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PHYLUM
Annelida “Annelids”
CLASS
Hirudinea “Leeches”
ORDER
Rhynchobdellida
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FAMILY
Glossiphoniidae
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GENUS
Placobdella
Arthropoda “Arthropods”
CLASS
Collembola “Semi-aquatic Springtails”
ORDER
Poduromorpha
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FAMILY
Poduridae
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GENUS
Podura
Insecta “Insects”
ORDER
Coleoptera “Adult Beetles”
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FAMILY
Dryopidae
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GENUS
Helichus
Dytiscidae
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GENUS
Agabus
Copelatus
Elmidae
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GENUS
Ancyronyx variegatus
Dubiraphia
Macronychus glabratus
Microcylloepus
Optioservus
Stenelmis
Gyrinidae
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GENUS
Dineutus
Gyrinus
Haliplidae
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GENUS
Peltodytes
Hydrophilidae
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GENUS
Berosus
Tropisternus
Coleoptera “Larval Beetles”
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FAMILY
Dytiscidae
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GENUS
Agabus
Copelatus
Elmidae
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GENUS
Ancyronyx variegatus
Dubiraphia
Macronychus glabratus
Microcylloepus
Optioservus
Stenelmis
Gyrinidae
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GENUS
Dineutus
Gyrinus
Haliplidae
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GENUS
Peltodytes
Hydrophilidae
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GENUS
Berosus
Tropisternus
Psephenidae
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GENUS
Psephenus
Ptilodactylidae
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GENUS
Anchytarsus
Diptera “True Flies”
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FAMILY
Athericidae
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GENUS
Atherix
Blephariceridae
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GENUS
Blepharicera
Ceratopogonidae
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GENUS
Probezzia
Chironomidae
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GENUS
Chironomus
Diamesa
Orthocladius
Tanytarsus
Culicidae
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GENUS
Aedes
Dixidae
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GENUS
Dixa
Empididae
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GENUS
Hemerodromia
Ephydridae
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GENUS
Ephydridae
Limoniidae
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GENUS
Antocha
Hexatoma
Muscidae
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GENUS
Musca
Pediciidae
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GENUS
Dicranota
Psychodidae
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GENUS
Pericomaina
Ptychopteridae
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GENUS
Ptychoptera
Simuliidae
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GENUS
Prosimulium
Simulium
Stratiomyidae
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GENUS
Odontomyia or Hedriodiscus
Syrphidae
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GENUS
Chrysogaster
Tipulidae
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GENUS
Tipula
Ephemeroptera “Mayflies”
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FAMILY
Ameletidae
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GENUS
Ameletus
Baetidae
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GENUS
Baetis
Heterocloeon
Baetiscidae
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GENUS
Baetisca
Caenidae
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GENUS
Caenis
Ephemerellidae
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GENUS
Attenella
Drunella
Ephemerella
Eurylophella
Serratella
Ephemeridae
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GENUS
Ephemera
Hexagenia
Heptageniidae
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GENUS
Epeorus
Heptagenia
Leucrocuta
Maccaffertium
Rhithrogena
Stenacron
Isonychiidae
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GENUS
Isonychia
Leptohyphidae
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GENUS
Tricorythodes
Leptophlebiidae
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GENUS
Habrophlebia
Leptophlebia
Neoleptophlebia
Metretopodidae
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GENUS
Siphloplecton
Polymitarcyidae
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GENUS
Ephoron
Potamanthidae
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GENUS
Anthopotamus
Siphlonuridae
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GENUS
Siphlonurus
Hemiptera “True Bugs”
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FAMILY
Belostomatidae
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GENUS
Belostoma
Corixidae
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GENUS
Hesperocorixa
Gerridae
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GENUS
Gerris
Naucoridae
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GENUS
Pelocoris
Nepidae
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GENUS
Ranatra
Notonectidae
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GENUS
Notonecta
Veliidae
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GENUS
Microvelia
Rhagovelia
Lepidoptera “Aquatic Caterpillars, Snout Moths”
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FAMILY
Crambidae
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GENUS
Parapoynx
Megaloptera “Alderflies, Dobsonflies, and Fishflies”
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FAMILY
Corydalidae
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GENUS
Nigronia
Sialidae
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GENUS
Sialis
Odonata “Dragonflies and Damselflies”
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FAMILY
Aeshnidae
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GENUS
Boyeria
Calopterygidae
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GENUS
Calopteryx
Coenagrionidae
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GENUS
