COMMON BENTHIC ORGANISMS of NINE MILE RUN

(benthic means they live on the bottom)

PLANARIA

(planaria are usually found in cleaner streams)

LEECH

(leeches move in flowing water-like motion)

GILLED SNAILS and POUCH or POND SNAILS

(with the tip held upright, it is easy to tell the pollution sensitive gilled snail from the pond snail, which is more tolerant of organic pollution)

images from Save Our Streams Monitor's Guide to Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Loren Larkin Kellogg, Izaak Walton League