Benthic Macroinvertebrates of the Otter Creek Drainage Basin, Northcentral, Oklahoma

Abstract

Distribution, seasonal abundance, and ecological notes on 122 taxa of benthic macroinvertebrates collected in the Otter Creek Drainage system are discussed. The freshwater nemertean, Prostoma rubrum (Leidy), and the oligochaetes, Tubifex templetoni Southern, Dero digitata (Muller), Nais variabilis Piguet, Pristina breviseta Bourne, P. longiseta Leidyi Smith, P. longidentata Harman, and two species of Pristina new to science are reported from Oklahoma for the first time. Benthic macroinvertebrate studies have recently become of increased importance to aquatic biologists because of their use in evaluating effects of pollutional effluents, and recognition of their central position in aquatic food chains. Benthic macroinvertebrates of southwestern lotic waters are poorly known. The only major contributions in this area are by Hornuff (1957) and Wilhm and Dorris (1966). This situation is further complicated by the draeth of taxonomic studies on immature stages of many aquatic invertebrates. These points can be emphasized by pointing out that eight of the 11 species of oligochaetes collected during this study represent new state records, two of these are new to science. Furthermore, only 65 of the 122 taxa collected could be identified to species. This report consists of information concerning distribution, seasonal abundance, and ecological notes on species collected during a one year study of the Otter Creek Drainage system. Distribution is discussed in terms of Horton's (1945) stream order classification, as modified by Strahler (1954; 1957) and redescribed by Kuehne (1962) and Leopold (1962). Kuehne (1962), Harrel et al., (1967) and Harrel and Dorris (1968) showed the usefulness of stream order classification in successional studies. Detailed evaluations of drainage basin geomorphology, physicochemical conditions, and species diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates and fishes have been published elsewhere (Harrel et al., 1967;