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National Invasive Species Information Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
  1. Home
  2. Aquatic Invasives
  3. Aquatic Invertebrates
  4. Golden Mussel

Golden Mussel

Scientific Name

Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857) (CABI)

Common Name

Golden mussel

Native To

China and Southeastern Asia

Date of U.S. Introduction

Not introduced

Means of Introduction

Has invaded South America through ballast water, and could be introduced to North America through ballast water (Global Invasive Species Database 2005)

Impact

Threatens native biodiversity, suffocate and starve out native bivalves and produce macrofouling in water systems (Global Invasive Species Database 2005)

Current U.S. Distribution

Not currently established

Golden mussel

Golden mussel

Credit

Photo by Gustavo A. Darrigran; Professor of National University of La Plata, Argentina

Source
USGS, NAS Database

Find more images

Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this species, organized by source.

View All Golden Mussel Resources
Council or Task Force

  • Fact Sheet: Golden Mussel [PDF | 1.5 MB]

    • Feb 2018

    • Alberta Invasive Species Council (Canada).

    • See also: Fact Sheets for more information about individual invasive species, including those listed as "Prohibited Noxious" and "Noxious" under the Alberta Weed Control Act

Partnership
Federal Government
State and Local Government
Academic
Professional
Citations

  • CABI. Invasive Species Compendium. Limnoperna fortunei. CAB International. [Accessed Mar 5, 2015].

  • Global Invasive Species Database. 2005. Limnoperna fortunei (mollusc). Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) of the IUCN Species Survival Commission.