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NOTES ON SPECIES (HABITATS, HABITS AND ANY THING
INTERESTING)
CHECKLIST OF NZ PLECOPTERA
Prepared by Ian McLellan, Westport – updated June 2003
There are 104 described species and a number still to be described. The total will be
over 110 and may be as high as 130. All genera and species are endemic to New
Zealand apart from the genus Notonemoura, which is shared with Australia although
the species are endemic to each country.
SUBORDER ANTARCTOPERLARIA Zwick, 1973
FAMILY AUSTROPERLIDAE Tillyard, 1921
Genus Austroperla Needham, 1905
Austroperla cyrene (Newman) 1845: Austroperla cyrene (Newman, 1845)
Common name is black stonefly. Well known to anglers. A successful colonizer
(even able to exist in the saltwater wedge of estuaries) as a shredder, collector,
browser utilising decaying wood, leaves and their saprophytic fungi, fine organic
particles, stone surface organic layers, algae and even dead insects. Hydrogen cyanide
found in its body tissues makes it unpalatable and this defence is backed up by
warning coloration in adults. Two other stonefly species mimic its coloration so much
that collectors have labelled them as A. cyrene.
FAMILY EUSTHENIIDAE Tillyard, 1921
Genus Stenoperla McLachlan, 1866
Stenoperla helsoni McLellan, 1996 (males short winged)
Stenoperla hendersoni McLellan, 1996
Stenoperla maclellani Zwick, 1979
Stenoperla prasina (Newman, 1845)
Common name for all species is Large Green Stonefly. Well known to anglers.
Early instar nymphs of S. prasina feeed on diatoms and algae but later become
carnivorous feeding mainly on the nymphs of mayflies, Deleatidiurn,
Coloburiscus, Ameletopsis, and Oniscigaster, but also prey upon
blepharicerids, chironomids, other small stoneflies, fish eggs and even upon their own
species. Nymphs come out at night and actively hunt the substratum. They will not eat
dead food, but must have living prey, which is killed and devoured on the spot
(Helson 1934, Winterbourn 1974). Sometimes found in the saltwater wedge of
estuaries.
FAMILY GRIPOPTERYGIDAE Enderlein, 1909
The anal gill rosette is probably the most outstanding feature of
gripopterygid and Zelandobius nymphs. Megaleptoperla nymphs pulsate the rosette
by retracting and extending it rhythmically and increase the beat as the level of
dissolved oxygen drops. Zelandobius larvae waggle the abdomen from
side to side with the rosette extended and again a drop in oxygen content
results in an increased speed of waggle. These two methods of creating a greater flow
of water across the gills has probably arisen during an ancestral sojourn in warmer or
still waters. Other gripopterygids don’t have such respiratory behaviour but are able to
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retract the rosette under unfavourable conditions (McLellan 1975).
Subfamily Zelandoperlinae McLellan 1977
Tribe Zelandoperlini McLellan 1977
Genus Zelandoperla Tillyard, 1923
There are obvious biotype associations for some New Zealand species of stoneflies.
For example, Zelandoperla agnetis and Zelandobius confusus are associated with
stony streams that carry little suspended material in flood, however they are replaced
by Zelandoperla decorata and Zelandobius furcillatus when the amount of suspended
material increases.
Zelandoperla agnetis McLellan, 1967
Zelandoperla decorata Tillyard, 1923
Zelandoperla denticulata McLellan, 1967
Zelandoperla fenestrata Tillyard, 1923
Zelandoperla pennulata McLellan, 1967 (micropterous)
Zelandoperla tillyardi McLellan 1999. This is one of the species which mimics
Austroperla cyrene in colour.
Genus Rungaperla McLellan, 1977.Endemic to Campbell 1sland
Rungaperla campbelli (Illies, 1963) (apterous)
Terrestrial under stones and on rocks far from water. The larvae consequently have
reduced gills.
