dragonfly nymph with zebra mussel

This seemed so odd, I had to hold this nymph for photos and thought y'all might like to see it. Anyone else ever come across something like this?

 small_top_nymph_with_mussel.jpg   38.56KB   8 downloads
 small_bottom_nymph_with_mussel.jpg   38.83KB   7 downloads

Wow. That's strange.
I've had a similar thing happen with java fern and a clam. The java fern attached to the clam (it stayed pretty much stationary for a long time) and when I emptied the tank and pulled the fern out the clam came out with it. It was pretty interesting.

I've caught several large Crayfish that had Zeebs settle on them.

Guess it's no mystery why they spread so easily. That is a very cool picture.

teleost,

Wow, that's weird! Never seen a zeeb do that!

I just ran across this reference, still need to track it down but (despite it still being cool but very depressing!) it doesn't seem like ours was a novel observation. The dang tube with the specimen is also still AWOL somewhere in my vehicle.

Weihrauch, F., & J. Borcherding. 2002. The zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas), as an epizoon on anisopteran larvae (Anisoptera: Gomphidae, Corduliidae, Libellulidae), Odonatologica, 31(1):85-94

Sorry to bring back an old topic, but I went scuba diving this Saturday and was unfortunately reminded of this thread. Didn't see any attached to an insect but saw plenty of zebra mussels. Anyway, I was telling my mother about the dive, and brought up the zebra mussels and the discussion kind of stayed on them for awhile. I mentioned this thread and told her about the one found attached to a dragonfly nymph. She asked me if they ever attach to turtles. I told her that since they are practically microscopic when they first attach, they would probably dry out and die when the turtle would leave the water to bask in the sun, so probably wouldn't be able to survive on a turtle. Then I got to thinking about seeing snapping turtles covered in algae, and that some turtles may stay in the water or at least stay wet for long periods so decided it might be possible. Has anyone ever come across a turtle adorned with zebra mussels?

Never ran across one on a turtle. Pretty sure that turtles are just to mobile and tend to muck around enough to scrape them off. It is no joke though that a big Snappers back is like it's own ecosystem....