What term denotes the microscopic larvae spread downstream through river currents?
Answer
Veligers
When zebra mussels establish themselves in major river systems, the continuous flow of water facilitates the widespread distribution of their earliest life stages. These microscopic, free-swimming larval forms are specifically identified as veligers. Currents act as the natural conveyor belt, moving these tiny organisms downstream, allowing the infestation to progress sequentially along the entire length of the connected drainage system, such as the Mississippi River basin.
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