Freshwater Invertebrates
"If you have remarked errors in me, your superior wisdom must pardon them. Who errs not while perambulating the domain of nature? Who can observe everything with accuracy? Correct me as a friend, and I as a friend will requite with kindness."
Carolus Linnaeus
Invertebrates are defined as animals that do not possess a backbone. This is the most diverse group of recognized animals on the planet. Those invertebrates that live in freshwater are of course termed "Freshwater Invertebrates" or "Benthic Macroinvertebrates", which are are organisms that live exclusively on the bottom. These include groups such as insects, crayfishes, freshwater mussels, fingernail clams, snails, and worms.
Macroinvertebrates are invertebrates that can be seen with a naked eye, and are a valuable tool for assessing water quality. Among this group are the aquatic insects, a very important group of animals for the river environment. Many aquatic insects are sensitive indicators of water pollution, particularly runoff from human activities in the form of nutrients and excessive sediment.