Water Quality Part 1

Mayflies, caddisflies, stonefly, dobson fly, gilled snails, water penny, riffle beetle, and water scorpion

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

• 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.

• 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

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

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

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

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

• 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

Aquatic sowbug, damselfly, dragonfly, scuds, crane fly

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

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

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

Calcium and nutrient - rich water clear of sediments and pollution

Eaten by fish, mainly trout

Molt regularly throughout life

Omnivorous - eat mostly decaying matter

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

Water mite, midge, blackfly, flatworm, and leeches

Open, clean water, sometimes in pool bottoms

Attacks fish and other animals

Complete metamorphosis

Carnivorous - bloodsucker

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

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

Indicate poor water quality

Eaten by many fish

Hermaphroditic - reproduce through penis fencing

Carnivorous - usually parasitic

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

Air breathing snail, deer fly, horse fly, tubifex, blood midge

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

Eaten by wasps, hornets, dragonflies, and killdeer

smaller than horse flies

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

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

• 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)

Whirligig Beetle (coleoptera), Water Strider, Mosquito, Giant Water Bug, Back Swimmer, Water Boatman, Predacious Diving Beetle

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

• 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

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

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

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

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

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