Identification and Ecology of Australian Freshwater Invertebrates

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Major Group Identification

There are 21 major groups. A "major group" may be at any taxonomic level above order i.e. phylum, subphylum, class or subclass.

Click start identification to begin identifying your animal with the Key to Major Groups.

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Click on an image below of a known major group to go directly to that group.

Ephemeroptera (mayflies)

Insecta
(insects)

Malacostraca (yabbies plus)

Crustacea
(crustaceans)

Basommatophora

Gastropoda
(snails)

Unionoida

Bivalvia
(mussels)

Hydracarina (water mites)

Acarina
(mites)

Oligochaeta
(worms)

Arhynchobdella

Hirudinea
(leeches)

Symphypleona

Collembola
(springtails)

Tricladida

Platyhelminthes
(flat worms)

Nemertea
(proboscis worms)

Nematoda
(round worms)

Nematomorpha
(horsehair worms)

Hydrozoa

Cnidaria
(hydra, jellyfish)

Bryozoa
(moss animalcules)

Porifera
(sponges)

Polychaeta
(bristle worms)

Rotifera
(wheel animalcules)

Protozoa
(protozoans)

Tardigrada
(moss bears)

Aphanoneura
(aphanoneurans)

Gastrotrichia
(gastrotrichs)

Information Sources: Williams 1980, Hawking & Smith 1997

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