The Perlidae are a family of stoneflies, with more than 50 genera and 1,100 described species. The majority of the Perlidae are found in eastern North America, but they occur worldwide except for Antarctica and parts of Africa. Their lifecycles range between one and three years. The adults emerge in the summer; they are very active and known to be attracted to light sources. They are usually very sensitive to changes in environment.
Perlidae are usually lotic and lentic erosional. They are found in cool, clear medium-sized to large streams and sometimes in larger, warm rivers that carry silt. They are crawlers and can move quickly. In still water, no water moves over their gills, so they move their bodies up and down to keep oxygen flowing over them.
They are engulfer-predators. They consume all types of invertebrates. Very young larvae are collector-gatherers.
Genera These 56 genera belong to the family Perlidae:
Acroneuria Pictet, 1841 Agnetina Klapálek, 1907 Anacroneuria Klapálek, 1909 Attaneuria Ricker, 1954 Beloneuria Needham & Claassen, 1925 Brahmana Klapálek, 1914 Calineuria Ricker, 1954 Caroperla Kohno, 1946 Chinoperla Zwick, 1980 Claassenia Wu, 1934 Dinocras Klapálek, 1907 Doroneuria Needham & Claassen, 1925 Eccoptura Klapálek, 1921 Enderleina Jewett, 1960 Eoperla Illies, 1956 Etrocorema Klapálek, 1909 Flavoperla Chu, 1929 Furcaperla Sivec, 1988 Gibosia Okamoto, 1912 Hansonoperla Nelson, 1979 Helenoperla Sivec, 1997 Hemacroneuria Enderlein, 1909 Hesperoperla Banks, 1938 Inconeuria Klapálek, 1916 Kamimuria Klapálek, 1907 Kempnyella Illies, 1964 Kempnyia Klapálek, 1914 Kiotina Klapálek, 1907 Klapalekia Claassen, 1936 Macrogynoplax Enderlein, 1909 Marthamea Klapálek, 1907 Mesoperla Klapálek, 1913 Miniperla Kawai, 1967 Neoperla Needham, 1905 Neoperlops Banks, 1939 Nigroperla Illies, 1964 Niponiella Klapálek, 1907 Nishineuria Uchida, 1990 Onychoplax Klapálek, 1914 Oyamia Klapálek, 1907 Paragnetina Klapálek, 1907 Perla Geoffroy, 1762 Perlesta Banks, 1906 Perlinella Banks, 1900 Phanoperla Banks, 1938 Pictetoperla Illies, 1964 Sinacroneuria Yang & Yang, 1995 Tetropina Klapálek, 1909 Togoperla Klapálek, 1907 Tyloperla Sivec & Stark, 1988 Xanthoneuria Uchida, Stark & Sivec, 2011 † Archaeoperla Liu, Ren & Sinitshenkova, 2008 † Dominiperla Stark & Lentz, 1992 † Electroneuria Sroka, Staniczek & Kondratieff, 2018 † Largusoperla Chen, Wang & Du, 2018 † Pinguisoperla Chen, 2018
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