Life histories of benthic invertebrates in a kauri forst stream in northern New Zealand

Abstract

Life histories of the following 12 benthic invertebrate species were investigated at four sites in the Waitakere River: Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gastropoda : Hydrobiidae); Paracalliope fluviatilis (Amphipoda : Eusiridae), Zephlebia (Neozephlebia) sp. and Deleatidium spp. (Ephemeroptera : Leptophlebiidae), Hydora nitida (Coleoptera : Elmidae), Maoridiamesa harrisi, ?Austrocladius sp. and Paratanytarsus agameta (Diptera : Chironomidae), Austrosimulium australense (Diptera : Simuliidae), Aoteapsyche colonica (Trichoptera : Hydropsychidae), Oxyethira albireps (Trichoptera : Hydroptilidae), and Olinga feredayi (Trichoptera : Conoesucidae). All species had life cycles which were non-seasonal according to the Hynes model. Comparison with recent studies in southern North Island and South Island streams suggests that non-seasonal life cycles predominate in New Zealand streams.