Caddisfly Larvae
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MODULE 2: RAPID IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIES (AND RECOGNITION OF DISTINCTIVE TAXA) - BY RICHARD CHADD Introduction to this module While some species need a bit of work (and time) to identify, there are a great many which are instantly recognisable, or, with a quick check with a microscope or hand lens, can be identified in a trice. The Water Stick Insect, Ranatra linearis (Linn.) (Heteroptera: Nepidae), pictured on the left, looks like no other British insect from either the terrestrial or aquatic environment. There is really no excuse to stop at Family level if you come across one. The purpose of this module is, therefore, to give you some guidelines to allow you to recognise where you can get the 'easy wins' - taxa which need not result in additional time for analysis to species level. Ultimately, it would be a benefit to the environment to do everything you can to the lowest possible level, but of course, time can be an issue. The module is manifestly not designed to be an identification guide. It aims to tell you which taxa are worth a quick stab at (and which are not) and which features you need to look at to undertake either recognition or swift identification. You're expected to do some work. For example, you might take, say, a leech and give it the once over, to decide if you can easily identify it and, if you can, which feature(s) you need to look at to tell you what it is. This module gives you the starting-point to make this assessment - the actual identification is up to you. It isn't comprehensive: some, more tricky families (e.g. hydrobiid gastropods) are left out. Anything not mentioned in this module will be covered in the relevant taxon-specific module (Module 10, in the case of Hydrobiidae). You'll need access to much of the mandatory literature outlined in the introductory leaflet (the ones with asterisks against them) to do this. The relevant guide is referenced at the beginning of each section. Module 2: Version 1, April 2007 (Richard Chadd) Page 2 of 41 INTRODUCTION CONTINUED Within each section, there are mandatory exercises, which will be marked by your tutor. You can submit them by printing out this workbook and filling in the appropriate spaces by hand (but please add your name to the front of the workbook), or you can use the template appended to the introductory part and send completed exercises by email. There are also occasional self- assessment exercises, which are not mandatory and do not contribute to your certification, but may be helpful in understanding a principle or technique. The module is loosely arranged in taxonomic order, starting with the 'lower' taxa (flatworms, leeches, etc.) and moving up through the Orders of arthropods. This module contributes the second 50% of the mark towards the ‘Basic Level’ of certification. Module 2: Version 1, April 2007 (Richard Chadd) Page 3 of 41 SECTION 1: FLATWORMS, LEECHES AND GASTROPOD MOLLUSCS For this section, you'll need a copy of the FBA guides to (1) triclads (Reynoldson & Young, 2000), (2) leeches (Elliott & Mann, 1979) and (3) gastropods (Macan, 1977). The "Illustrated Guide to Molluscs" (Janus, 1965) would be extremely helpful, too (see introductory leaflet, pages 5 and 6). There are only 12 species of freshwater triclads found in Britain and Ireland, which makes species-level identification a reasonably straightforward proposition. When you consider that two of them (Bdellocephala and Phagocata woodworthi Hyman) are rather rare and two (P.vitta (Dugès) and Crenobia) are stenotherms - restricted to cool waters in uplands and close to springheads - the job becomes that little bit easier. You're unlikely, for example, to find P.woodworthi outside of Loch Ness or either of the stenotherms in a large river in the lowlands. Virtually all of the triclads can be separated with ease just by looking at: 1. Eyes (number, arrangement/position and separation); 2. General colour (and distribution of pigment, if any); 3. Shape (including possession of 'tentacles'). The only major sticking point comes in identifying Polycelis nigra (O.F. Müller) and P.tenuis Ijima, in which you cannot rely upon colour for separation of the two species. But all members of the Genus: Polycelis have multiple eyes arranged in a border around the 'head' (all of the other triclads have two) and P.felina has tentacles on its 'head'. So, identification of the latter and separation of the co-operating taxon group of P.nigra/ tenuis from all of the other triclads is easy. So, check the eyes, then the colour, then see if it has tentacles on its head and/or what general shape it is. Comparing