Peltoperlidae
Roach-like Stoneflies
C. Riley NelsonThis tree diagram shows the relationships between several groups of organisms.
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close boxIntroduction
Peltoperlidae is one of the smallest families of Plecoptera with approximately 50 species divided between the nearctic, palearctic, and oriental regions. The nymphs are very distinctive in being "roach-like" in appearance. They often occur in very shallow flowing water, such as seeps on rock faces, but are also represented in a wide variety of small streams and rivers. The adutls are recognizable in the field as having small heads when compared to other Systellognathan stoneflies such as perlids.
Characteristics
Synapomorphies for Peltoperlidae: 1, body stout, head prognathous, cockroach-like nymphal body form; 2, male cercal segments fused; 3, nymphal coxae with flap-like lobe.
References
Claassen, P. W. 1931. Plecoptera nymphs of America (north of Mexico). Thomas Say Found., Entomol. Soc. Amer. 3: 1-199.
Stark, B. P. and K. W. Stewart. 1981. The nearctic genera of Peltoperlidae (Plecoptera). J. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 54: 285-311.
Zwick, P. 1973. Insecta: Plecoptera. Phylogenetisches System und Katalog. Das Tierreich 94. Walter de Gruyter and Co., Berlin. 465 pp.
About This Page
C. Riley Nelson
Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
Page copyright © 1996
All Rights Reserved.
Citing this page:
Nelson, C. Riley. 1996. Peltoperlidae. Roach-like Stoneflies. Version 01 January 1996 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Peltoperlidae/13950/1996.01.01 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/