AbstractThe ‘hyporheic zone’ is described. According to the classical definition, water below the sediment surface is groundwater and the hyporheic interstitial zone is part of the phreatic system. This ignores the vertical distribution of the epigeic benthic fauna. The uppermost layer of the sediment (bed sediments) of the hyporheic zone is dominated by epigeic faunal elements and is therefore part of the surface system. In contrast to hypogeic species, the depth penetration of epigeic species is limited. Possible explanations are discus