Vermont rivers/River sites/French Hill Brook.htm

These are common macroinvertebrates identified from samples from French Hill Brook, Johnson, Vermont.

Capnia
ORDER: Plecoptera FAMILY: Capniidae GENUS: Capnia

Capnia stoneflies have hind wing pads that are are broad as they are long. An important distinction of the Capniidae family is the membranous pleural folds that run down the posterior abdomen segments 1-9. These look like two lines running parallel down the back of the abdomen.

Capnia are distinguished by femurs and tibia of forelegs with less than 20 fine hairs and no dorsal femoral fringe hairs.

[[Media:Capnia.jpg]]

Nemocapnia
ORDER: Plecoptera

FAMILY: Capniidae

GENUS: Nemocapnia

Capniidae stoneflies have hind wing pads that are are broad as they are long. An important distinction of the Capniidae family is the membranous pleural folds that run down the posterior abdomen segments 1-9. These look like two lines running parallel down the back of the abdomen.

There are about 15 cercal (or "tail") segments on Nemocapnia stoneflies. There are multiple long, fine hairs on these segments, forming a "vertical fringe," which are absent on the basal 5 or 6 segments (closest to the abdomen).

Chimarra
ORDER: Trichoptera FAMILY: Philopotamidae GENUS: Chimarra

Chimarra are distinguished from the other Philopotamidae by a prominent asymmetrical notch in the frontoclypeus as well as a prominent process on the femora which bears a single hair (seta).

[[Media:Chimarra.jpg]]

Heptagenia
ORDER: Ephemeroptera FAMILY: Heptageniidae GENUS: Heptagenia

Heptagenia are easily characterized by their flat head. The claws have just one basal tooth and no denticles (serrated edges). The gill on abdominal segment 7 has multiple fibrils at is base (thread-like structures) and has a single tooth on its claws but is smooth otherwise. Gills on segment 7 are similar to those on all other segments, but may be smaller in size.

[[Media:Hepta.jpg]]

Baetis
ORDER: Ephemeroptera FAMILY: Baetidae GENUS: Baetis

This mayfly has three "tails" and a unique head shape. Its gills are oval shaped and insert dorsally. More mature nymphs have long, dark wing pads. SMC

[[Media:Baetis.jpg]]