Rungaperla longicauda (Illies, 1963) (apterous) The larva of this species was
described by Illies (1963); the adults remain unknown. The larva lives in streams; a
well-developed gill tuft proves that it is fully adapted to aquatic respiration.
Tribe Megaleptoperlini McLellan 1977
Genus Megaleptoperla Tillyard, 1923
In Megaleptoperla the eggs are mature at the end of the larval existence; therefore,
eggs are laid a few days after they emerge.
Nymphs have pulsating gills.
Megaleptoperla diminuta Kimmins, 1938. Inhabits vegetation in running
water but in the south of the South Island it is also found in stony streams. It is
possible that the southern ones are a new species.
Megaleptoperla grandis (Hudson, 1913). Nymphs live among the boulders and stones
of swift flowing streams.
Tribe Acroperlini McLellan 1977
Genus Acroperla McLellan, 1977
Acroperla flavescens (Kimmins), 1938. The colour in this yellow species leaches out
in ethanol and is lost in pinned material, leaving it a uniform light brown.
Acroperla christinae McLellan 1998. The bright green of this species leaches out in
ethanol and is lost in pinned material, leaving it a uniform light brown.
Acroperla spiniger (Tillyard, 1923)
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Acroperla samueli McLellan, 1977 Colour may be brown and grey to green. The
holotype was obviously a brown and grey stonefly verified from the photograph
I took of it on the surface of a tarn. The other specimens I had previously collected in
the Buller River apart from a green female and nymph were not green. The specimens
from O'Conors Creek were probably brown because I am sure at that time such an
unknown animal as a green gripopterygid would not have passed unnoticed. The
green specimens I collected from the Cropp River were quite outstanding in life but
the green disappeared after a few days in ethanol. At first I thought I was dealing with
a new species but after examining and comparing them against the others I
could find no difference apart from colour. There are no records of the colour of
specimens not collected by me. This difference in colour may be caused by
diet, as Farrow (1975) quoted here for the Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes
terminifera), "Food quality affects overall size and general coloration, thus succulent
vegetation causes size increases and green coloration while in dry vegetation, size
declines and brown coloration predominates."
Acroperla trivacuata (Tillyard, 1923) HABITATS: This species has adjusted the
timing of its univoltine life cycle to take advantage of the rich food source available in
flood swept detritus under the stones of stream flood plains. During autumn early
instar nymphs are found in the water but later when moist conditions and lower
temperatures occur they move out, for the remainder of their larval existence, into
their now more suitable terrestrial habitat. There adults emerge in spring and early
summer. From then until autumn no nymphs are found so it is thought that the eggs
remain in quiescence until the temperature falls to the required level. A. trivacuata
does not move as far out on the flood plain as the other winged species Nesoperla
fulvescens.
A. trivacuata is usually associated with stony streams. In Northland, it lives in such
streams, but in the vicinity of Rawene and Kaikohe Trevor Crosby and I found
nymphs in watercress, milfoil, and rushes, either under water or out in vegetation. in
permanent water drainage ditches.
In New Zealand, stoneflies are not considered lake dwellers, but this supposition has
arisen from lack of observation, for I have found A. trivacuata at Lake Brunner, on
the shoreline in the splash zone under stones out of water. Brian Patrick (pers. comm.)
on A. trivacuata at islands in Lake Wakatipu, stated: "The Pigeon Island and Pig
Island stoneflies were definitely breeding in a sheltered part of the lake shore.
Nymphs common under stones in shallow water. There are no streams on either
island." Peter Johns notes on his collection
label: "nymphs, Bobs Cove, L. Wakatipu, under stones at mid to top of beach in
debris (leaves etc)."
Frequently I have collected adults when whitebaiting at Martins Island in the estuary
of the Buller River well within the influence of the salt water wedge. At Sandhill
Creek in North-west Nelson, Ian Townsend and I collected nymphs at spring
tide level under stones out of water, and at Tauranga
Bay Stream near Westport I found nymphs at spring tide level in a stream a few
centimetres deep at low tide. I have had similar experiences with the antarctoperlinid
Zelandobius furcillatus, the eustheniid Stenoperla prasina, and the austroperlid
Austroperla cyrene but have no idea whether the nymphs of these species have some
tolerance of the salt water of the wedge or move during tidal inflow to the fresh water
above it.
