A genus of freshwater mussels, including the zebra mussel, often found in lakes and rivers.
Scientific Latin genus name, likely derived from a proper name or location. Used in biological taxonomy to identify a specific group of mussel species.
Zebra mussels (Dreissensia polymorpha) became an ecological disaster when they invaded North American waterways, and the scientific name 'Dreissensia' shows how every organism gets a Latinized taxonomic name—even the invasive species that humans accidentally introduced.
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