Mayflies

Mayflies (also up-winged flies or up-wing flies, or drake-flies in the UK; shadflies or fishflies in Canada) 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 (see Comstock-Needham system) but the hindwings are usually very small or even absent. The males often have very large eyes, shaped like turrets above the head (this is known as "turbinate

largest mayfly species in Europe

species of insect

Ephemeridae is a family of mayflies with about 150 described species found throughout the world except Australia and Oceania.

The Heptageniidae (synonym: Ecdyonuridae) 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.

species of insect

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.

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.

genus of insects

species of insect

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 (Merritt & Cummins). 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 mo

Potamanthidae is a family of mayflies with three genera in which there are 23 species.

Siphlonuridae, also known as the primitive minnow mayfly is a family of insects belonging to the order Ephemeroptera. They are adapted to cool waters.

species of insect

genus of insects

Ephemeroidea is a superfamily of mayflies. Members of this superfamily are found in most parts of the world with the exception of the Arctic, the Antarctic and Australia.

Epeorus is a genus of mayflies in the family Heptageniidae.

Polymitarcyidae is a family of pale burrower mayflies in the order Ephemeroptera. There are about 10 genera and more than 90 described species in Polymitarcyidae.

Acanthametropodidae is a family of sand-dwelling mayflies in the order Ephemeroptera and suborder Pisciforma. There are at least two genera and four described species in Acanthametropodidae.

Palingeniidae is a family of mayflies, members of which are known as spiny-headed burrowing mayflies. These are generally quite large mayflies with more than four longitudinal cross-veins on their wings. Males have short, wide pronotums and the legs are well-developed in both sexes. The cerci (tails) on females are shorter than the body. The nymphs live burrowed in the mud at the bottom of large streams and rivers.

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.

Leptohyphidae is a family of mayflies with some 140 described species in 12 genera.

species of insect

species of insect

species of insect

Rhithrogena is a genus of flatheaded mayflies in the family Heptageniidae. There are 153 species in Rhithrogena. thumb|Female Rhithrogena germanica [[subimago]]

species of insect

species of insect

Ecdyonurus is a genus of mayflies of the family Heptageniidae.

Serratella is a genus of spiny crawler mayflies in the family Ephemerellidae. There are at least 20 described species in Serratella. thumb

species of insect

Behningiidae is a family of mayflies. It is a primitive family; the nymphs burrow in the sediment but lack tusks on their mandibles, and the forelegs are not modified for burrowing. The gills are ventral, and the ones on the first abdominal segment are single and are longer than the gills on the other segments. The forelegs are palp-like and the other two pairs of legs are modified to protect the gills. The family is holarctic in distribution. The genus Dolania occurs in North America and the other three genera occur in northern Europe and Asia.

Euthyplociidae is a family of mayflies in the order Ephemeroptera. There are approximately 7 genera and more than 20 described species in Euthyplociidae.

Metretopodidae is a family of cleftfooted minnow mayflies in the order Ephemeroptera. There are at least 3 genera and more than 20 described species in Metretopodidae.

Tricorythidae is a family of mayflies in the order Ephemeroptera. There are about six genera and at least 40 described species in Tricorythidae.

Ephoron is a genus of mayflies in the family Polymitarcyidae. There are about 15 described species in Ephoron.

Centroptilum is a genus of mayflies of the family Baetidae.

Eurylophella is a genus of spiny crawler mayflies in the family Ephemerellidae. There are about 18 described species in Eurylophella.

species of insect

species of insect

Siphloplecton is a genus of cleftfooted minnow mayflies in the family Metretopodidae. There are about 15 described species in Siphloplecton.

species of insect

Isonychia is a genus of brushlegged mayflies in the family Isonychiidae, the sole genus of the family. There are more than 30 described species in Isonychia. thumb

Cinygma is a genus of mayflies in the family Heptageniidae. Nymphs move sluggishly and are poor swimmers, nearly always clinging to wood or rocks.

species of insect

Ametropus is a genus of sand minnows in the family Ametropodidae. There are at least three described species in Ametropus.

Prosopistomatidae is a family of mayflies. There is one extant genus, Prosopistoma, with several dozen species found across Afro-Eurasia and Oceania. They are noted for their unusual beetle-shaped larvae, which live beneath rocks and stones along the gravelly lower reaches of rivers. Their ecology is unclear, but they are probably carnivorous. They are closely related to Baetiscidae, with both families being placed in the Carapacea.

species of insect

species of insect

species of mayfly

Labiobaetis is a genus of mayflies in the family Baetidae.

species of insect

Metretopus is a genus of insects belonging to the family Metretopodidae.

Neoephemeridae is a family of large squaregill mayflies in the order Ephemeroptera. There are at least four genera and about 17 described species in Neoephemeridae.

Drunella is a genus of spiny crawler mayflies in the family Ephemerellidae. There are at least 20 described species in Drunella.

Baetodes is a genus of mayflies in the family Baetidae, from the Americas.

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Ironodes is a genus of mayflies in the family Heptageniidae.

species of insect