against the pictures in the front of the FBA guide may well crack it for you. It may be wise to make a quick reference to the key just to make sure. You can confuse Planaria torva (O.F. Müller) with one of the larger Dugesia, or a small Dendrocoelum with P.vitta unless you follow the key feature on degree of separation of the eyes. Live material is much easier to identify, but there is a key you can apply to preserved triclads on page 48 of the FBA guide. Module 2: Version 1, April 2007 (Richard Chadd) Page 4 of 41 EXERCISE 1: IDENTIFY A TRICLAD This mandatory exercise is worth 5 points. Find a triclad of any family (Planariidae, Dugesiidae or Denrocoelidae). This should preferably be a live one - you'll find identification much easier. In the space below, either attach a photograph (or more than one, if necessary) or make a sketch of your specimen. The sketch needn't be of the whole animal, just the diagnostic features, if you wish. Write down which species you think it is (or species group in the case of P.nigra/tenuis). Also write down why you believe it to be this species (your 'diagnosis'), with arrows pointing to the relevant bits if you feel it necessary to do so. Complete exercise 1 in the space below or use the template appended to the introductory leaflet. Mark = / 5 Module 2: Version 1, April 2007 (Richard Chadd) Page 5 of 41 SECTION 1: CONTINUED There are 16 species of leech known to be resident in British freshwaters. Like the triclads, this is not an especially scary number to deal with. Unlike the triclads, however, some of them are not especially easy. The five species in F: Erpobdellidae can be tricky, so are not covered in this module (but will be in Module 3). On the other hand, the members of F: Glossiphoniidae (especially the common ones) are really very easy to recognise. There is only one species in F: Piscicolidae, so identify the family and you've got the species. Which leaves two species of F: Hirudinidae, which are also pretty straightforward. As with triclads, start with the eyes. Count them and note the arrangement. • Eight eyes in four ranks of two, arranged so that a line through them makes a double chevron (like a Citröen badge) is an erpobdellid. Note the family and stop. • Eight in a ring around the head is one of two hirudinids. • Six or eight eyes in two (roughly) parallel lines down the middle is one of five glossiphoniids. In this arrangement, only Theromyzon tessulatum (O.F. Müller) has eight eyes. • Four eyes is Piscicola geometra (Linn.) if they are in a square pattern, or Hemiclepsis marginata (O.F. Müller) (F: Glossiphoniidae) if the front two are closer together than the rear two • Two eyes is one of two glossiphoniids. Now look at the colour (this may change on preserved material, so be careful). • Hirudinidae: Hirudo has two big red lines on the dorsal surface (it's also a Red Data/BAP species, so a "yahoo!" moment if you find it!), Haemopis is uniform grey/black. • Six-eyed glossiphoniid: Glossiphonia heteroclita (Linn.) is bright amber or pinkish - almost invisible on a white background (and the front pair of its six eyes are closer together than the other four). Is it firm, like a wine gum, or soft and squashy, like a jelly tot? This may be easier to tell in a live specimen • A firm beast, with six eyes, is G.complanata (Linn.). The remaining two squashy glossiphoniids require examination for papillae on the dorsal surface (this will be covered in Module 3). N.B. Theromyzon is also squashy. Does it have a callosity, like a tiny, hard 'plate' just behind the two eyes? • Yes? It's Helobdella stagnalis (Linn.). Module 2: Version 1, April 2007 (Richard Chadd) Page 6 of 41 SECTION 1: CONTINUED In the four glossiphoniids with six eyes, the eyes may (rarely) be fused, and there is also a rare 2-eyed species - Haementeria costata (Fr. Müller) - so be careful! Module 2: Version 1, April 2007 (Richard Chadd) Page 7 of 41 EXERCISE 2: IDENTIFY A LEECH This mandatory exercise is worth 5 points. Find a leech of any family except Erpobdellidae. In the space below, either attach a photograph (more than one, if necessary) or make a sketch of your specimen. The sketch needn't be of the whole animal, just the diagnostic features, if you wish. Write down which species you think it is. Also write down why you believe it to be this species (your 'diagnosis'), with arrows pointing to the relevant bits if you feel it necessary. Complete exercise 2 in the space below or use the template appended to the introductory leaflet Mark = / 5 Module 2: Version 1, April 2007 (Richard Chadd) Page 8 of 41 SECTION 1: CONTINUED There are over 40 species of gastropod mollusc in fresh or brackish waters in Britain.