In this project, populations of North American quagga and zebra mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis and D. polymorpha) are being evaluated in the laboratory for their “naïveté” to closely related parasites that normally infect only “cousin” Dreissena spp. — dreissenid species whose evolution diverged from zebra and quagga mussels millions of years ago. Such isolated “cousin” dreissenid species are present in the Europe and Asia (e.g., D. caputlacus, D. anatolica, D. blanci, and D. carinata). Since North American populations of zebra and quagga mussels have not encountered these European/Asian parasites before, infection may prove lethal. Our goal is to identify these parasites, evaluate them, and one day have a new and novel biocontrol agent for quagga and zebra mussels. This project has several parts. First, traveling throughout Europe and Asia to collect and look for parasites in isolated populations of “cousin” dreissenid species. Once these parasites are collected they will be identified by both morphology and molecular methods to determine if they are new or novel. Once a novel parasite is identified the next step will involve investigating the parasites life cycle, and to start to evaluate if the parasite would be a candidate for infecting quagga and zebra mussels. The final step will be to expose naïve quagga or zebra mussels to the parasite and determine the impact that the parasite has on the mussels. This is a multiyear research project that could have a great payoff if a hypervirulent parasite to quagga and zebra mussels is identified.
