| Ephemeridae | |
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| Ephemera danica | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Ephemeroptera |
| Suborder: | Schistonota |
| Superfamily: | Ephemeroidea |
| Family: | Ephemeridae Latreille, 1810 |
Ephemeridae is a family of mayflies with about 150 described species found throughout the world except Australia and Oceania. [1]
Ephemerids are generally quite large mayflies (up to 35 mm) with either two or three very long tails. Many species have distinctively patterned wings. [2] They breed in a wide range of waters, usually requiring a layer of silt as the nymphs have strong legs which are adapted for burrowing (the group is sometimes known as burrowing mayflies). The nymphs are largely carnivorous and collect their food either through predation or scavenging.
The Global Biodiversity Information Facility [1] includes:
Mayflies are aquatic insects belonging to the order Ephemeroptera. This order is part of an ancient group of insects termed the Palaeoptera, which also contains dragonflies and damselflies. Over 3,000 species of mayfly are known worldwide, grouped into over 400 genera in 42 families.
Baetidae is a family of mayflies with about 1000 described species in 110 genera distributed worldwide. These are among the smallest of mayflies, adults rarely exceeding 10 mm in length excluding the two long slender tails and sometimes much smaller, and members of the family are often referred to as small mayflies or small minnow mayflies. Most species have long oval forewings with very few cross veins but the hindwings are usually very small or even absent. The males often have very large eyes, shaped like turrets above the head.
The Heptageniidae are a family of mayflies with over 500 described species mainly distributed in the Holarctic, Oriental, and Afrotropical regions, and also present in the Central American Tropics and extreme northern South America.
Ephemerellidae are known as the spiny crawler mayflies. They are a family of the order Ephemeroptera. There are eight genera consisting of a total 90 species. They are distributed throughout North America as well as the UK. Their habitat is lotic-erosional, they are found in all sizes of flowing streams on different types of substrates where there is reduced flow. They are even found on the shores of lakes and beaches where there is wave action present. They move by swimming and clinging, they are very well camouflaged. Most species have one generation per year. They are mostly collector-gatherers.
Caenidae, is a family of mayflies, sometimes called "small squaregill mayflies". Species are found throughout the world in lotic, depositional environments, and they are sprawlers. Caenids occur in quiet and even stagnant water and are often overlooked because they are so small. They like to live in silty bottoms, and their gills are specially adapted for such environments.
Pentagenia, similar to Hexagenia, is a genus of insect in the family Ephemeridae, commonly referred to as burrowing mayflies.
Leptophlebiidae is a family belonging to the Ephemeropterans that are commonly known as the prong-gilled mayflies or leptophlebiids. It is the only family in the superfamily Leptophlebioidea. There are more than 650 described species of Leptophlebiids, which are easily recognized by the forked gills present on the larvae's abdomen, thus their common name.
Ephemera danica, the green drake or green drake mayfly, is a species of mayfly in the genus Ephemera.
Heptagenia is a genus of flatheaded mayflies in the family Heptageniidae. There are at least 20 described species in Heptagenia.
Callibaetis is a genus of small minnow mayflies in the family Baetidae. There are at least 30 described species in Callibaetis.
Potamanthus is the type genus of the family Potamanthidae, sometimes called "hackle-gilled burrower mayflies". Species of Potamanthushave been recorded from the Palaearctic Nearctic and Oriental realms.
Dolania is a monotypic genus of mayfly in the family Behningiidae containing the single species Dolania americana, also known as the American sand-burrowing mayfly. It is found in the southeastern United States, as far south as Florida, and is generally uncommon. The adult insects emerge before dawn in early summer, mate and die within the space of about thirty minutes. The female deposits her eggs in the water and dies within five minutes of emergence. This is believed to be the shortest adult lifespan of any insect.
Hexagenia limbata, the giant mayfly, is a species of mayfly in the family Ephemeridae. It is native to North America where it is distributed widely near lakes and slow-moving rivers. The larvae, known as nymphs, are aquatic and burrow in mud and the adult insects have brief lives. They are often referred to as fish flies around the Great Lakes as they tend to cause the areas around water to smell like rotten fish.
Hexagenia bilineata is a species of mayfly in the family Ephemeridae. It is native to North America where it is found in the Upper Mississippi Valley. Sometimes adults of this mayfly are so abundant as to cause a nuisance because of their enormous numbers. The larvae are aquatic and burrow in mud and the adult insects have brief lives.
Denina is a monotypic genus of European mayflies in the family Ephemeridae, erected by McCafferty in 1987, containing the species Denina dubilocaMcCafferty, 1987.
Litobrancha is a genus of common burrower mayflies in the family Ephemeridae. There is at least one described species in Litobrancha, L. recurvata.
Ephemera simulans is a species of mayfly. It is commonly found throughout the United States. The species is used for fly fishing.
Oligoneuriidae is a family of mayflies with a pantropical distribution. They are also known as brushlegged mayflies due to the presence of two rows of setae used for filtration on the front legs of their nymphs. Nymphs also have tufts of gills at the base of their maxillae. There are at least 68 described species in over a dozen genera.
Furcatergalia is a suborder of mayflies in the order Ephemeroptera. There are about 14 families and at least 1,700 described species in Furcatergalia.
Maccaffertium is a genus of flatheaded mayflies in the family Heptageniidae. There are at least 20 described species in Maccaffertium.
Data related to Ephemeridae at Wikispecies
Media related to Ephemeridae at Wikimedia Commons| Authority control databases: National |
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