Download Phylum Annelida

Wetlands, Invertebrates and
Waterfowl
What’s the Connection?
Phylum Annelida
Leech
Segmented Worms
Fireworm
Christmas tree worm
Bloodworms
Annelid Characteristics

Segmentation
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both internal and
external
Allows for
specialization
Phylum Annelida
Segmented Worms
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Two classes are important in
freshwater:

Oligochaeta (worms)

Hirudinea (leaches)
One class important in marine
environment

Polychaeta (polychaets)

Important for waterfowl feeding
in estuaries and marine waters
Class Oligochaeta
(few hairs)


Probably
descended
from marine
polychaet
Either
terrestrial,
freshwater, or
wetlands
Oligochaet Diversity
Ecology and Distribution

Many species are cosmopolitan or very widespread

However, some species have very limited distribution

Biogeography of species has not been well studied


Some may have naturally wide ranges

Others may be introductions similar to the zebra mussel or
asiatic clam or water hyacinth
Ecology of worm communities is not well understood
Class Hirudinea
(Greek for leech)
no setae


Freshwater,
terrestrial, or
wetlands
Have suckers
(anterior and/or
posterior)
 some are
predators
 some are
facultative
parasites
 some eat
organic
material
Class Hirudinea
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69 species are known from North America
Most are not parasitic
Majority are predators feeding on invertebrates
Most are freshwater
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a few are marine
a few live in very moist terrestrial habitats
Most abundant in northern regions, i.e., MN,
WS, etc.
Class Hirudinea

Parasitic species

Are sanguivorous (feeding on blood); are temporary parasites (i.e., take
a blood meal then leave host)


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Feed on the blood of:
 fish
 turtles
 amphibians
 birds
 humans and other mammals
Three or more blood meals are required before reaching maturity
Non-parasitic species

Function is similar to earthworms, i.e. feed on detritus
Phylum Arthropoda
Introduction
Arthropoda
General Characteristics

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Age of Arthropods
Largest phylum of animals
Over 900,000 species described
Includes:

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spiders, scorpions, mites, ticks } mostly terrestrial
insects, millipedes, centipedes } mostly terrestrial
crabs, shrimp, lobsters, crayfishes } mostly marine
Very adaptive - found in virtually every habitat
WHY ARTHROPODS ARE
SO SUCCESSFUL?

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Versatile exoskeleton
Specialization of appendages
Air piped to cells directly

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Insects
Highly developed sensory organs
Complex behavior patterns
Reduced competition through metamorphosis

Insects and marine crustaceans
Phylum Arthropoda
Higher Classification

Living Subphyla:

Chelicerata- arachnids and their relatives

Crustacea- crayfish, shrimp, crabs, etc.

Uniramia- millipedes, centipedes, insects
Subphylum Crustacea

Approximately 35,000 species worldwide

13 orders found in U.S.

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Only 5 are strictly freshwater
Includes 1200 freshwater species
Subphylum Crustacea
Class Branchiopoda
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very primitive crustaceans
No specialized respiratory
structures- use legs
Most are filter feeders
Most are microscopic
Many live in temporary
aquatic habitats, i.e.,
wetlands
Class Branchiopoda

Divided into 4 orders:

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Anostraca; fairy shrimp
Notostraca; tadpole shrimp
Conchostraca; clam shrimp
Cladocera; water fleas;
Order Anostraca
fairy shrimp


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Elongated, somewhat
cylindrical, separated
from other
branchiopods by not
having a carapace
Have a pair of
compound stalked
eyes and single
eyespot
Fairy shrimp range
from 5-100 mm in
length
Order Anostraca
fairy shrimp

Each segment with a pair of appendages which function for
 Locomotion
 Food gathering
 Respiration
Order Anostraca
Life History

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Are dioecious with internal fertilization
Males usually less abundant than females
Are distributed locally and sporadically
Inhabit temporary ponds or pools
(wetlands)
Presence of adults is very seasonal
Generation time is very short

usually about 3 weeks or as long as 24 weeks
Order Notostraca
tadpole shrimp

Have a large rounded
carapace that covers the
head and thorax

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separates it from other
orders in class
Segments or “body rings”
have more than one pair of
appendages, unique to this
group
May have from 35 to 70
pairs of appendages
depending on species
Order Notostraca
tadpole shrimp

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Inhabit temporary pools in western U.S.
Not good swimmers so creep and burrow into
substrate
Eggs maintained by females in ovisacs attached
to 11th segment
Feed on microorganisms and detritus
Order Conchostraca
clam shrimp

Order Conchostraca
Characterized by a
clam shrimp
bivalve shell- actually the
carapace that is folded


Has growth lines, each
indicating a single
ecdysis or molt
Body divided into 2
regions: head and
trunk
Order Conchostraca
clam shrimp


Are free swimming, living near
bottom of lakes, ponds and
temporary ponds or pools
Have very spotty distribution
and are extremely seasonal,
but are widespread

