Distribution of Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Canadian Waters of Northern Lake Superior

Abstract

Approximately 30 genera comprising 39 macroinvertebrate species have been identified in northern Lake Superior, including Nipigon Bay and Thunder Bay. The dominant taxa were the crustacean Pontoporeia affinis, the insect Chironomus spp., the oligochaete Aeolosoma beddardi and the pelecypod Pisidium spp. Intra-phyletic relationships were fairly common along molluscan taxa, probably resulting from their mutual affinity for warm shallow water conditions, but were negligible among the arthropods and annelids.