Aquatic Critters By: Brittany Martin

Benthic Macroinvertebrates

They are organisms without backbones and they live in the bottom substrates of the habitat they live in for at least part of their life. Benthic Macroinvertebrates are also invisible to the naked eye. The most abundant of the Benthic Macroinvertebrates tend to be insect larva in freshwater aquatic ecosystems.

Tubifex Worms

Eats decaying matter.

Leeches

Eats insects like gnats and mosquitos. Some are also bloodsuckers.

Planaria

Eats living and dead small animals, decaying organic matter, and can eat fish eggs.

Scuds/“Sideswimmers”

Eats plant and animal matter.

Cranefly

AdultThe do not eat, their purpose is to mate and die.

LarvaEats grass roots.

Water Boatmen

Eats Algae and minute aquatic organisms.

Water Strider

Eats small insects that come to the surface of the water and larva.

Predaceous Diving Beetle

Eats worms, dragonflies, small fish, and snails without shells.

Whirligig Beetle

Eats small pond insects.

Scavenger Beetle

Eats carcasses, feathers, fur, skin, rotting meat, pet food, bacon, cheese and dried fish.

Dragonfly

NymphEats insects.

AdultEats other insects and eat other dragonflies.

Damselfly

NymphEats aquatic insects.

AdultEats mosquitoes.

Mayfly

NymphDon’t eat.

AdultEats algae, buds, young leaves.

Stonefly

NymphEats vegetation, pollen, and nectar.

AdultEats vegetation, pollen, and nectar.

Caddisfly

Nymph Eats small aquatic vascular plants.

AdultEats decaying plant tissue and algae .

Dobsonfly

NymphAdultDon’t eat.

Water Pennies LarvaEats algae.

Riffle Beetle AdultEats algae and detritus.

What Is That?

Jared HostranderPeriod 1-2

Benthic Macroinvertebrate

• Animals without backbones that are larger than ½ millimeter (the size of a pencil dot). These animals live on rocks, logs, sediment, debris and aquatic plants during some period in their life. The benthos include crustaceans such as crayfish, mollusks such as clams and snails, aquatic worms and the immature forms of aquatic insects such as stonefly and mayfly nymphs.

Tubifex Worms

• Consumer- Eats large amounts of mud and other organic debris

Leeches

• Consumer- Some species feed on blood, others eat detritus, decaying plant and animal debris

Planaria

• Consumer- Planaria eat living or dead small animals

Scuds/Sideswimmers

• Consumer- Eat plant and animal matter

Cranefly Larva/Adult

• Consumer- Mostly plants and plant debris; some are predaceous

Water Boatmen

• Consumer- The majority of species are herbivorous, but some species may eat small animals such as tadpoles

Water Strider

• Consumer- Eats small insects

Whirligig Beetle

• Consumer- Eats aquatic insects and small insects

• May look metallic

• Often groups of them swim in circles

Video

Dragonfly Nymph/Adult

• Consumer- Predaceous, nymphs feed upon other aquatic macro invertebrates, small fish, and tadpoles

Damselfly Nymph/Adult

• Consumer- Predaceous, nymphs feed on other aquatic macro invertebrates

Mayfly Nymph/Adult

• Consumer- Consists of small plant and animal debris, such as algae, diatoms, and plankton

Stonefly Nymph/Adult

• Consumer- Some stoneflies are carnivorous, others feed on algae, bacteria, and vegetable debris

Caddisfly Nymph/Adult

• Consumer- larvae feed on algae, small bits of plant material, and animals; some species build nets where they catch drifting food

Dobsonfly Nymph/Adult

• Consumer- Predaceous larvae feed upon other aquatic macro invertebrates

Water Pennies-Riffle Beetle

• Consumer- Primarily plant debris such as algae and diatoms

Gilled Snails / Air Breathing Snail

Gilled Snails / Air Breathing Snail