Joel Sartore Joel Sartore

National Geographic Photographer and Speaker

Keyword: invertabrate

The shell of a zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) an invasive species of freshwater mussel that was introduced into the Great Lakes from Europe. This mussel species out competes native North American mussel species and is considered a pest in the Great Plains.

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ANI041-00038

The shell of a zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) an invasive species of freshwater mussel that was introduced into the Great Lakes from Europe. This mussel species out competes native North American mussel species and is considered a pest in the Great Plains.

A threeridge mussel (Amblema plicata) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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ANI041-00037

A threeridge mussel (Amblema plicata) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

A threeridge mussel (Amblema plicata) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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ANI041-00036

A threeridge mussel (Amblema plicata) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

A threeridge mussel (Amblema plicata) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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ANI041-00035

A threeridge mussel (Amblema plicata) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

A threehorn wartyback (Obliquaria reflexa) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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ANI041-00034

A threehorn wartyback (Obliquaria reflexa) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

A threehorn wartyback (Obliquaria reflexa) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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ANI041-00033

A threehorn wartyback (Obliquaria reflexa) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

A pimpleback mussel (Quadrula pustulosa) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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ANI041-00032

A pimpleback mussel (Quadrula pustulosa) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

A fragile papershell mussel (Leptodea fragilis) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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ANI041-00031

A fragile papershell mussel (Leptodea fragilis) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

A fragile papershell mussel (Leptodea fragilis) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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ANI041-00030

A fragile papershell mussel (Leptodea fragilis) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

A plain pocketbook mussel (Lampsilis cardium) displays a fish-like lure used to attract fish hosts for its young. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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ANI041-00029

A plain pocketbook mussel (Lampsilis cardium) displays a fish-like lure used to attract fish hosts for its young. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

A plain pocketbook mussel (Lampsilis cardium) displays a fish-like lure used to attract fish hosts for its young. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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ANI041-00028

A plain pocketbook mussel (Lampsilis cardium) displays a fish-like lure used to attract fish hosts for its young. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

A plain pocketbook mussel (Lampsilis cardium) displays a fish-like lure used to attract fish hosts for its young. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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ANI041-00027

A plain pocketbook mussel (Lampsilis cardium) displays a fish-like lure used to attract fish hosts for its young. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

A butterfly mussel (Ellipsaria lineolata) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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A butterfly mussel (Ellipsaria lineolata) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

A butterfly mussel (Ellipsaria lineolata) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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ANI041-00025

A butterfly mussel (Ellipsaria lineolata) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

A butterfly mussel (Ellipsaria lineolata) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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ANI041-00024

A butterfly mussel (Ellipsaria lineolata) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

A butterfly mussel (Ellipsaria lineolata) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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ANI041-00023

A butterfly mussel (Ellipsaria lineolata) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

Picture of a washboard mussel (Megalonaias nervosa) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery.

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A washboard mussel (Megalonaias nervosa) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

Picture of a washboard mussel (Megalonaias nervosa) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery.

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ANI041-00021

A washboard mussel (Megalonaias nervosa) at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

Photo: A black sandshell mussel (Lugimia recta), one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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ANI041-00020

A black sandshell mussel (Lugimia recta), one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

Photo: A black sandshell mussel (Lugimia recta), one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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A black sandshell mussel (Lugimia recta), one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

A fat mucket mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea) displays a fish-like lure used to attract fish hosts for its young. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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A fat mucket mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea) displays a fish-like lure used to attract fish hosts for its young. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

A fat mucket mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea) displays a fish-like lure used to attract fish hosts for its young. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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A fat mucket mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea) displays a fish-like lure used to attract fish hosts for its young. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

A fat mucket mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea) displays a fish-like lure used to attract fish hosts for its young. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

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ANI041-00016

A fat mucket mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea) displays a fish-like lure used to attract fish hosts for its young. This is one of 44 species of freshwater mussels still found in the upper Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, WI.

Photo: Julie Jensen Director of Marketing | WVC O: 866.800.7326 | D: 702.443.9249 | E: j.jensen@wvc.org

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