SPECIES ID / Invertebrates

Mayflies

Prong-gilled Mayflies

  • 74 species in North America
Phylum:Arthropoda
Class:Insecta
Order:Ephemeroptera
Family:Leptophlebiidae

Identification Tips:

•Three tails and 3 pair of segmented legs
• Filamentous gills protrude from both sides of most abdominal segments
• 4-15 mm

Life History:

Larvae
• Common in protected areas of shallow, rocky, often fast-flowing streams
• Poor swimmers, primarily crawl
• Most are omnivorous, collecting organic detritus or scraping periphyton
• Move away from light
• Some species are present only as dormant eggs for part of the year

POLLUTION TOLERANCE
Very SensitiveSomewhat SensitiveFacultativeSomewhat TolerantVery Tolerant
MostMost   

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Primary Information Source:
Voshell, J. Reese. 2002. A Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America. McDonald and Woodward Publishing Company. Blacksburg, Virginia.