StreamWatch

Family ID Slideshow

Key to select mayfly larvae

http://bugguide.net/node/view/74567/bgimage

Mayfly Larvae Morphology

Guide to Aquatic Invertebrates of the Upper Midwest, p. 37

1A. Head flattened dorsoventrally, eyes and antennae dorsal …

Flathead (Heptageniidae)

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/abl/images2/ironodes_head.png

1A. Flathead (Heptageniidae)

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/61450222

1B. Head not flattened, eyes and antennae lateral……………..2

1B. Head not flattened, eyes and antennae lateral … 2

1C. Unclear if head is flattened … preserve

http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/694

2A. Prothoracic legs (first set of legs) with a dense row of setae

(hair) along inner surface … Brushlegged (Isonychiidae)

http://www.entomology.umn.edu/midge/VSMIVP%20K

ey/English/Isonychiidae.htm

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/114911606

2A. Brushlegged (Isonychiidae)

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/114911612

2B. Prothoracic legs without setae … 3

2C. Unclear if prothoracic legs have setae … preserve

http://bugguide.net/node/view/49022/bgimage

3A. Median caudal filament (Middle tail) reduced or lacking

…Small Minnow (Baetidae)

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/110648170

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/114367511

3B. Median caudal filament well developed … 4

3C. Unclear if median caudal filament is present, possibility of

broken tail … preserve

http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/443

4A. Gills pronged, forked, or consisting of a slender filament …

Prong-gilled (Leptophlebiidae)

http://www.entomology.umn.edu/mi

dge/VSMIVP%20Key/English/Lepto

phlebiidae.htm

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/1

10909718

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/i

mage/59402763

4B. Gills round, oval or heart-shaped – not forked … 5

4C. Gill shape is unclear … preserve

http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/718

http://bugguide.net/node/view/266381/bgimage

5A. Gills present on abdominal segments 1 – 3 … preserve

1

2

3

1

2

3

http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/718

http://bugguide.net/node/view/279026/bgimage

5B. Gills absent from abdominal segment 2, rudimentary or

absent from segment 1 and sometimes absent from segment 3 …

Spiny Crawler (Ephemerellidae)

3

5

6

4

http://bugguide.net/node/view/259874

5B. Spiny Crawler (Ephemerellidae)

http://bugguide.net/node/view/259877/bgimage

5C. Gills are operculate, or unclear if gills are present on

segments 1-3 … preserve

http://www.entomology.umn.edu/midge/VSMIVP%2

0Key/English/Caenidae.htm

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/abl/images2/Tri

corythodes_gills2.png

http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/568 http://www.dfg.ca.gov/abl/images2/Tricorythodes_newhabitus2.png

Key to select dragonfly larvae

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/111213357

Dragonfly Morphology

Guide to Aquatic Invertebrates of the Upper Midwest, p.66

1A. Third segment of antenna is much larger and possibly a

different shape than the other sements (4th segment is small and

barely visible) … Clubtail (Gomphidae)

http://www.entomology.umn.edu/midge/VSMIVP%20Key

/English/Gomphidae.htmhttp://bugguide.net/node/view/263809/bgimage

1A. Clubtail (Gomphidae)

http://bugguide.net/node/view/263808/bgimage

1B. Third segment of antenna not larger than other segments … 2

1C. Unclear if 3rd segment is larger … preserve

http://bugguide.net/node/view/255141/bgimage

2A. Prementum (lower lip) flat when viewed from the side. When

viewed ventrally, prementum is widest in distal half but not

parallel sided … Darner (Aeshnidae)

http://www.entomology.umn.edu/midge/VSMIVP%

20Key/English/Aeshnidae.htmhttp://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/109642026

2A. Darner (Aeshnidae)

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/109642026

2B. Prementum spoon/scoop shaped when viewed from the side

… preserve

2C. Unclear if prementum is flat or spoon shaped … preserve

http://www.entomology.umn.edu/midge/VSMIVP%20Key/English/Cordulegastridae.htm

Key to select damselfly larvae

http://bugguide.net/node/view/260089/bgimage

Damselfly Morphology

Guide to Aquatic Invertebrates of the Upper Midwest, p. 65

1A. First segment of antenna is as long as, or longer than,

remaining segments combined … Broadwinged (Calopterygidae)

http://www.entomology.umn.ed

u/midge/VSMIVP%20Key/Engli

sh/Calopterygidae.htm

Rose Brown photo: Rivanna at Milton

1B. First segment of antenna is shorter than others combined … 2

1C. Unclear if first segments of antennae are long … preserve

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/abl/images2/archilestes_head.png

2A. Basal half of prementum greatly narrowed and elongate …

Spreadwinged (Lestidae)

http://www.entomology.umn.edu/m

idge/VSMIVP%20Key/English/Lesti

dae.htm

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/95281414

2B. Basal half of prementum not greatly narrowed …

Narrowwinged(Coenagrionidae)

