Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Our Waters
Phyla Annelida, Mollusca and Arthropoda
PHYLUM Annelida
Class Oligochaeta Worms |
Class Hirudinea Leeches |
PHYLUM Mollusca
Class Bivalvia Mussels |
Class Gastropoda Pouch Snail |
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PHYLUM Arthopoda
CLASS Malacostraca | ||
Order Decapoda (Crayfish) | Order Amphipoda | Order Isopoda |
CLASS Insecta | ||||
Order Plecoptera (Stonefly) | Order Trichoptera (Caddisfly) | Order Ephemeroptera (Mayfly) | ||
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Order Megaloptera (Alderflies) |
Order Megaloptera (Dobsonfly) |
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CLASS Insecta (continued) | |||
Order Coleoptera (Water Penny Beetle) | Order Coleoptera (Riffle Beetles) | Order Odonata (Damselfly) | Order Odonata (Dragonfly) |
Class Insecta (continued) | ||||
Order Diptera
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Order Diptera
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Order Diptera
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Order Diptera
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Family Simuliidae (Black Fly) | Family Tipulidae (Crane Fly) |
Family Chironomidae (Midge
Fly)
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Family Athericidae (Snipe Fly) | |
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For more information, see our links on:
- common freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates
- macroinvertebrate identification
- benthic macroinvertebrates as indicators
- benthic macroinvertebrates classification
- life cycle of benthic macroinvertebrates
For more information on benthic macroinvertebrate
taxonomy at the Order and Family levels:
- Guide to Aquatic Invertebrates of the Upper Midwest - Chironomidae Research Group University of Minnesota
- Identifying Aquatic Insects - University of Michigan Dearborn Environmental Interpretive Center
- Aquatic Organisms of Colorado - Colorado Division of Wildlife
- Freshwater Benthic Ecology and Aquatic Entomology Homepage
- Chironomidae
and Water Beetles of Florida
- Freshwater
MacroInvertebrates of New Brunswick
- Kentucky Water Watch
- Aquatic Insects of Idaho - University of Idaho
- Key to Aquatic Macroinvertebrates - New York DEC
- Digital Key to Aquatic Insects of North Dakota - Valley City State University
- Freshwater Macroinvertebrates
from Streams in Western Washington and Western Oregon
- Field Guide to Freshwater Invertebrates for the Pacific Northwest
- Kentucky Insects by University of Kentucky (terrestrial and aquatic)
- A Field Guide to Common Texas Insects (terrestrial and aquatic)
- Entomology: Freshwater Food Sources of British Columbia's Game Fish
- Electronic Field Guide to Aquatic macroinvertebrates of Small Streams - University of Massachusetts Boston
- Guide to Aquatic Invertebrates - West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection - Save Our Streams Program (pdf, 500K, 6p)
- Family-Level Key to the Stream Invertebrates of Maryland and Surrounding Areas (pdf,1.6MB, 98p)
Photo Credits: Ohio DNR , Iowa State University Entomology Department Image Gallery ,Illinois Ecowatch Network , the McKenzie Page , the Hirudinea page , New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Stream Biomonitoring Unit