Are filter feeders feeding on
microorganisms and detritus

Females deposits eggs into
brood chamber

When she molts eggs
remain in exuvium and fall
to bottom where they
hatch
Order Cladocera
water fleas


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More than half of the 800
living species of
branchiopods are
cladocerans
Most closely related to
conchostracans; share a
bivalve carapace
Size ranges from 0.2 to
3.0 mm
Order Cladocera
water fleas

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All have a distinct head and a
bivalve carapace
Have a single sessile
compound eye and a smaller
ocellus
Order Cladocera
water fleas

Body divided
into head,
thorax and
abdomen
Order Cladocera
water fleas

Most cladocerans also exhibit daily vertical
migration

Live in deep waters during the day

Migrate to shallow waters at night

It is usually related to food gathering
Subphylum Crustacea
Class Maxillopoda


Important component of
the zooplankton of
freshwaters and marine
waters of the world
have no abdominal
appendages
Includes organisms like:
copepods and fish lice
CLASS OSTRACODA
(seed shrimp)
CLASS OSTRACODA
(seed shrimp)

Bivalved carapace; range from 0.35-7.0 mm

Easily distinguished from Conchostraca by
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absence of growth lines on carapace
few appendages
About 2000 species about 1/3 are freshwater
Inhabit wide variety of habitats: lakes, swamps,
streams, caves, oceans, on crayfishes
CLASS OSTRACODA
(seed shrimp)

Ecology
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Very tolerant organisms to thermal and organic
pollution

Many can live in oxygen depleted waters for a period
of time

Eggs and last few larval stage may aestivate to
survive drying and freezing

Larvae may bury themselves in mud
Subphylum Crustacea
Class Malacostraca
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Largest and most
successful crustacean
class
Most are marine with
complicated life cycles
that include several larval
stages
Freshwater forms usually
have direct development
Isopods
Malacostracans
Amphipods
Decapods
Mysid Shrimp
Order Amphipoda
(Side Swimmers, Scuds)
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Are about 100 freshwater
species in North America
Unlike isopods there are
not terrestrial species
Live in lakes, ponds,
streams, springs and
subterranean waters
Usually found in clean
and unpolluted waters
Order Amphipoda
(Side Swimmers, Scuds)
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Range from 5-20 mm; are
laterally compressed
Like isopods the
cephalothorax is a
combination of head and
first thoracic segment
Compound eyes

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usually well developed and
sessile
in subterranean forms are
reduced or absent
Order Amphipoda
(Side Swimmers, Scuds)

Most commonly found in streams and lakes
where there is a lot of decaying vegetation

Skeletal decaying leaves

Can be found in very large numbers
ORDER ISOPODA
(Pill bugs or sow bugs)

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Are mainly terrestrial
(only crustacean group
with significant number of
terrestrial species) or
marine
Are about 80 freshwater
species in North America
Live primarily in springs,
streams subterranean
waters
ORDER ISOPODA
(Pill bugs or sow bugs)

Flattened dorsoventrally

Lack a carapace
ORDER ISOPODA
(Pill bugs or sow bugs)

Ecology
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Species usually reside in clean waters, feed on
decaying vegetation on the bottom
Some have been used as water quality
indicators; especially for organic pollution
Live in the same habitats as amphipods, also
can be found in large numbers
Order Decapoda

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Freshwater species
include crayfishes and
shrimp
Most are in more
permanent waters but
wetlands adjoining
permanent water will
have these species
More common species in
wetland areas are
burrowing crayfishes
ECOLOGICAL CATEGORIES
OF CRAYFISHES

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Epigean- surface water
species
 Lotic
 Lentic
Hypogean- subsurface
water species
 Burrowers
 Cave Dwellers
Orconectes juvenilis
Orconectes inermis
Cambarus deweesae
Phylum Arthropoda
Subphylum Uniramia
Subphylum Uniramia

Includes

Millipedes and Centipedes
Completely terrestrial
 Not important to waterfowl
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Insects
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Aquatic insects of greatest importance to waterfowl
Aquatic Insects
What’s an Aquatic Insect?

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Any insect that spends at least part of its life in water
In most aquatic insects that stage is the immature or
larval stage
Some aquatics live in water as adults, which is generally
the dispersal stage
Aquatic stages most important to waterfowl
Order Ephemeroptera
Mayflies
Ephemeroptera

2000 Species worldwide

568 North American
species

Primarily collectorgatherers

Extremely abundant in
lotic habitats, not so
much in lentic habitats
Order Odonata
Dragonflies and Damselflies
Unique Feature

Larvae of this order can
be separated from all
other insect orders by the
form of the labium

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It is developed into a
protractile organ which is
used for grasping living
prey;
They are strictly predators
as adults and larvae
Odonate Habitats

Most larvae develop in freshwater; a few are semiaquatic
and live in bogs; few live in brackish water;

Are found in all types of aquatic habitats- ranging from
ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, canals, roadside ditches

