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Leaf Litter Invertebrate Online Key
Home
Key
Taxonomic Group
Annelida
Acari
Araneae
Auchenorrhyncha
Chilopoda
Coleoptera
Collembola
Diplopoda
Diptera
Gastropoda
Heteroptera
Hymenoptera
Isopoda
Lepidoptera
Neuroptera
Orthoptera
Opiliones
Protura
Psuedoscorpionida
Psocoptera
Sternorrhyncha
Symphyla
Thysanoptera
Insect Larvae
Leaf Litter Invertebrate Online Key
Home
Key
Taxonomic Group
Annelida
Acari
Araneae
Auchenorrhyncha
Chilopoda
Coleoptera
Collembola
Diplopoda
Diptera
Gastropoda
Heteroptera
Hymenoptera
Isopoda
Lepidoptera
Neuroptera
Orthoptera
Opiliones
Protura
Psuedoscorpionida
Psocoptera
Sternorrhyncha
Symphyla
Thysanoptera
Insect Larvae
More
Home
Key
Taxonomic Group
Annelida
Acari
Araneae
Auchenorrhyncha
Chilopoda
Coleoptera
Collembola
Diplopoda
Diptera
Gastropoda
Heteroptera
Hymenoptera
Isopoda
Lepidoptera
Neuroptera
Orthoptera
Opiliones
Protura
Psuedoscorpionida
Psocoptera
Sternorrhyncha
Symphyla
Thysanoptera
Insect Larvae
Insect Larvae and
Look-alikes
Insect Larvae
Coleoptera larvae
Almost always have a well-developed head capsule
Antennae have 2-4 segments
3 pairs of thoracic true (jointed) legs only with 4-5 segments
No legs on abdomen
Lepidoptera larvae
Almost always have a well-developed head capsule
Antennae short with 3 segments
3 pairs of thoracic true (jointed) legs and one or more pairs of short, fleshy abdominal prolegs
Teeth-like, mandibular mouthparts for chewing
Diptera larvae
Many do not have distinct heads (maggots) but a few species do have distinct or reduced heads
Segmented legs are absent on thorax
Sometimes fleshy prolegs or other appendages are present on the first thoracic segment and/or last abdominal segment
Neuroptera larvae
Sickle-like jaws (pincers) extending from the head
Rounded body
Chewing mouthparts
Look-alikes (not insects!)
Annelida
Long, cylindrical body that is composed of segments
No appendages like legs or antennae
Chilopoda
One pair of legs per body segment
Relatively flat body shape
Diplopoda
Two pairs of legs per body segment
Rounded body shape
Symphla
Whitish and slender
1-8 mm in length
10-12 pairs of legs in adults while immatures have fewer
Antennae are slender with many segments
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