THE XERCES SOCIETY FOR INVERTEBRATE CONSERVATION

Aquatic Invertebrates in Pacific Northwest Freshwater Wetlands
An Identification Guide and Educational Resource
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  Identify taxaJointed legsSix legs

 

Odonata
(dragonflies and damselflies) have mask-like, toothed, extensible mouthpart held close to the underside of the head; have either short spikes or flat gills at the tip of the abdomen, but no long tails.

  Aeshna
       

 

 Coleoptera
(beetles)
A diverse group; larvae and adults may be present in samples. Beetle larvae may be hard bodied, soft bodied with filaments on the abdomen, or white, legless grubs. Forewings of adults are modified into hard shield-like structures (elytra) that meet at the midline of the body but do not cross over each other.		   curculionidae
       
 

Hemiptera
(true bugs)
Includes water striders, backswimmers, water boatmen, and water scorpions. Straw-like or triangular piercing mouthpart. Nymphs look similar to adults, except wings are not fully formed (wingpads may be visible). Wings of adults cross over each other like scissors, are held flush against the body; tough and leathery at base and membranous at tips.

  pleidae
       
  Ephemeroptera
(mayflies) - usually have three tail-like cerci, but may have two; always have leaf-like gills on their abdomen and only one claw at the tip of each leg		  
       
  Trichoptera
(caddisflies) - often inhabit cases made of rock or plant material; soft-bodied with a hard head and legs, and usually hard plates on the thorax; hooks or small prolegs at the tip of the abdomen. 		 
       
  Collembola
(springtails) - sometimes colorful (purple, yellow, red); often with hinged extension at the tip of the abdomen or with a bulbous tube between the last pair of legs; not truly aquatic but fairly commonly collected.		  
       
  Megaloptera
(alderflies) - often large with conspicuous jaws; hard plates cover the top of the thoracic segments; long single gills on either side of each abdominal segment; abdomen ends in a single point or a pair of small legs 		  sialidae
       
  Not common in wetlands
Includes plecoptera (stoneflies) and lepidoptera (aquatic moths) 		  capniidaechloroperlidaepeltoperlidae
       
 
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