Tools
Science Centres: Aquatic Biodiversity and Biosecurity
Tools and Resources
- Identification guides
- Quick-guides to invertebrate groups
- New Zealand Freshwater Fish Database
- Invertebrate species checklists
Identification guides
Web-based identification resources:
- Aquatic plants: an atlas of NZ aquatic plants from the Aquatic Plant Management programme
- Atlas of New Zealand Freshwater Fish
- A guide to mature larvae of Psilochorema (Hydrobiosidae): a Lucid-based identification key
- A guide to the common genera of freshwater diatoms in New Zealand: a Lucid-based identification key
- Key to Phylum and Class of Aquatic Invertebrates: a Lucid-based key developed by CSIRO and associated agencies for aquatic invertebrates of Australia; the same Phyla and Classes are found in New Zealand.
Quick-guides to invertebrate groups
These guides are intended to provide tools for rapid identification of freshwater invertebrates, usually to the generic level, for use in biomonitoring. They are intended for use with mature animals; Macroinvertebrate Community Index pollution tolerance scores have been included where appropriate. Guides for other groups are under development and will be added to the web site in the near future.
- Acari (mites) major groups
- Acari (mites) families
- Amphipoda
- Cladocera planktonic
- Coleoptera (beetles) families, adults
- Coleoptera (beetles) families, larvae
- Coleoptera (beetles) family, Dytiscidae, adults
- Coleoptera (beetles) family, Dytiscidae, larvae
- Coleoptera (beetles) family, Hydrophilidae, adults
- Coleoptera (beetles) family, Hydrophilidae, larvae
- Copepoda
- Diptera (true-flies), Chironomidae (non-biting midges)
- Diptera (true-flies), non-Chironomidae
- Ephemeroptera (Mayflies), family Leptophlebiidae
- Isopoda
- Mollusca (snails)
- Plecoptera (stoneflies)
- Trichoptera (cased caddisflies)
- Trichoptera (caddisflies), family Hydrobiosidae
- Trichoptera (caddisflies), other free-living caddisflies
These guides have been developed with assistance from the Terrestrial and Freshwater Biodiversity Information System (TFBIS) programme, administered by the Department of Conservation.
If you have any feedback on these identification guides, please email Brian Smith b.smith@niwa.co.nz
New Zealand Freshwater Fish Database
The New Zealand Freshwater Fish Database was established in 1977. It records the occurrence of fish in fresh waters of New Zealand, including Chatham and Stewart Islands. Data are contributed voluntarily by NIWA, fish and game councils, the Department of Conservation, regional councils, environmental consultants, universities, and interested individuals. Data collected include the site location, the species present and their abundance, as well as information such as the fishing method used and a qualitative physical assessment of the site. The NZFFD consists of field records in a library and on computer, and currently contains over 17,500 records. Access to the NZFFD is available on the Internet to registered users. To become a registered user, contact Jody Richardson (j.richardson@niwa.co.nz). The Atlas of NZ Freshwater Fish (see above) provides general information about freshwater fish found in New Zealand.
Click here to read the latest NZFFD newsletter
Invertebrate species checklists
These checklists provide an up-to-date listing of all known species in certain invertebrate groups. If you want to contribute to a group checklist, please email Brian Smith [ b.smith@niwa.co.nz ].
