What is Macroinvertebrates.org?

Updated

Macroinvertebrates.org is a web-based identification and teaching resource for freshwater macroinvertebrates—the insects, worms, leeches, and other organisms used in biological monitoring of streams and rivers. It is built around a browsable taxonomic collection and an identification key, with supporting training materials, a glossary, practice quizzes, and a companion PocketMacros app. It is most useful if you need to identify aquatic macroinvertebrate specimens, teach others how to do so, or prepare for water-quality biomonitoring work.

What the site covers

The collection is organized taxonomically rather than by region or habitat type. From the navigation you can move through:

  • Insect Order View — a browse path starting at the order level
  • Full Collection View and Full Taxa List — complete listings of what is included
  • Identification Key — a structured key for working toward an identification
  • Phyla Index — an entry point organized by phylum

The taxa shown span both insects and non-insects. Examples from the site's listings include:

Group Examples listed
Annelida (segmented worms) class Hirudinea "Leeches," order Rhynchobdellida, family Glossiphoniidae, genus Placobdella
Arthropoda class Collembola "Semi-aquatic Springtails," order Poduromorpha, family Poduridae, genus Podura
Insecta — Coleoptera adult beetles (Dryopidae, Dytiscidae, Elmidae, Gyrinidae, Haliplidae, Hydrophilidae) and larval beetles (including Psephenidae, Ptilodactylidae)
Insecta — Diptera true flies such as Chironomidae, Simuliidae, Tipulidae, Culicidae, Ephydridae, and others
Insecta — Ephemeroptera mayflies including Baetidae, Ephemerellidae, Heptageniidae, Isonychiidae, Leptophlebiidae, and others

Each entry is navigable down through phylum, class, order, family, and genus, so you can drill from a broad group to a specific genus (for example, Stenelmis under Elmidae, or Baetis under Baetidae).

Supporting resources

Beyond the collection itself, the site groups a set of resources under Resources and Help:

  • Training Materials — instructional content for learning identification
  • Practice Quiz — self-testing on taxa
  • Glossary — terminology used in the key and taxon pages
  • Quick Start Guide and Video Tutorial — orientation for new users
  • FAQs and Report Site Issues — support and feedback
  • PocketMacros App — a mobile companion for use in the field
  • Project and Blog — background on the project and updates

Who it is for

This resource fits three main audiences:

  1. Biomonitoring and water-quality practitioners who need to identify macroinvertebrate samples as part of stream or river assessment.
  2. Students and educators in freshwater ecology, entomology, or environmental science who need a reference collection and practice tools.
  3. Citizen-science and volunteer monitoring groups that want a structured key plus training materials and a field app.

How to start using it

  1. Open the site and choose an entry point: Insect Order View if you know the order, Identification Key if you are working from a specimen, or Phyla Index for a broader browse.
  2. Navigate down the taxonomic levels (phylum → class → order → family → genus) to reach the taxon you are considering.
  3. Cross-check unfamiliar terms in the Glossary.
  4. Test your recognition with the Practice Quiz.
  5. If you are new to the site, read the Quick Start Guide or watch the Video Tutorial first, and use PocketMacros if you need the reference in the field.

One practical note: because the site is organized taxonomically, it helps to have at least a rough idea of the group you are looking at (for example, "this is a mayfly" or "this is a beetle larva") before browsing. If you are starting from a completely unknown specimen, the Identification Key is the more appropriate entry point than the collection views.