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It appears that these common species adapt well to different aquatic habitats, and this
is probably the reason why it is so widespread through New Zealand
Genus Apteryoperla Wisely 1953 (all spp. Apterous)
All of the gripopterygid species described here are wingless and terrestrial or semiterrestrial apart from A. illiesi.
Prior to Kimmins’ (1938) pioneer work on the genitalia of some New Zealand
stoneflies, the systematics of our stoneflies was still dependent on wing venation,
making it difficult to assign apterous species to genera. The usual course of action
was to consign them to Apteryoperla which was raised by Wisely (1953) for the two
apterous species A. monticola and A. angularis. Illies (1963) placed Apteryoperla
campbelli and Apteryoperla longicauda from Campbell Island and Apteryoperla
turbotti from Auckland Islands in the genus and in 1974, A. kuscheli from Auckland
Islands. McLellan (1977) described four species, which he placed in Apteryoperla. Now
that the genitalia of the majority of our species have been described it is possible to assign
apterous species to genera by comparing their genitalia with that in available generic
diagnoses. However, there is still work to be done in rectifying these misplacements. So far
McLellan (1977) has removed A. angularis to Holcoperla, the Campbell Island species to
Rungaperla and placed kuscheli in Aucklandobius Enderlein 1909, which contains the
other species from Auckland Islands.
Apteryoperla monticola Wisely, 1953
Apteryoperla illiesi McLellan, 1977
Apteryoperla nancyae McLellan, 1977
Apteryoperla ramsayi McLellan, 1977
Apteryoperla tillyardi McLellan, 1977
Apteryoperla lakiula McLellan, 2003
Genus Aucklandobius Enderlein 1909
All are endemic to the Auckland Islands.
Aucklandobius complementarius Enderlein 1909 The larvae inhabit streams
Aucklandobius gressitti Illies, 1963 (apterous). The larvae inhabit streams.
Aucklandobius kuscheli (Illies, 1974) (apterous) The species is recorded from high
elevations far from any watercourses. The larvae are terrestrial.
Aucklandobius turbotti (Illies, 1963) (apterous) The larvae are terrestrial
Genus Holcoperla McLellan, 1977. Alpine stoneflies. All apterous with terrestrial
nymphs.
Holcoperla angularis (Wisely, 1953)
Holcoperla jacksoni McLellan, 1977
Holcoperla magna McLellan 1983
Genus Nesoperla Tillyard, 1923
Nesoperla fulvescens Tillyard, 1923. Micropterous to apterous in North Island alpine
zone. Fully winged elsewhere and restricted to lower altitudes. Nymphs of winged
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populations on the 2 main New Zealand islands take advantage of the rich food source
available in flood swept detritus under the stones of stream flood plains. During
autumn early instar nymphs are found in the water but later when moist conditions
and lower temperatures occur they move out into their now more suitable terrestrial
habitat for the remainder of their larval existence. This is made possible by the
univoltine life cycle of these species which is as follows. The adults emerge in spring
and early summer and from then until autumn no nymphs are found so it is thought
that the eggs remain in quiescence until the temperature falls to the required
level. I have found nymphs some considerable distance from running water up to 400
metres in the bywash channels of Ananui Ck above Ananui (Nile or Metro) Caves in
the Buller District.
Nesoperla johnsi McLellan, 1977 (micropterous). Found in Penguin Creek and Koho
Stream on The Snares. The female has sternite 8 produced posteriorly to a point,
forming a rudimentary ovipositor with a short and raised sternite 9.
Nesoperla patricki McLellan, 2003. Apterous. HABITAT: Brian Patrick states,
“Adults have been swept from copper tussock (Chionochloa rubra cuprea) in addition
to being found deep in these large tussocks where they live amongst the stems and
leaf litter.”