2C. Unclear if prementum is narrowed … preserve

http://www.entomology.umn.edu/mi

dge/VSMIVP%20Key/English/Coen

agrionidae.htm

http://bugguide.net/node/view/255064/bgimage

Key to select stonefly larvae

http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/487

Stonefly Larvae Morphology

Guide to Aquatic Invertebrates of the Upper Midwest, p. 78

1A. Filamentous or Telescoping gills present on sides of thorax

and/or ventral thorax … 2

http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/350

http://www.entomology.umn.edu/midge/VSMIVP

%20Key/English/Perlidae.htm

http://www.entomology.umn.edu/midge/VSMIVP%20

Key/English/Pteronarcyidae.htm

1B. Filamentous gills present only on ventral cervix (neck) …

Nemourid (Nemouridae)

1C. Unclear if gills are present … preserve

www.aquatax.ca/plecoptera/Nemouri

daeGills.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/110935526

2A. Conspicuous filamentous gills present on sides of thorax

and/or ventral thorax … 3

http://www.entomology.umn.edu/midge/VSMIVP%

20Key/English/Perlidae.htm

http://www.entomology.umn.edu/midge/VSMIVP%20Key/E

nglish/Pteronarcyidae.htm

2B. One telescoping gill present at base of each leg … Large

Winter(Taeniopterygidae)

2C. Unclear if gills are present … preserve

http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/350http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/350

3A. Filamentous gills present on ventral abdominal segments 1

and 2 … Giant (Pteronarcyidae)

http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/334

http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/334

3B. Filamentous gills absent from abdomen … Common

(Perlidae)

http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/767 http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/767

3C. Unclear if gills are present on ventral thorax and/or abdomen

… preserve

http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/488

Key to select caddisfly larvae

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/95399019

Caddisfly Larvae Morphology

Guide to Aquatic Invertebrates of the Upper Midwest, p.38

1A. Caddisfly in a case … 2

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/110473352

Rose Brown photo

1B. Caddisfly not in a case … 3

http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/720

2A. Case is a dome of small rock particles that completely covers larva in dorsal

(top) view. On the ventral (under) side, there is a strap of smaller rock particles.

The larva hangs over the strap, with head and thorax on one side and the end of

the abdomen on the other side (both ends of larva are visible) … Saddle Case Maker

(Glossosomatidae)

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/ABL/images2/anagapetus_case.png

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/abl/images2/gloscas1.png

2B. Case is very small, composed of fine sand or silt. Case is constructed with

two similar halves and compressed from side to side, resembling a purse …

Micro Caddisfly (Hydroptilidae)

http://watermonitoring.uwex.edu/images/level1/

wav/ecology/Hydroptilidae.jpg

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/abl/images2/hydroptila_habitus_

withcase.png

2C. Case is unlike above, or difficult to see … preserve

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/111399160

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/109997968

3A. Larva is bright yellow-orange. The tops of the second and third thoracic

segments are soft and fleshy, without hardened plates … Fingernet

(Philopotamidae)

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/111032573

3B. Larva is bright green and has long abdomen with deep constrictions

at each segment (best seen in top view). The tops of the second and

third thoracic segments are soft and fleshy, without hardened plates.

No filamentous gills on abdomen … Freeliving (Rhyacophilidae)

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/110921297

3C. Larva is not bright yellow-orange or green, or color and

shape are unclear … preserve

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/110921300

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/109167612

Key to select beetles

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/abl/images2/ptilodactylidae_adult_habitus.png

Adult Beetle Morphology

Guide to Aquatic Invertebrates of the Upper Midwest, p. 39

1A. Adult beetle … 2

http://bugguide.net/node/view/163435/bgimage

1B. Larval beetle … 3

1C. Unclear if beetle is adult or larval … preserve

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/114344092

2A. Beetle has slender and long antennae, which are longer than

head … Riffle (Elmidae)

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/114324576

2B. Beetle has short, thick antennae which are sometimes not

visible … Long Toed (Dryopid)

http://bugguide.net/node/view/171214

2C. Antennae are unclear, possibility of broken antennae …

preserve

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/abl/images2/helichus_adult_dors

al.pnghttp://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/114807295

3A. Larval body is elongate, cylindrical and sclerotized

(hardened). Abdominal segment 9 with a tuft of filamentous gills

and a hard, moveable ventral operculum … Riffle (Elmidae)

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/abl/images2/zaitzevia_habitus.png

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/abl/images2/microcylloepus_operc

ulum.png

3B. Larval body is elongate, cylindrical and sclerotized.

Abdominal segment 9 with a tuft of filamentous gills, and no

ventral operculum … (Ptilodactylidae)

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/abl/images2/ptilodactylidae_larva_habit

us2.png

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/abl/images2/ptilodactyl

idae_larva_gills.png

3C. Larva is not like above … preserve

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/111183241

Crane Fly larva and True Fly pupae

http://ecology.hku.hk/jupas/Hexatoma%20sp.jpg

Crane Fly Larva

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/110921303

Midge pupa

http://www.thechronicflyfisher.com/chironomid.JPG

Black Fly pupa

http://www.nwnature.net/macros/efl_2008/april/images/P1130653.jpg