Hesperoperla

Banks, 1938

common stoneflies

Species Guides

2

Hesperoperla is a of perlid stoneflies comprising at least two described : Hesperoperla hoguei (banded stone) and Hesperoperla pacifica (golden stonefly). Species in this genus are found in western North American streams, with documented in California, Colorado, and other western states and provinces. The genus has been studied for its response to stream flow regimes, with voltinism patterns varying between stable and variable hydrological conditions.

Hesperoperla pacifica by iNaturalist user: joergmlpts. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.Hesperoperla hoguei by iNaturalist user: barbarab. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Hesperoperla: //hɛsˌpɛroʊˈpɛr.lə//

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Images

Habitat

Streams, including both stable groundwater-fed streams and hydrologically variable snowmelt-fed streams.

Distribution

Western North America: recorded from California, Colorado, Arizona, Alaska, Alberta, and British Columbia.

Life Cycle

Voltinism is plastic and influenced by flow regime. In stable groundwater-fed streams, Hesperoperla pacifica exhibits a (one-year) with higher growth rates. In hydrologically variable snowmelt-fed streams, it exhibits a semivoltine (two-year) life cycle. Nymphal development is tracked through the year with timing differing between flow regimes; emergence occurs later in variable streams.

Behavior

Timing of varies with stream flow regime, with delayed emergence in hydrologically variable environments compared to stable streams.

Ecological Role

Contributes to secondary production in stream . Production has been quantified in comparative studies of different stream types.

Sources and further reading