Aquatic Macroinvertebrates and Related Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering the aquatic macroinvertebrates and flatworm anatomy terms listed in the lecture notes.

Mayfly

Aquatic insect (order Ephemeroptera); nymphs with three tail filaments and gills along the abdomen; very sensitive to pollution—presence indicates high water quality.

Caddisfly

Insect (order Trichoptera); larvae build protective cases from sand, sticks, or leaves; good indicators of clean, well-oxygenated streams.

Stonefly

Insect (order Plecoptera); nymphs have two tails and two wing pads; among the most pollution-intolerant aquatic insects.

Dobsonfly

Large insect (order Megaloptera); aquatic larvae called hellgrammites are fierce predators and require high dissolved oxygen.

Gilled Snails

Aquatic gastropods that breathe with gills; usually require cold, well-oxygenated water; shell opening typically on the right (dextral).

Water Penny

Flattened, round larva of a beetle (family Psephenidae) that clings to rocks in fast water; strong indicator of excellent water quality.

Riffle Beetle

Small beetle (family Elmidae); both adults and larvae live in flowing water and obtain oxygen through cuticle—sign of good stream health.

Water Scorpion

Aquatic true bug (family Nepidae) with raptorial front legs and a long caudal breathing tube; ambush predator in slow ponds or marshes.

Aquatic Sowbug

Flattened freshwater isopod crustacean (order Isopoda); scavenger moderately tolerant of organic pollution.

Damselfly

Slender odonate (suborder Zygoptera); nymphs possess three leaf-like caudal gills; predators that prefer still or slow waters.

Dragonfly

Robust odonate (suborder Anisoptera); nymphs have internal rectal gills and an extendable lower jaw (labium) used to capture prey.

Scuds

Side-swimming freshwater amphipods (order Amphipoda); laterally compressed bodies, important detritivores and prey items.

Crane Fly

Insect (family Tipulidae); large, worm-like larvae that often burrow in sediment; generally tolerant of low oxygen levels.

Water Mite

Tiny aquatic arachnid (order Hydrachnidia); often bright red or orange; larvae parasitic on insects, adults predatory.

Midge

Non-biting fly (family Chironomidae); worm-like larvae, sometimes red (‘bloodworms’) thanks to hemoglobin that lets them live in low-oxygen habitats.

Black Fly

Small, biting fly (family Simuliidae); filter-feeding, cone-shaped larvae attach to rocks in fast water and need high dissolved oxygen.

Flatworm

Soft-bodied invertebrate (phylum Platyhelminthes, class Turbellaria); flattened shape, simple eyespots, often predatory in streams.

Leeches

Segmented annelids (subclass Hirudinea) with anterior and posterior suckers; some parasitic, others predatory or detritivorous.

Air Breathing Snail

Pulmonate freshwater snail that surfaces to gulp air into a lung-like cavity; more tolerant of warm, low-oxygen water.

Deer Fly

Biting fly (genus Chrysops, family Tabanidae); aquatic larvae in marshy or bog habitats; adults feed on mammal blood.

Horse Fly

Large biting fly (family Tabanidae); aquatic or semi-aquatic larvae are predatory; females are persistent blood feeders.

Tubifex

Sludge or tubificid worm (family Tubificidae); red due to hemoglobin; thrives in organically enriched, low-oxygen sediments.

Blood Midge

Chironomid midge larva rich in hemoglobin (often bright red), enabling survival in oxygen-poor environments.

Whirligig Beetle

Surface-swimming beetle (family Gyrinidae) that spins in circles; eyes divided for simultaneous above- and below-water vision.

Water Strider

Insect (family Gerridae) that skates on water surface using hydrophobic legs; predatory on insects that fall onto the water.

Mosquito

Fly (family Culicidae); aquatic larvae (wigglers) hang from surface via breathing siphon; adults can transmit diseases.

Giant Water Bug

Large predatory true bug (family Belostomatidae); front legs modified for grasping prey; males often carry eggs on their back.

Back Swimmer

True bug (family Notonectidae) that swims upside-down with oar-like hind legs; painful bite; predator of other insects and tadpoles.

Water Boatman

Aquatic true bug (family Corixidae); swims right-side up, scoop-shaped forelegs scrape algae; more tolerant of pollution.

Predacious Diving Beetle

Beetle (family Dytiscidae); streamlined, air-carrying adults and ‘water tiger’ larvae are active predators in ponds and streams.

Brain (Flatworm)

Concentration of nerve cells at the anterior end of a flatworm, coordinating sensory input and movement.

Eye (Flatworm)

Simple eyespot that detects light intensity and direction, helping the flatworm orient away from bright light.

Sensory Lobe

Anterior projection on some flatworms containing sensory cells for detecting chemicals and touch.

Ventrolateral Nerve

Pair of longitudinal nerve cords running along the lower sides of a flatworm, carrying signals from the brain to the body.

Intestine (Flatworm)

Highly branched digestive cavity that distributes nutrients throughout the body since flatworms lack a circulatory system.

Mouth (Flatworm)

Single opening on the ventral surface through which the flatworm ingests food and expels waste.

Pharynx (Flatworm)

Muscular, extendable tube used by flatworms to suck in food particles into the digestive tract.