Genus Rakiuraperla McLellan, 1977
Rakiuraperla nudipes McLellan 1977 (apterous)
Stewart Island endemic species This alpine species is found at higher altitudes in the
north but at lower altitudes in the south of the island, because of the lowering of alpine zone
with increasing latitude and harsher climate. Peter Johns (Canterbury University) collected
specimens around Port Pegasus at about 47º 10’S.There he found the type material of adults
and nymphs under exfoliate granite debris on Bald Cone at 250-270m, on Magog (Fig. 2) at
150-300m, and later nymphs on Hielanman Top at 50m. Willie Kuschel and later Brian
Patrick and Eric Edwards found nymphs of this species, at 600m at 46º 57’S, on Mt Rakeahua
They are completely wingless and terrestrial with short antennae and very short palps
and cerci. Oddly the adults have no empodia between the tarsal claws a feature found only in
one other stonefly in the world, the gripopterygid, Andiperla willinki found in glaciers in the
southern Andes. Both are alpine and the lack of empodia and shortness of the other
appendages would be an advantage in helping to conserve heat during winter weather.
Genus Taraperla McLellan, 1998
Early instar nymphs either with a pair of long
upcurved spines postero-laterally on each posterior
angle of the pronotum and antero-laterally on each
side of the other nota; body and legs covered with
long hairs. Or with nota greatly flanged laterally and
body and legs without hairs. Both juvenile forms
have abdominal segment 10 elongated and subanal
lobes tongue-shaped.
Taraperla ancilis (Harding and Chadderton)1995
Taraperla howesi (Tillyard) 1923 BIOLOGICAL NOTES: Most of the spiny, hairy, early
instars seen were found while Prof. Bob Pilgrim was
searching for mecopteran larvae in the bottoms of
pools in small zero or first order streams with a
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substrate of predominantly fine material (sand and
silt) containing organic debris. Those collected by
Dr Guillermo Kuschel were found in a similar habitat.
The one I found was under moss on a soft
mudstone surface, and Dr John Ward noted that his
was found in rotten wood. Later instar nymphs are terrestrial living under stones out
in the floodplains of streams
Taraperla pseudocyrene McLellan 1998. Adults have such a similar colour pattern to
Austroperla cyrene that some of the material handed to me had been labelled as
such. The wings look black when folded, and the forewings are white at the base. The
body and legs are black apart from the tibiae which have a medial bright yellow bar.
Two other gripopterygids which have a similar resemblance to A. cyrene, It is not
known if these species use their conspicuous black, white, and yellow pattern
as a warning of unpalatability like Austroperla cyrene or if they are just mimics.
Taraperla johnsi McLellan, 2003 (apterous). Nymphs semi-terrestrial. Adults swept
from a mixture of copper tussock (Chionochloa rubra cuprea) /Hebe odora grassland
/ shrubland. They have a ventral colour pattern which is unusual in most stoneflies,
although Vesicaperla species have one. It is possible that such a pattern acts as
camouflage in a terrestrial habit.
Subfamily Antarctoperlinae Enderlein 1909
Genus Vesicaperla McLellan, 1967
Apterous apart from Vesicaperla townsendi which has minute vestigial wingflaps.
Terrestrial with a ventral colour pattern which is unusual in stoneflies. The females of
V. substirpes and V. celmisia and V. trilinea have ovipositors but the remaining
species do not. They are the only New Zealand antarctoperlines with ovipositors.
Only two other gripopterygids have such a prolongation of the subgenital plate
(Nesoperla johnsi The Snares, NZ and Teutoperla auberti from Chile).
Vesicaperla dugdalei McLellan, 1977.
Vesicaperla eylesi McLellan, 1977.
Vesicaperla kuscheli McLellan, 1977.
