Content tagged with "Aquatic Invertebrates"

Mayflies

There are hundreds of species in North America.

The mayflies are a fascinating group of insects. The nymphs live from months to years under water, breathing through gills, and the adults fly around in the air, mating, living for only a day or two.

Monkeyface

Quadrula metanevra

Finding the monkey’s face in this mussel's shell is left up to the imagination.

Mosquitoes

There are about 50 species of mosquitoes in our state.

Who likes mosquitoes? Certainly not people! However, mosquitoes have lived on Earth for millions of years, and all that time they’ve been feeding fish with their legions of “wriggler” larvae.

Mucket

Actinonaias ligamentina

One of the most widespread and numerous mussels in southern Missouri.

This small crayfish is a subdued mottled brown, with a prominent black band crossing the carapace near its junction with the abdomen. The body is stout, and the pincers are broad and powerful. It is found in the Neosho stream drainage of southwestern Missouri and northwestern Arkansas.

Ozark Crayfish

Orconectes ozarkae

This crayfish, found in the White and Black stream systems, is light brown to reddish-brown with numerous black specks on the pincers and often on the abdomen as well. The pincers are broad and powerful.