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Ephemeroptera - mayflies

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Presentation on theme: "Ephemeroptera - mayflies"— Presentation transcript:

1 Ephemeroptera - mayflies
Intro (from Merritt and Cummins)

2 Lotic and lentic Highest diversity in rocky-bottom, 2nd and 3rd order headwater streams Information primarily from larvae - why?

3 Repro? Eggs laid at surface
In some (Baetis), females crawl under water and lay eggs on stems

4 Eggs hatch in 3 - 9 months Larval life ~ 3-6 months
Hexagenia in Lake Winnipeg = 1-2 years Many molts ( )

5 Collectors or scrapers usually
Detritus, algae, macrophytes, etc. Few carnivores Usually shift diet with size Subimago (winged, sexually immature form)

6 Mating Males usually emerge after dusk, females shortly before dawn
Mating swarms

7 Morphology of larvae Large eyes, outer position
Antennae anterior or ventral to eyes Mouthparts:

8 Thorax Wingpads: on meso- and metathorax
Pair of legs on each thoracic segment

9 Abdomen 10-segmented Gills usually on abdomen
3 caudal filaments usually

10 Adult mayfly Males have large eyes

11 You will need to be comfortable with key to family
13 families: Baetiscidae, Potamanthidae, Ephemeridae, Polymitarcyidae, Tricorythidae, Caenidae, Ephemerellidae, Heptageniidae, etc.

12 Ephemeroptera key Baetiscidae = large thoracic notum Armored mayflies

13 Mandibular tusks? Yes? Abdominal gills held laterally = Potamanthidae = hacklegill mayflies

14 Mandibular tusks? Yes, pointed upward, abdominal gills held dorsally = Ephemeridae Common burrowing mayflies

15 Mandibular tusks? Yes, project downward, abdominal gills held dorsally = Polymitarcyidae Pale burrowing mayflies

16 No mandibular tusks? Abdominal gills on segment 2 plate-like, operculate, triangular = Tricorythidae Little stout crawler mayflies

17 No mandibular tusks? Abdominal gills on segment 2 plate-like, operculate, square = Caenidae Small square-gill mayflies

18 No mandibular tusks? Abdominal gills on segment 2 similar to other gills if present, or gills operculate and no gills on segment 2 = Ephemerellidae = spiny crawler mayflies

19 No mandibular tusks? Abdominal gills on segment 2 similar to other gills if present, or gills operculate gills present on segments 1-7 or 2-7 Flattened head and body = Heptageniidae = flathead mayflies

20 No mandibular tusks? Abdominal gills on segment 2 similar to other gills if present, or gills operculate gills present on segments 1-7 or 2-7 Head and body not flat Abdominal gills forked = Leptophlebiidae Prong-gilled mayflies

21 Same characters as last slide:
Head and body not flat Gills oval or heart-shape Foreleg claws forked = Metretopodidae Cleft-footed minnow mayflies

22 Same characters as last slide:
Head and body not flat Gills oval or heart-shape Foreleg claws simple Long setae on inner fore legs = Isonychiidae = brush-legged mayflies

23 Same characters as last slide:
Head and body not flat Gills oval or heart-shape Foreleg claws simple No long setae on inner fore legs Labrum w/deep notch = Baetidae Small minnow mayflies

24 Same characters: Head and body not flat Gills oval or heart-shape
Foreleg claws simple No long setae on inner fore legs, spine Labrum entire = Siphlonuridae Primitive minnow mayflies

25 Get comfortable with all mayfly families = run them through key
Today: Get comfortable with all mayfly families = run them through key


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