Vesicaperla substirpes McLellan, 1967 (apterous). HABITAT:The first specimen, a
female, was found in a patch of boulders at
3,600ft, 22/xii/64. Further searching during that season failed to produce more
specimens. On 30/x/65, 37 nymphs were collected. The first specimen was found
beneath a stone at 3,400ft; the second was collected from beneath a decaying
celmisia at 3,600ft, and the remainder were discovered beneath the bones of a
deer (Ceruus elaphus) at 3,40qft in a mixture of decaying vegetation and what
remained of the deer after two years weathering. The above record would indicate
that the habitat is most likely in decaying vegetation-a radical departure from the
known habitats of wingless stoneflies.
The climate of the area' is consistent with that of areas where apterous terrestrial
stoneflies have previously been found (Wisely, 1953; and Illies, 1963b). Annual
precipitation is high (approximately 200 inches, estimated from Forest Service
records for Reefton ) and snowfalls and frosts occur for six-seven months of the
year.
Twenty nymphs were reared in a glass container partly filled with the decaying
vegetation in which they were found. To keep the temperature as near as possible
to that of their habitat the container was packed in ice.
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The nymphs were sluggish and remained in the same position for some time,
usually with the mid part of the abdomen against the substrate, the hind end
raised and the cerci wide apart. When disturbed both nymphs and imagines would
extend antennae and forelegs forward and remaining legs and cerci rearwards, thus
making them difficult to be seen in the vegetation. If touched or if the vegetation
was moved they would frequently drop and remain extended or assume a relaxed
pose for some time. Imagines varied this by scuttling rapidly for cover.
On no occasion were nymphs seen in the water which collected in the bottom
of the container. Because of the difficulty of observation without disturbance,
nymphs and imagines were not observed feeding. The gut contents of nymphs
preserved in the field consisted of shreds of tracheophyte material mixed with fungal
hyphae and spores.
Vesicaperla townsendi McLellan, 1977 (minute vestigial wings)
Vesicaperla celmisia McLellan, 2003. HABITAT AND FOOD: Brian Patrick (pers.
comm.) states, “The nymphs of this species from Gem Lake,
Umbrella Mts, were exceedingly common at 1300 m, under stones in a damp
depression, and amongst the leaf litter-debris at the bases of Celmisia haastii on
which they were feeding. In captivity they fed on Muehlenbeckia and lettuce. I kept
them for 6 weeks but no adults emerged. The Old Man Mountains specimens were
also found amongst Celmisia haastii.”
Vesicaperla trilinea McLellan, 2003 (apterous) The nymphs of this species were
found in Celmisia plants.
Genus Zelandobius Tillyard, 1921
Confusus Group
Zelandobius alatus McLellan, 1993
Zelandobius albofasciatus McLellan, 1993
Zelandobius brevicauda McLellan, 1977 (apterous)
Zelandobius childi McLellan, 1993
Zelandobius confusus Tillyard, 1923
Zelandobius cordatus McLellan, 1993
Zelandobius dugdalei McLellan, 1993
Zelandobius foxi McLellan, 1993
Zelandobius gibbsi McLellan, 1993
Zelandobius illiesi McLellan 1969. Nymphs
live in small forest streams where dead terrestrial vegetation covers the
substrate of sand, mud and stones. Here they are found mainly
on the fronds of a tree fern Cyathea smithii.
Zelandobius inversus McLellan, 1993
Zelandobius jacksoni McLellan, 1993
Zelandobius kuscheli McLellan, 1993
Zelandobius macburneyi McLellan, 1993
Zelandobius mariae McLellan, 1993
Zelandobius montanus McLellan, 1993
Zelandobius ngaire McLellan, 1993
Zelandobius patricki McLellan, 1993
Zelandobius peglegensis McLellan, 1993
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Zelandobius takahe McLellan, 1993
Zelandobius wardi McLellan, 1993. Is restricted to Banks Peninsula
(MC). It has a number of similar features to macburneyi and foxi, and these seem to
be sister species. Z. wardi probably stems from stock of their common ancestor,
isolated on the peninsula during the Pleistocene. It may have evolved in the same way
that Dumbleton (1963) postulated for the blepharicerid fly Neocurupira chi/toni.
