1. Stoneflies or Plecoptera Robert Ortiz Intro to Aquaculture 7/8/08

2. Biological Facts  Live beneath stones in fast-moving, well-aerated water.  Most species feed on algae and other submerged vegetation.  They are not active fliers and usually remain near the ground where they feed.  Immature stoneflies are aquatic nymphs.

3. Life Cycle: Immature  Antennae long  Body flattened and legs widely separated  Gills present as tufts behind the head, at base of legs, or around the anus  Each segment of thorax is covered by a large scale  Multi-segmented

4. Life Cycle: Mature  Antennae long  Front wings long and narrow  Hind wings shorter than front wings  Base area of hind wing enlarged and pleated  Multi-segmented

5. Importance  Used by ecologists as indicators of water purity because they are extremely sensitive to water pollution.  Used by ecologists as indicators of water purity because they are extremely sensitive to water pollution.  Stoneflies are an important source of food for game fish (i.e. trout and bass) in cold mountain streams.

6. Taxonomy  Order: Plecoptera Family: Perlidae: (Common Stoneflies) largest family in the order. Family: Perlidae: (Common Stoneflies) largest family in the order. Taeniopterygidae: (Winter Stoneflies) adults emerge January to April Taeniopterygidae: (Winter Stoneflies) adults emerge January to April Nemouridae: (Spring Stoneflies) adults emerge April to June Nemouridae: (Spring Stoneflies) adults emerge April to June