MACROINVERTEBRATE IDENTIFICATION Developed by Mike Clapp, CAM Junior High School Science Teacher and Judy Bufford, Science Education Consultant Water Resources Education Center

Classification Kingdom - Animalia Phylum - Arthropoda Class - Insecta Order - Ephemeroptera Family - Baetidae Genus - Baetis Species – Baetis tricaudata

Insects Incomplete metamorphosis Complete metamorphosis

Body Parts of an Insect Head - mouth parts, eyes, and antennae. Thorax - muscles and attachments for the legs and wings. Abdomen - digestive and respiratory functions. Head Thorax Abdomen

Mayflies (Order Ephemeroptera) 2 - 3 tails = mayfly Sometimes the center tail is very short Gills along abdomen Generally collector gatherers and shredders Sensitive to pollution 2 plates head thorax abdomen gills tails or cerci adult

Stoneflies (Order Plecoptera) Always 2 tails Gills on thorax Shredders and predators Sensitive to pollution 3 plates head Gills on thorax thorax abdomen 2 tails

Caddisflies (Order Trichoptera) Case builders, net spinners, free living (green rock worms) Sensitive to pollution net spinners have fluffy gills on abdomen, free-living have filaments shredders adult predators Filterers/predators

Midges (Order Diptera) Worm like Twitchy, jerky swimmers Pollution tolerant head

Craneflies (Order Diptera) Cannot see head Large, long abdomen Last segment fleshy lobes Somewhat Tolerant Other Diptera are more tolerant end

Blackflies (Order Diptera) Tolerant of Pollution Attach at end with a ring of hooks Two fans on top of the head Filter Feeders

Riffle Beetles & Water Pennies (Order Coleoptera) Whitish color This Order is Very Diverse Sensitive to Pollution Riffle Beetle Diving beetle Other beetles- Somewhat tolerant

Dobsonflies (Order Megaloptera) Hair like filaments along abdomen Long somewhat flattened abdomen 2 prolegs at the end with two claws on each proleg Sensitive to Pollution Note: Alderfly same Order but long pointy tail and more tolerant of pollution

Dragonflies, Damselflies (Order Odonata) Dragonflies have internal gills Dragonflies have no tails and a large abdomen Damselflies have paddle like gills (3) Predators-engulfers Somewhat tolerant Dragonflies Damselflies

Water Boatmen & Backswimmer (Order Hemiptera) Carry a bubble of air Long back legs used for swimming Babies look like adults Pollution Tolerant Piercing mouthpart Water Boatmen Backswimmer

Crayfish (Order Decapoda) Crustaceans 5 pairs of walking legs Somewhat Tolerant of Pollution

Aquatic Sowbug (Order Isopoda) Crustaceans 7 pairs of long walking legs Body is flattened from top to bottom Somewhat Tolerant of Pollution

Scuds/ Sideswimmers (Order Amphipoda) Crustaceans 7 pairs of walking legs Body is strongly flattened side to side Somewhat tolerant of pollution

Snails (Class Gastropoda) Hard spiral shell Lunged snails are pollution tolerant Left Handed / Right handed

Clams & Mussels (Class Bivalvia) Clams are smaller and rounder than mussels 2 shells hinged together Somewhat tolerant of Pollution Important for stream health because they filter feed and purify the water

Aquatic Earthworm (Class Oligochaeta) Segmented worm Tolerant of Pollution

Leeches (Class Hirudinea) Segmented worm Suckers on both ends, rear sucker is larger Tolerant of Pollution

Other macros Water Mites Somewhat Tolerant Arachnids – 8 legs Flatworms No segments Eyespots

Macroinvertebrate Sampling Procedure

Macroinvertebrate sorting

Data Analysis Pollution Tolerance Index (PTI) Taxa Richness EPT Presence / Absence Scoring Taxa Richness Number of different kinds EPT Mayflies, Stoneflies, Caddis flies Percent Diptera (True Flies) How much of the sample are fly larvae? Dominance Which kinds are the most abundant?

Questions?