He considered that during the Pleistocene its ancestor was carried by wind drift from
the Southern Alps, over the unsuitable habitat of the developing Canterbury Plains to
the ancient volcanic hills of the peninsula. The sister species of this blepharicerid
lives in the Southern Alps.
Furcillatus Group
Zelandobius auratus McLellan, 1993
Zelandobius furcillatus Tillyard, 1923. The nymphs waggle the abdomen from
side to side with the anal gill rosette extended and a drop in oxygen content
results in an increased speed of waggle. See a video on:
http://www.waitakere.govt.nz/AbtCit/ei/EcoWtr/macroinv/images/zelandobius.jpg
Sometimes found in the saltwater wedge of estuaries.
Zelandobius pilosus Death, 1990
Zelandobius truncus McLellan, 1993
Zelandobius unicolor Tillyard, 1923. Yellow-winged.
Zelandobius uniramus McLellan, 1993. No fork in Rs of wings.
SUBORDER ARCTOPERLARIA Zwick, 1973
FAMILY NOTONEMOURIDAE
Austrocercella Group
Genus Spaniocerca Tillyard, 1923
Spaniocerca acuta McLellan, 1991 S. acuta is closely related to S .longicauda.
Spaniocerca bicornuta McLellan, 1987 This species inhabits steep stony streams and
the adults emerge during all months of the year.
Spaniocerca hamishi McLellan 2000
Spaniocerca longicauda McLellan, 1977 The nymphs of S. longicauda inhabit steep,
stony streams, usually in forest.
Spaniocerca minor Kimmins, 1938 S. minor is found in alpine seepages and water
films associated with small waterfalls.
Spaniocerca zelandica Tillyard, 1923 This species inhabits a variety of running
water habitats ranging from streams, seepages and small rivers in forest and
grassland, in both alpine and lowland regions. Winterbourn (2005) found high
proportions of S. zelandica adults and nymphs examined from Middle Bush Stream
at Cass were infected by the encysted larvae of a gordian worm (Nematomorpha) and
may be important vectors in its life cycle.
Spaniocerca zwicki McLellan, 1991 S. zwicki has been found in stony
streams in forest.
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Genus Otehiwi McLellan, 2003
Otehiwi sagittarius McLellan, 2003
Notonemoura Group
Genus Halticoperla McLellan and Winterbourn, 1968
Nymphs live in seepages, swift shallow water and beneath damp stones associated
with springs or the edges of torrents. Unlike the nymphs of most New Zealand
stoneflies, they run rapidly for cover when disturbed and are reminiscent of many
N.Z. Leptophlebiid mayfly larvae in this respect. Nymphs have been observed resting
on damp stones up to a foot above the water surface but when disturbed (e.g., by a
shadow passing over them) they immediately move down into the water. Adults use
their long hind legs to leap away from danger and usually take wing in mid leap.
Their agility and alertness is most
unusual in N.Z. Plecoptera although generally the Notonemourinae are more alert
and agile than representatives of other families.
The females of this genus have long almost U-shaped ovipositors. So far they have
not been observed ovipositing but the ovipositor shape and wide tip seem to be the
right shape for egg laying under objects.
Halticoperla gibbsi McLellan, 1991
Halticoperla tara McLellan, 1991
Halticoperla viridans McLellan and Winterbourn, 1968
Genus Notonemoura Tillyard, 1923
Notonemoura alisteri McLellan, 1968 Habitat. N. alisteri is found in seepages,
usually from springs, in rain forest up to the subalpine zone, where it is
replaced by N. latipennis.
Notonemoura hendersoni McLellan 2000
Notonemoura latipennis Tillyard, 1923 (has winged or micropterous populations)
Habitat. Nymphs of N. latipennis are found in alpine and
subalpine zones where seepages from bogs or streams form
thin films of water over the substrate, in shallow bog pools
with a water flow, and in steep outflow streams from bogs.
