Skip to main content
Guide to New Zealand's freshwater invertebrates
Green stonefly
(
Eustheniidae
: Stenoperla
)
Diagnostic features
Stenoperla stonefly nymphs are usually strongly green coloured, and they have pale tentacle-like gills along the sides of the abdomen unlike any other New Zealand stoneflies.
Typical habitats
Stenoperla nymphs are most common in unmodified, bush covered, cold water, stony bottom streams.
Feeding
Large nymphs are known to be predators of other stream invertebrates, but small nymphs may feed on a range of streambed detritus.
Indicator value
Stenoperla nymphs are an indication of good habitat and water quality conditions, especially if other mayfly or stonefly groups are abundant. They have tolerance values of 10 (hard bottom sites) and 9.1 (soft bottom sites).
