Subclass Pterygota:
Pterous (winged) insects, develop by metamorphosis
Division Exopterygota
(exo = outer; pteron = wing)
Orthopteroid orders
(orthos = straight; pteron = wing)
Order Plecoptera
(plekein = to fold; pteron = wing)
COMMON NAME: Stoneflies
QUICK DESCRIPTION: Adults have two pairs of wings (but they are not good fliers), mouthparts that they seldom use (some adults eat algae and pollen, but most don't eat at all), long antennae and large eyes. They live for two to three weeks, near lakes or streams crawling amongst stones. Larvae live for two to three years, in water, and are predators.
MINUTE DETAILS: Moderately-sized to fairly large soft-bodied insects; head with long setaceous antennae, weak mandibulate mouthparts, well-developed compound eyes, and two or three ocelli; thorax almost always with two pairs of membraneous wings (sometimes reduced), hind pair in most species with a large anal lobe, venation frequently specialized, legs identical and with a three-segmented tarsus; abdomen of most species terminated by long multisegmented cerci, females lacking an ovipostor. Larvae aquatic; generally resembling adults except for presence of a variable number of thoracic tracheal gills (and no wings).
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