Invasive Fresh Water Molluscs in Texas

Robert F. McMahon is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biology at the University of Texas at Arlington where he also served as Associate Dean of Science and Dean of the Honors College. Since joining the Department in 1972, Dr. McMahon has studied the population dynamics and physiological ecology of invasive marine and freshwater molluscs, including the freshwater golden clam, Corbicula fluminea, the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, the giant apple snail Pomacea maculata and the marine brown mussel, Perna perna. His studies of these invasive species included their growth rates, physiological adaptations, environmental limits, and methods for control. He has served as a member of national and regional invasive species panels including the National Invasive Species Advisory Committee, the Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species and presently serves on the Gulf and South Atlantic Regional Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species. For his research contributions to the biology and control of invasive species, he received the National Invasive Species Council's Invasive Species Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. Dr. McMahon has a worldwide reputation for his research on the biology and control of invasive molluscs. He has published over 100 articles, technical reports and book chapters on aquatic invasive molluscs and continues to conduct research with colleagues on the biology and control of invasive zebra mussels in Texas. He was awarded a Fulbright Research Fellowship to Trinity College, Dublin Ireland in 1979-80, a Certificate of Achievement by The Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species in 2016, the Award for Distinguished Record of Research from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1990, and was named the Texas Academy of Science Texas Distinguished Scientist in 2023.