Field Guide

Aquatic Invertebrates

Showing 1 - 9 of 9 results
Photo of a painted devil crayfish standing on a sandy substrate
Painted Devil Crayfish
Lacunicambarus ludovicianus (syn. Cambarus ludovicianus)
The painted devil crayfish is a burrowing lowland species. In Missouri, it is known from only a few locations in the Bootheel. Its overall color is olive green to blue, with reddish and cream markings.
Photo of a belted crayfish, also called Big River crayfish.
Belted Crayfish (Big River Crayfish)
Faxonius harrisonii (formerly Orconectes harrisonii)
The belted crayfish is medium-small, tan, with a distinctive pattern of alternating olive-green and reddish-brown bands on the abdominal segments. It is found only in the Big River and its tributaries.
Photo of a ringed crayfish.
Ringed Crayfish
Faxonius neglectus (formerly Orconectes neglectus)
The ringed crayfish is olive green to reddish tan and usually has black or brown rings around the pincer tips. In Missouri it is found in clear, rocky Ozark streams in the southwestern quarter.
Photo of a golden crayfish viewed through the surface of creek water.
Golden Crayfish
Faxonius luteus (formerly Orconectes luteus)
The golden crayfish varies in color from olive green to golden yellow. Many body parts are trimmed with red. A dark band crosses the head just in front of the cervical groove, and another crosses the carapace at its junction with the abdomen. It's a wide-ranging species.
Photo of a northern, also called virile, crayfish.
Virile Crayfish (Northern Crayfish)
Faxonius virilis (formerly Oronectes virilis)
The virile crayfish is large, reddish brown or green, and lacks prominent markings. The pincers are green with orange tips and are studded with whitish knobs. Paired dark blotches run along the abdomen. This species is widespread.
Photo of a spothanded crayfish viewed through creekwater.
Spothanded Crayfish
Faxonius punctimanus (formerly Orconectes punctimanus)
The spothanded crayfish is moderately large and usually has a noticeable black spot on each pincer near the base of the movable finger. In Missouri, it is found mostly in Ozark waterways in the southeastern quarter of the state, from Callaway, Montgomery, and Warren counties south.
pond mussel
Freshwater Mussels
Bivalve molluscs in order Unionoida
Secretive and seldom seen, freshwater mussels are extraordinarily diverse in Missouri. We have nearly 70 species within our borders. Many are declining, and several are endangered.
Photo of backswimmer, side view
Backswimmers
About 32 North American species in the family Notonectidae
Sometimes called “water bees” or “water wasps,” backswimmers are predaceous and can deliver a painful bite if mishandled. True to their name, they swim belly-up, and their backs are keeled like a boat, which makes back-swimming easier.
Red midge fly larva, side view, in a petri dish
Midge Fly Larvae
Nearly 1,100 species in North America
Midge larvae look something like thin aquatic inchworms. They can be clear, whitish, olive, tan, or bright red. They occur in a variety of aquatic habitats. As adults, they resemble mosquitoes but they never bite.
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About Aquatic Invertebrates in Missouri

Missouri's streams, lakes, and other aquatic habitats hold thousands of kinds of invertebrates — worms, freshwater mussels, snails, crayfish, insects, and other animals without backbones. These creatures are vital links in the aquatic food chain, and their presence and numbers tell us a lot about water quality.