Guide to Identification of Fresh Water

Microscopic autotrophic organisms (i.e. )

Name Picture Characteristic 1. flagella (with 2. small flagella, i.e. 3. solitary small) Chlamyolomonas 4. rapid movement <.05 mm sp. Green algae 1. spherical Phylum (with 2. colonial Chlorophyceae flagella) 3. with two flagella i.e. sp. .5-2mm

1. spherical to Green algae conical Phylum (no flagella) 2. not attached to Chlorophyceae <.5 mm surface i.e. Pediastrum sp. 3. no movement

Filamentous 1. non branching Phylum green algae 2. chains of cells Gamophyceae <.1 mm – with chloroplast i.e. Zygnema sp. cms 3. no flagella Spirogyra sp.

1. green 2. no flagella Phylum 3. mainly solitary, Desmids Gamophyceae some colonial <.5 mm i.e. Desmidium sp 4. various shapes Closterium sp. 5. two semi-, mirror image

1. one cell 2. slow gliding motion Phylum 3. solitary or Bacillariophyceae <.5 mm colonial i.e. Pennales, 4. cell wall Centric () made of silica

Math/Science Nucleus © 2004 1 – heterotrophic only

Name Picture Characteristic Taxonomy 1. one or more flagella 2. colonial or free Zoomastigophora <.5mm living i.e choanoflagellates 3. with or without

1. Sacrodina 2. slow movement Order Amoebina .02 –5 mm 3. engulfs food i.e.

1. amoeba with a Shelled shell, usually Sacrodina Amoeba sand grains Order Testacea .1-.4 mm 2. pseudopodia i.e Arcella sp. 3. slow movement

1. spherical Heliozoans 2. radiating hair Sacrodina .01-1 mm like pseudopods Order Heliozoea 3. no movement

1. cylindrical or bell shaped bodies – 2. undulating cilia Ciliophora 3. some stalked Order Peritrichida < .25 mm 4. often colonial i.e. Vorticella sp. 5. attached to different substrate

1. no cilia, sticky Ciliates – tentacles Ciliophora Suctoria some attached to Order Eridogenida <.7 mm other organisms i.e. Tokophyra sp. (i.e. Suctoria)

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1. mostly free

living forms

2. cell of fixed Ciliophora Ciliates shape Order 3. movement by Oliogohymenophorea .01 – 4mm contraction and i.e. Paramecium sp use of cilia

4. fixed mouth and

anal pore

1. large body Ciliates Ciliophora 2. contractile Orer Heterotrichea 3. cilia on mouth .01 – 4 mm i.e. Stentor sp. end

1. barrel-shaped Ciliates 2. spinous Ciliophora projection at Order .01-4mm posterior end i.e. Coleps sp. 3. cytosome apical

Math/Science Nucleus © 2004 3 Other fresh water (Animalia, , etc)

Name Picture Characteristic Taxonomy

1. blue green color Blue-green 2. gliding Monera algae movement i.e. Annabella () 3. prokaryote sp.

1. sometimes Phylum Euglenoids green Euglenida <.4mm 2. flagellate i.e. Euglena sp. 3. red eye spot

1. free swimming 2. tough armor Phylum 3. <.4mm Dinoflagellate 4. autotrophic, heterotrophic

1. corona with cilia 2. hairy appendages Phylum 3. transparent with lorica Bdelloided .4mm - 2 cm 4. free swimming Class or attached Monogononta 5. organs, compressed body 1. green brown or colorless 2. body and Phylum Hydra tentacles 2 cm contract and i.e. Hydra sp. stretch 3. primitive organs

Phylum 1. flattened Platyhelminthes Flatworms 2. eye spots Class 1-15+ mm 3. move in gliding motion i.e. Planaria sp.

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1. moves in rapid “s” form 2. round body Roundworms Phylum 3. bilateral .2-10 mm Nematodes 4. anterior, posterior openings

1. segmented Phylum Oligochaetes 2. worm motion Annelida 1.5 mm - >2 3. hair bundles Class cm (setae) Oligochaeta

1. predatory or Phylum parasitic Annelida > 1 cm 2. terminal suckers Class Hirudinea 3. hermaphroditic

1. mainly benthic Phylum 2. head bristles Gastrotricha Gastrotricha 3. eat algae, Order .1-1.5mm , Chaetonotida protozoa

1. head and 4 trunk Tardigrades segments Little water Phylum 2. 4 pair legs bears Tardigrada 3. eyes < 1 mm 4. herbivores

Math/Science Nucleus © 2004 5 Arthropods - segmented, exoskeletons

Name Picture Characteristic Taxonomy Class 1. bean-like shell Crustacea Ostracods 2. filter feeders Order <2mm 3. bivalve Ostracoda carapace i.e. Cypris sp. Class 1. long antennae Crustacea 2. tiny eyespot .5-3mm Order 3. Copepoda 1. antennae Class 2. large compound Crustacea Water eye Order .3-10mm 3. holoplankton Cladocera i.e. Daphnia sp

1. flattened Class Isopods 2. 7 pairs legs Crustacea 5-20mm 3. scavengers Order Isopoda

1. curved Class 2. compressed Amphipods Crustacea body 5-25mm Order 3. humped back Amphipoda 4. scavengers 1. 8 legs 2. round body Water Class 3. larvae mites Arachnida (parasitic) .5-5mm Order Acarina 4. nymph looks like adult 1. one tail Class Insecta Alderfly 2. long filaments Order nymph along the Megaloptera 5-25mm abdomen Family Sialidae 3. 1. cylindrical case Caddisfly for protection Class Insecta 2. distinct case but Order 3-40mm different Trichoptera materials

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1. two jointed tails Stonefly (cerci) Class Insecta nymph 2. carnivorous Order <15 mm 3. indicates clean Plecoptera water

1. three jointed Mayfly Class Insecta tails nymph Order 2. leaf-like gills on <15mm Ephemeroptera sides

1. three leaf like Damselfly Class Insecta tail appendages Nymph Order Odonata (gills) <15mm Zygoptera 2. extendable jaws

1. robust Dragonfly Class Insecta 2. no tail nymph Order Odonata appendages <15mm Anisoptera 3. extendable jaws

Water Class Insecta 1. no jaws boatman Order 2. tube-like beak nymph.and Hemiptera 3. nymphs don’t adult Family have wings 10-15mm Corixidae

1. strong jaws 2. tough shield 3. fierce predator Class Insecta Water adult Order beetle 1. strong jaws Coleoptera <45mm 2. long segmented Family Elmidae body 3. short legs nymph

1. long slender Mosquito body Class Insecta larva 2. moves in Order Diptera 1-20 mm undulating s

curves

Drawings redrawn from http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/pond/index.html

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