With the heavy spines on their legs they are well equipped
to maintain station in quite swift currents. The active adults
detect movement well with their large eyes, and like Halticoperla
use their long hind legs to launch into flight.
Notonemoura spinosa McLellan, 1991
Notonemoura winstanleyi McLellan, 1991 Habitat. The habitat of N. winstanleyi is
similar to that of the type species, but this stonefly appears to range from
lowlands into the alpine zone.
Spaniocercoides Group
Genus Cristaperla McLellan, 1972
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The nymphs of this genus live in fine sediment of small forest streams. Their hairiness
is similar to that of other stoneflies which inhabit mud, e.g. the South American
gripopterygid Pelurgoperla personata Illies 1963.
Cristaperla eylesi McLellan, 1991
Cristaperla fimbria (Winterbourn, 1965) Winterbourn (2005) found high proportions
of adults examined from Middle Bush Stream at Cass were infected by the encysted
larvae of a gordian worm (Nematomorpha) and may be important vectors in its life
cycle.
Cristaperla waharoa McLellan 1991
Genus Omanuperla McLellan, 1972
The nymphs of this genus are unknown despite much searching.They probably inhabit
the hyporheic zone.
Omanuperla bruningi McLellan, 1972
Omanuperla hollowayae McLellan, 1991
Genus Spaniocercoides Kimmins 1938
Spaniocercoides cowleyi (Winterbourn, 1965) Nymphs of this species inhabit
The hyporheos of stony streams. They are rarely found unless specialised collecting
methods are used, or when adults are emerging. Even at the peak of emergence few
are found. Therefore passage to the surface must occur immediately before ecdysis.
Spaniocercoides foxi McLellan, 1984
Habitat. Adults and nymphs of S. foxi were found in and around streams draining
alpine bogs. Despite intensive searching only two nymphs have been found. It is more
than likely that they inhabit hypogean or hyporheic habitats.
Spaniocercoides howesi McLellan, 1984
An alpine species inhabiting seepages and small streams.It is possible that the early
instars of this species inhabit hypogean or hyporheic habitats.
Spaniocercoides hudsoni Kimmins, 1938
The nymph of this species was not found until 2000 when Ian Henderson collected
the first in the substrate of a sphagnum bog. This habitat was very different from the
habitat where most adults were caught. This is a small, very stable stream, under thick
forest canopy, stony with liverworts but with extensive areas of seepage flowing
through gravel and sand into it. There is more than a possibility that the nymphs live
in the sand and gravel of these seepages just as the larvae of the dragonfly Uropetala
do.
Spaniocercoides jacksoni McLellan, 1991
The nymph of this species is unknown.
Spaniocercoides philpotti Winterbourn, 1965
This species inhabits small wooded or weedy streams and seepages up to 1100m. It is
abundant in streams of the Coal Plateau north of Westport. Unlike other species in the
genus the nymphs live on the substrate and vegetation.
Spaniocercoides townsendi McLellan, 1984
The nymph of this species is unknown.
Spaniocercoides watti McLellan, 1984
Rarely collected (lack of collector effort strangely is common near centres of greatest
population). The material available for me to describe the species, including types,
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consists of 5 females and one nymph (see database). After I had seen the above
material I visited the
localities in September 1982 and searched every conceivable habitat, apart from the
hyporeos, but did not find nymphs or adults. The nymph habitat may be in the
hyporeos. This is supported by the fact that the only known larva is one ready to
emerge.
Add to References
MICHAEL J. WINTERBOURN, 2005: Dispersal,
feeding and parasitism of adult
stoneflies (Plecoptera) at a New Zealand forest stream. Aquatic Insects 27(3):
155 – 166
Add to database
Spaniocercoides watti, 3f, WO, trib of Kiripaka Stm, S14 919 775, 100m, 20 Oct
1998, BJS.