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Adults however are excellent fliers; some of the best in
the insect world (except for some Diptera and
Hymenoptera), and are often found miles from water
Larvae in lentic and wetland habitats probably most
important to waterfowl
Order Hemiptera
Bugs
Suborder Heteroptera

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Are known as "true bugs"
They can be separated from all
other insects on the basis of
their mouthparts
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they form a segmented beak
that is used for piercing
All aquatic species are
predators, except
waterboatmen are ooze
feeders
Both adults and immatures
found in water
Potentially very important to
waterfowl, i.e., common in
lentic habitats and wetlands
Suborder Heteroptera

In Kentucky 6 families are
totally aquatic; leaving the
water only to migrate:
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waterboatmen
giant water bugs
water scorpions
creeping water bugs
pygmy backswimmers
Backswimmers
Probably an important food
source for some diving ducks
Suborder Heteroptera

Remaining families considered
semiaquatic
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Five families live on the
surface film

Two families live at the
margins of streams and lakes
Order Trichoptera
Caddisflies
Trichoptera

Truly aquatic order

Adult terrestrial

Larvae aquatic
Trichoptera
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Larvae of caddisflies are
common in almost any
type of aquatic habitat;
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Many families within the
order are restricted to lotic
habitats,
But a large number have
adapted to the lentic
environment;
Some species live in
temporary streams or
ponds
Trichoptera
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The most interesting aspects
of caddisflies is construction of
the shelters by the larvae;
this is done with the use of
silk- caddisflies are among 6
orders of insects that are able
to produce silk
this also is the reason they
have received the attention
they have gotten; some of the
cases are of extraordinary
construction!!
Larvae are part of all trophic
levels in aquatic systems
Order Coleoptera
Aquatic Beetles
Coleoptera

Single largest order of
insects
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It includes about
400,000 described
species
Of these only about
5000 are aquatic in at
least part of their life
cycle
About 1000 species
are known from North
America
Coleoptera

Adults are aquatic

Larvae are aquatic
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Pupae are terrestrial
Coleoptera

Larvae
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Resemble caddisflies
or hellgrammites
Differ in anal prolegs,
and other features
Coleoptera

Biology and Ecology

Live in a wide spectrum of habitats including:

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springs, streams, ponds, lakes, brackish water, rocky seashores
Most aquatic beetles are substrate dwellers, but some are good
swimmers
Many species live in cracks and crevices or burrows and seldom
get into open water

Many species like to live among aquatic plants

Most species need to come to the surface for air

May be most vulnerable to waterfowl at this time
DIPTERA
TRUE FLIES
Diptera
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Contains the true
flies:
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Gnats
Mosquitoes
Midges
Horseflies
Blackflies
Craneflies, etc.
Diptera

In North America about
3500 species have been
described

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The group includes many
economically important
pests such as mosquitoes,
blackflies, horseflies,
sandflies, etc.
Are vectors of diseases
such as malaria, filariasis,
yellow fever, and
encephalitis
Diptera

Besides the pest species

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Dipterans constitute an
important ecological role
Many function as
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Decomposers,
Filter feeders
Detritus feeders
And generally act as
agents in the recycling of
nutrients
Often found in huge
numbers (1000s/m2)

Therefore may be an
important food source for
waterfowl

Adults

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The hindwings are
extremely reduced to
form club shaped
balancing structures
called halteres
The mouthparts are
modified for sucking or
lapping liquid; food
In many families the
mouthparts in at least
the females form a
piercing structure
Diptera
Diptera

Larvae

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Never possess true,
segmented legs;
They may have several
pairs of prolegs
GENERAL LIFE HISTORY
Female

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Male
Characteristically egg stage is
very brief (few days to 2
weeks)
3-4 (some have more) larval
instars; first 3 usually short in
relation to last
Pupa
Life Cycle
Pupal stage lasts 5-12 days
Adult stage lasts few days to
several months; females
generally live longer than
males
Eggs
Larva
Phylum Mollusca

Two important freshwater groups

Class Gastropoda – snails

Class Bivalvia – clams and mussels
Class Gastropoda
snails and slugs
Common Freshwater Gastropod
Families
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Pleuroceridae
Viviparidae
Physidae
Lymnaeidae
Planorbidae
Freshwater Bivalve Families

Unionidae – Freshwater
mussels

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The most important family
Contains about 300 North
American species
Sphaeriidae - fingernail
clams
Corbiculidae - asiatic clam
Dreissenidae- zebra
mussel
Why as a wildlife biologist is
it important to understand
these organisms?
Are they just food items?
Or do they give insight to
waterfowl species?
They can help answer questions
important questions

How do these birds feed?

Filter feeders?

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Special modifications of
bills?
Hunters?

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In the water column?
On the bottom?
What resources are
important to them?

Where do they feed?

When do they feed and
on what?

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Temporary waters?
Permanent waters?
Can help in management
decisions