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Pollution sensitive organisms
Mayflies, caddisflies, stonefly, dobson fly, gilled snails, water penny, riffle beetle, and water scorpion
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Mayflies
Indicate clear water source
eaten by many kinds of fish
Incomplete Metamorphosis-Eggs are laid in water and sink to the bottom. Nymphs undergo several molts
- Omnivorous-Eat organic debris, such as plankton
- or diatoms.
usually has 3 tails
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- Different species indicate varying levels of
- pollution
Eaten by many kinds of fish
Complete Metamorphosis- Eggs are attached to submerged vegetation, worm-like, soft-bodied larvae enter pupae stage before becoming adults.
- Omnivorous- Larvae feed on algae, plant
- material, and animals, building nets to catch food
Adults live for a very short time.
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- Indicate fast-moving clean water with much
- oxygen
Eaten by many species of fish
Incomplete Metamorphosis-Eggs are laid on water and sink to the bottom. Nymphs have many molts
- Carnivorous, sometimes Omnivorous-eat algae,
- bacteria, and debris.
2 toes and 2 tails
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Only present in very clean environments; Intolerant of pollution
Eaten by many kinds of fish
complete metamorphosis
does not eat in its mature form. -Hellgrammites (dobsonfly larvae) consume aquatic insects.
Carnivorous, larva attracted to light
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Cannot tolerate pollution as they need oxygen rich water
May be eaten by fish, ducks, and leeches
Lay eggs in a jelly clump under rocks and leaves, may live 2-5 years
Feeds on algae
- Only count live ones when monitoring water
- quality
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Indicate much oxygen and fast-moving waters
Eaten by freshwater trout and some insects
- Complete Metamorphosis-Eggs are laid on
- undersides of stones. Larvae resemble encrustations on rock
Herbivorous-eat plant debris and algae
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clean, oxygen rich, fast-moving bodies of water
Eaten by many kinds of fish
- Complete Metamorphosis- Eggs are laid underwater
- on plant material
Herbivorous-Eat plant material and diatoms
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- Indicate slow moving bodies of water. Usually
- found in areas with little vegetation
Prey on invertebrates
- Eggs are laid above the waterline in mud or
- decomposing plants. Different species have different ways of supplying air. Go
- through many molts
- Carnivorous- eat mostly invertebrates, some
- small fish or tadpoles
Also known as Nepidae. Not actually scorpions
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Moderately Sensative Organisms
Aquatic sowbug, damselfly, dragonfly, scuds, crane fly
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Can cope with organic waste, indicating streams recovering from sewage pollution
Consume dead and decaying material. Eaten by many vertebrates and invertebrates
Grow throughout entire lives, shedding exoskeletons often immature sowbugs look very similar to mature one, the main difference being the size
Omnivorous- bottom feeder that consumes dead animal matter and decaying plants
Also known as isopods
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Indicate slow moving water, such as streams, ponds, or lakes.
Molt several times before reaching their adult, winged stage
Carnivorous - immature Damselflies feed on daphnia, mosquito larvae, and other small aquatic organisms. As adults, they feed on mosquitoes, flies, and other small insects
Damselflies leave wings parallel to body when at rest
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Indicate slow moving water, such as streams, ponds, or lakes
Once they reach adulthood, they can travel extremely fast
Carnivorous - immature dragonflies feed on daphnia, mosquito larvae, and other small aquatic organisms. As adults, they feed on mosquitoes, flies, and other small insects.
