Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Sorting and Identification Guide

Images courtesy of Troutnut.com, University of Wisconson Extension – ERC Natural Resources Education, University of South Florida College of Education – Florida Center for Instructional Biting Midge Larvae Technology, and Magnus Manske. Ceratopogonidae Midge Larvae Pouch Snails Worm-like Chironomidae Physidae Leeches Order Hirudinea Invertebrate No Shell or True ? And No Legs Use images to identify. Zebra Mussels Order Pelecypoda Soldier Fly Larvae Does it Stratiomyidae

have a Yes Black Fly Planarians Larvae START HERE Simuliidae Please note that the illustrations are for SHELL? Order Turbellaria Orb reference only and are not true to scale. Snails Order Gastropoda Aquatic Worms (Earthworm) Larvae Horse Fly Order Oligochaeta Culicidae Larvae No Shell Tabanidae It Has Legs Aquatic Worms Crane Fly Larvae (Tubifex) Tipulidae Fingernail Clams Order Oligochaeta Order Pelecypoda Horsehair Worms Shore Fly Larvae Snails, Clams Worm-like Order Nematomorpha True Ephydridae and Unknowns Invertebrates Order Diptera Crayfish Piercing Order Decapoda How Water Striders How 3 Pairs MOUTH Part? Gerridae Scuds of Legs 1 or No Tail (Side Swimmer) Many many many Pigmy Order Amphipoda Legs Backswimmers Giant Water Bugs LEGS? TAILS? Pleidae BEAK 3 Tails 2 Tails Yes

Flathead No Mayfly Larvae Identify using image key Small Squaregill below. Mayfly Larvae Giant Stonefly Larvae Pteronarcyidae

Isopods (Sowbug) Order Isopoda Spiny Crawler Water Small Water Scorpions Mayfly Larvae Striders Nepidae Dorsal Veliidae View Golden Small Minnow Stonefly Spring Stonefly Mayfly Larvae Larvae Larvae Perlidae Perlodidae Ventral Dorsal View View Mites Armored Order Hydracarina Mayfly Larvae Ventral Backswimmers Baetiscidae Look for Burrowing View Scuds, Isopods Mayflies “tusks” Mayfly Larvae Stoneflies Water Boatmen True Bugs Winter Stonefly Corixidae Order Ephemeroptera Gills resemble hairy armpits Order Larvae Order Hemiptera Crayfish, and Mites Taenioptergidae

Water Darner Damselfly Larvae Riffle Beetles Larvae Adult Scavenger Dragonfly Suborder Zygoptera Alderfly Larvae Elmidae (4-6mm) Beetles Larvae Sialidae Hydrophilidae Northern Caddisfly Case Larvae Caddisfly Larvae Adult Larvae Gills

Giant Case Caddisfly Larvae

Whirligig Beetles Clubtail Gyrinidae Dragonfly Larvae Net-Spinning Crawling Caddisfly Water Beetles Larvae Haliplidae

Predaceous Dragonhunter Humpless (Log Cabin) Diving Beetles Dragonfly Larvae Case Maker Larvae Dytiscidae Hagenius Adult Dobsonfly Larvae Corydalidae Water Pennies Water Beetles Dragonflies / Damselflies Dobsonflies / Alderflies Horsehead Caddisflies Psephenidae Larvae Caddisfly Larvae Order Coleoptera Order Order Megaloptera Order Tricoptera