Slide 1

Bridging the Watershed An Outreach Program of the Alice Ferguson Foundation in Partnership with the National Park Service and Area Schools Water Canaries Assessing Benthic Macroinvertebrates Slide 2 Slide 3 Macroinvertebrate Identification Worksheet Specimen # _____ Characteristics Body shape_________________ Legs ______________________ Tail _______________________ Other features _______________ Sketch Slide 4 Consider the following when trying to identify an organism Slide 5 Six true legs plus lateral filaments Six segmented legs More than six legs Prolegs Legs Slide 6 Tails Two tails Featherlike tails No tail or tiny tail Tail-like projection Slide 7 Details to notice: gills Abdominal gills Abdominal filamentous gills Internal gills Slide 8 Practice ID Visible Gills? Legs? Number? Length? Placement? Details? Antennae? Eyes? Wings? Tail? Slide 9 You will be shown pictures/drawings of 15 different types of organisms. Each slide will be visible for 2 minutes. Use your worksheet to draw each specimen. Begin with basic body shape and most important details. If there is more than one image on a slide, choose one to draw. Each organism or set of organisms represents one category that corresponds to the data sheet you will use in your field study. Directions Slide 10 Specimen 1 Slide 11 Specimen 2 Slide 12 Specimen 3 Slide 13 Specimen 4 Slide 14 Specimen 5 Slide 15 Specimen 6 Slide 16 Specimen 7 Slide 17 Specimen 8 Slide 18 Specimen 9 Slide 19 Specimen 10 Slide 20 Specimen 11 Slide 21 Specimen 12 Slide 22 Specimen 13 Slide 23 Specimen 14 Slide 24 Specimen 15 Slide 25 End of Drawing Activity Use your drawings and reference material to identify your organisms. Slide 26 Benthic macroinvertebrates can be classified according to their sensitivity to pollutants. Slide 27 Sensitive Mayfly larvae Stone Fly larvae Most caddisfly larvae Beetles (adults and larvae) Slide 28 Somewhat Sensitive Dragonfly and damselfly larvae Netspinner caddisfly larvae Crayfish Gilled snails Aquatic sowbugs Scuds Clams and mussels True fly larvae Hellgrammites, Fishfly and Alderfly larvae Slide 29 Tolerant Lunged snails Black fly larvae Midge larvae Aquatic worms Flatworms Leeches Slide 30 THE END