Code QP049999

This family of stoneflies (Plecoptera) occurs in Australia, South America, South Africa, Madagascar and New Zealand. The adults lack crossveins in the distal portion of the wings. The larvae lack external abdominal gills. They inhabit various types of running water from thin water films on rock faces to silty and gravely sections of streams, and occur from south-eastern Queensland to Tasmania.

Identification of larvae to family level can be based on the complete absence of external gills. Gills always are present in the other families, although the beaded anal gills of Austroperlidae may be hidden under segment 10 and difficult to see. If gill absence cannot be clearly established, Notonemouridae are distinguished from Austroperlidae by having abdominal segments 2-9 clearly divided into tergite and sternite, rather than having the last few segments fused into complete rings.

References:

Hynes, N.B.N. (1978) An annotated key to the nymphs of the stoneflies (Plecoptera) of the State of Victoria. Australian Society for Limnology Special Publication 2. p. 64.

Hynes, N.B.N. (1989) Tasmanian Plecoptera. Australian Society for Limnology Special Publication 8 . p. 81.

Michaelis, F.B. and Yule, C. (1988) Plecoptera. pp. 133-176. In: Houston, W.W.K. (ed.) Zoological Catalogue of Australia , Volume 6. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Theischinger, G. (1991) Plecoptera. pp. 311-319. In: CSIRO, Insects of Australia. Volume 1. Melbourne University Press, Carlton, Victoria.