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Guide to New Zealand's freshwater invertebrates
Pelecorhynchid flies
(
Pelecorhynchidae
: Pelecorhynchidae
)
Diagnostic features
The pelecorhynchids are among the rarely recorded fly families in New Zealand. Their larvae are long and slender with a smooth and shiny appearance, no prolegs and no visible head. They could be mistaken for eriopterini cranefly larvae but pelecorhynchids have no swollen abdominal segment and no spiracular disc.
Typical habitats
Pelecorhynchid larvae are usually found in fast-flowing, hard bottom, mountain or hill country streams.
Feeding
We assume that as in overseas species the larvae are predators of other stream invertebrates.
Indicator value
Pelecorhynchid larvae usually occur in mountain or hill country streams, where water quality is generally good. They have a hard bottom tolerance value of 9 (there is insufficient data to assign a value for soft bottom sites).
