order
                        
                      
                                    Coleoptera
                                       “Adult Beetles”
                                  
                                    Coleoptera
                                       “Larval Beetles”
                                  
                                    Diptera
                                       “True Flies”
                                  
                                    Ephemeroptera
                                       “Mayflies”
                                  
                                    Hemiptera
                                       “True Bugs”
                                  
                                    Lepidoptera
                                       “Aquatic Caterpillars, Snout Moths”
                                  
                                    Megaloptera
                                       “Alderflies, Dobsonflies, and Fishflies”
                                  
                                    Odonata
                                       “Dragonflies and Damselflies”
                                  
                                    Plecoptera
                                       “Stoneflies”
                                  
                                    Trichoptera
                                       “Caddisflies”
                                 family
                        
                     Elmidae
               
            Microcylloepus
            
                  “Riffle Beetle Larvae”
               
      Genus Overview
                  
               
                        6 species in North America.  A small riffle beetle associate with springs, even warm springs from out West. 
                  
               Characteristics
                  
               POLLUTION TOLERANCE
                        Southeast: 2.1 and higher
                                 Upper Midwest: 3 and higher
                              0 = least tolerant, 10 = most tolerant
                        FEEDING HABITS
                        
                                 Collector / Gatherer
Scraper / Grazer
Shredder / Herbivore
                        
                     Scraper / Grazer
Shredder / Herbivore
MOVEMENT
                        
                                 Burrower
Climber
Clinger
                        
                     Climber
Clinger
DISTRIBUTION
                        
                                 Widespread (east of the Rocky Mtns.)
                        
                     HABITAT
                        
                                 Lotic-depositional
Lotic-erosional
                        
                     Lotic-erosional
Diagnostic Characters
               order
                         
                                       
                                       
                                    Eye Spots
                                  
                                       
                                       
                                    Lateral Gills USUALLY Absent
                                  
                                       
                                       
                                    USUALLY 4-5-Segmented Legs
                                 family
                         
                                       
                                       
                                    Brown, Sclerotized, Spindle-Shaped Body
                                  
                                       
                                       
                                    Operculum
                                 
                  + Expanded Character List
                  
                     
               
            
                        Order:
                           Larvae: Usually without lateral abdominal gills. If gills present, then 4 hooks clustered on segment 10. Thoracic legs each usually with 4 or 5 segments and with 1 or 2 claws; if without legs, head distinctly sclerotized and posterior body (thorax and abdomen) simple, without gills, hair brushes, suckers, or breathing tube. Eye spots usually present, but compound eyes absent.
                     
                     
                        Family:
                           Labrum and clypeus separated by distinct suture. Antennae 2–3 segmented. Head with ocelli in groups of 5. Legs adapted for walking, sometimes small, each 3–4 segmented and with single claw. Thoracic tergites clearly defined. Abdomen 9-segmented, ventral gills absent from segments 1–8. Segment 9 (posterior-most segment) with ventral lid-like flap (operculum) concealing thread-like gills and pair of hooks. Body strongly sclerotized (hardened), dark brown or red-brown, roughly cylindrical or spindle-shaped, with head and legs visible in dorsal view.
                     
                     
                        Genus:
                           Posterior sternum of the prothorax sclerotized.
Anterior margin of head without distinct tooth.
                  Anterior margin of head without distinct tooth.
 
                   
            Dorsal
               Ventral
               