Wings perpendicular to body when at rest
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Calcium and nutrient - rich water clear of sediments and pollution
Eaten by fish, mainly trout
Molt regularly throughout life
Omnivorous - eat mostly decaying matter
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Indicate very clean water
Clean up lakes and ponds
Complete metamorphosis - wormlike, thick, brownish larvae. Adults resemble large mosquitoes with larger bodies, but are harmless
Omnivorous - eat plants and debris, and occasionally small insects
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Moderately tolerant organisms
Water mite, midge, blackfly, flatworm, and leeches
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Open, clean water, sometimes in pool bottoms
Attacks fish and other animals
Complete metamorphosis
Carnivorous - bloodsucker
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Indicate poor water quality and are tolerant of pollution
Complete metamorphosis - larvae are very small, wormlike, and green, gold, brown, tan, or black. Adults resemble small mosquitoes. Males have fuzzy antennae
Omnivorous - eat algae, debris, and insect larvae
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Indicate swift-flowing water and too many nutrients
Complete metamorphosis - larvae are small, wormlike, and bulbous at one end. When out of water, they fold themselves in half while wiggling; color varies from green, brown, gray, but usually black; length up to 1/3 inch. Adults inflict painful bites on warm-blooded animals
Omnivorous - eat organic debris and blood
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Indicate poor water quality
Eaten by many fish
Hermaphroditic - reproduce through penis fencing
Carnivorous - usually parasitic
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Indicate running water of very poor quality
Hermaphroditic - reproduce by reciprocal fertilization. Worm-like; flattened lengthwise and possess a sucker at each end
Omnivorous - feed on blood and decaying matter
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Pollution tolerant organisms
Air breathing snail, deer fly, horse fly, tubifex, blood midge
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Nutrient enriched conditions and poor water quality
Preyed upon by fish, birds, and some turtles
Opening on left side of shell, brown, gray or black, often with algae growing on the shell
Omnivorous - eat algae, other aquatic plants, and sometimes dead animals
Length is up to 1/2 inch
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Eaten by wasps, hornets, dragonflies, and killdeer
smaller than horse flies
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Usually found in flow-moving waters
Larvae are found in ponds, marshes, and the riparian zone of streams. Female adults consume blood. Active in daytime. Adults are found near freshwater. They live in the water or in moist areas
Complete metamorphosis. Adults lay eggs on vegetation above the water surface
Predatory, eating other insects, and even small fish and amphibians. They eat by sucking out fluids and organs of their prey. Males eat nectar. Females feed on blood after mating
Short antennae, uniform wings
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Found in stagnant water with soft mud bottoms. High number indicate very poor water quality
Inhabit sediments in lakes, rivers, and sewer lines, - detritivores. used for fish food and also eaten by bottom-feeding fish, insects, leeches, and crustaceans
Hermaphroditic. Produce egg cases called cocoons
Feed on decaying organic matter, detritus, and vegetable matter
Polluted and oxygen deprived water
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- low-oxygen, nutrient rich water- indicate poor
- water quality
- Larvae and pupae eaten by insects and fish.
- Adults eaten by bats, birds, and other insects. Larvae clean up the environment
- Larvae hatch in ten days from eggs laid on
- plants. After weeks or months of feeding, they pupate
- Larvae primarily feed on algae and other organic
- debris. Adults usually do not feed.
- larvae live where there is little oxygen (the
- hypolinmion)
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Air Breathing Organisms
Whirligig Beetle (coleoptera), Water Strider, Mosquito, Giant Water Bug, Back Swimmer, Water Boatman, Predacious Diving Beetle
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Air Breathing Organisms
Large numbers indicate moderate water quality
- larger beetles and fish will eat
- whirligig beetles, which prey on small organisms -swim at the surface
complete metamorphosis
- Larvae but prey on smaller insects. Adults
- scavenge for floating materials and eat other aquatic insects
sensitive antennae
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Whirligig Beetle (coleoptera)
- Large numbers can indicate moderate, or slightly
- polluted water quality.
- eaten by some birds and fish
- -When there is no competition, they often live in large groups
- Eggs are deposited underwater. Maturation rate is
- highly correlated to water temperature
- aquatic predators that feed mostly on
- insects and spiders
- -The water strider sucks out the fluids from
- its prey.
freshwater
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Not a good water quality, their larvae are only found in stagnant water
Found near standing water or moist soil, common and disease-spreading pests, larvae are eaten by species of fish and dragonfly nymphs
Eggs are laid individually or in rafts in the water or in an area that will be flooded
Larvae are collector-filterers of algae, bacteria, fungi and protozoa, some eat other mosquito larvae, adult males feed on nectar
Eradication wouldn't have major ecological consequences
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Prefer clear water with aquatic vegetation, adults spend winter in mud at bottom of pool
Found in freshwater pongs and streams with slow moving water, ambush predators, top of aquatic insect food chain
Eggs are laid in summer males take care of eggs, nymphs hatch and molt 5 times
Larvae eat small aquatic invertebrates, adults prey on insects, salamanders, tadpoles, and small fish
Out of preys' insides
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Wide range of water quality conditions, can indicate polluted water
Live in still water/slower parts of streams, often rest on plants, even in benthic (deep) zone, are predators but are eaten by predatious fish
Elongated white eggs, nymphs hatch, adults appear
Nymphs eat small insects, sometimes cannibalizing, adults eat other insects, crustaceans, snails, fish, and tadpoles
Swim upside down near surface
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Wide range of pollution-tolerance, some are highly tolerant of water pollution
Usually primary consumers, some predatory, eaten by fish and predacious water insects, live in bottom of stagnant waters
Eggs attach to aquatic vegetation, breathe through sin first, then use trapped air
Feed on aquatic plants and algae, liquefying their food, some predatory, feed on detritus
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Good water quality, breathe underwater
Breathe with a bubble they dive down with spiracles on abdomen, eaten by birds, mammals, fish
Eggs laid in water or on aquatic vegetation
Larvae and adults are predators, eat tadpoles and glassworm, found in standing water
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