What specific characteristic does the specific epithet *polymorpha* suggest about *D. polymorpha*?How does the intense filtering capacity of dense *D. polymorpha* mats impact the aquatic food web base?Why is the formal Linnaean system necessary when resource managers discuss *D. polymorpha* infestations?What conditions must be met for *D. polymorpha* adults to survive for extended periods after being removed from the water?Which closely related species is mentioned as sometimes causing common name confusion with *D. polymorpha*?In the binomial nomenclature, what does the genus name *Dreissena* primarily serve to group?
animalclassificationzebra musselmussel