1992. Journal of Shellfish Research Vol. 11 (1 ):234

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF ZEBRA MUSSELS: SCREENING FOR LETHAL MICROORGANISMS.

Daniel P. Molloy and Barbara Griffin, New York State Museum Biological Survey. State Education Department, Albany, NY 12816.

Initiated in April 1991, this research project focuses on the development of a biological method for controlling zebra mussels. Microorganisms are being tested in the laboratory to identify those which are lethal to attached zebra mussel life stages. Over 260 different microorganisms are being screened over a two year period. These candidate control microorganisms will not be "natural" parasites of zebra mussels, but rather naturally occurring soil and water microbes, which just by chance happen to be lethal to zebra mussels when the mussels are exposed to artificially high densities of the microbe. A microorganism which at artificially high densities is poisonous to zebra mussels undoubtedly exists in nature, and the proposed research is designed to identify it. This type of research approach has a track record of success, since it has already produced a commercially available, environmentally safe, microbial control agent for another aquatic, filter-feeding, invertebrate pest-the blackfly. Preliminary results of those microorganisms screened to date will be presented.