Argia
Enallagma
Ischnura
Cordulegastridae
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GENUS
Cordulegaster
Corduliidae
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GENUS
Epitheca
Gomphidae
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GENUS
Lanthus
Ophiogomphus
Lestidae
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GENUS
Lestes
Libellulidae
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GENUS
Libellula
Plecoptera “Stoneflies”
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FAMILY
Capniidae
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GENUS
Allocapnia
Chloroperlidae
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GENUS
Alloperla
Leuctridae
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GENUS
Leuctra
Nemouridae
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GENUS
Amphinemura
Peltoperlidae
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GENUS
Tallaperla
Perlidae
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GENUS
Acroneuria
Agnetina
Neoperla
Paragnetina
Perlesta
Perlodidae
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GENUS
Clioperla
Isoperla
Remenus
Pteronarcyidae
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GENUS
Pteronarcys
Taeniopterygidae
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GENUS
Strophopteryx
Taeniopteryx
Trichoptera “Caddisflies”
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FAMILY
Apataniidae
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GENUS
Apatania
Brachycentridae
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GENUS
Brachycentrus
Micrasema
Calamoceratidae
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GENUS
Heteroplectron
Dipseudopsidae
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GENUS
Phylocentropus
Glossosomatidae
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GENUS
Glossosoma
Goeridae
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GENUS
Goera
Helicopsychidae
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GENUS
Helicopsyche
Hydropsychidae
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GENUS
Arctopsyche
Cheumatopsyche
Diplectrona
Hydropsyche
Macrostemum
Hydroptilidae
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GENUS
Hydroptila
Lepidostomatidae
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GENUS
Lepidostoma
Leptoceridae
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GENUS
Ceraclea
Nectopsyche
Oecetis
Triaenodes
Limnephilidae
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GENUS
Ironoquia
Platycentropus
Pycnopsyche
Molannidae
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GENUS
Molanna
Odontoceridae
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GENUS
Psilotreta
Philopotamidae
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GENUS
Chimarra
Dolophilodes
Phryganeidae
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GENUS
Ptilostomis
Polycentropodidae
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GENUS
Neureclipsis
Nyctiophylax
Psychomyiidae
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GENUS
Lype
Psychomyia
Rhyacophilidae
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GENUS
Rhyacophila
Sericostomatidae
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GENUS
Agarodes
Thremmatidae
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GENUS
Neophylax
Malacostraca “Malacostracans”
ORDER
Amphipoda “Amphipods, Scuds, Sideswimmers”
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FAMILY
Crangonyctidae
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GENUS
Crangonyx
Decapoda “Decapods”
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FAMILY
Cambaridae
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GENUS
Unidentified
Isopoda “Isopods”
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FAMILY
Asellidae
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GENUS
Caecidotea
Mollusca “Mollusks”
CLASS
Bivalvia “Bivalves”
ORDER
Unionoida “Freshwater Mussels”
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FAMILY
Unionidae
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GENUS
Elliptio
Veneroida
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FAMILY
Corbiculidae
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GENUS
Corbicula
Sphaeriidae
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GENUS
Pisidium
Gastropoda “Snails and Slugs”
ORDER
Basommatophora
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FAMILY
Physidae
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GENUS
Physa
Planorbidae
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GENUS
Helisoma
Neotaenioglossa
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FAMILY
Hydrobiidae
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GENUS
Somatogyrus
Platyhelminthes “Flatworms”
CLASS
Turbellaria
ORDER
Unknown
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FAMILY
Unknown
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GENUS
Unknown
Grant No. 1516149 | Learning to See, Seeing to Learn
A Sociotechnical System Supporting Taxonomic Identification
Activities in Volunteer-Based Water Quality Biomonitoring
Creative Commons License
Macroinvertebrates.org
stage
ID Key
order
Coleoptera
“Adult Beetles”
Coleoptera
“Larval Beetles”
Diptera
“True Flies”
Ephemeroptera
“Mayflies”
Hemiptera
“True Bugs”
Lepidoptera
“Aquatic Caterpillars, Snout Moths”
Megaloptera
“Alderflies, Dobsonflies, and Fishflies”
Odonata
“Dragonflies and Damselflies”
Plecoptera
“Stoneflies”
Trichoptera
“Caddisflies”
Ephemeroptera
“Mayflies”
Order Overview
Ephemeroptera Listen to the pronunciation of ephemeroptera
Mayflies
ephemeros 'short lived' + ptera 'wings' (Greek)
With “Ephemeroptera” derived from the Greek word for “lasting a day,” this order of insects earns its name from a notoriously short-lived adult lifespan, which can last less than 24 hours. However, young mayfly nymphs may feed and grow in streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds for up to two years. As important links in the freshwater food web, young mayflies are often voracious herbivores, detritivores, or even carnivores, in addition to being preferred food sources for many freshwater carnivores. They can be distinguished by two to three tails (two cerci always sometimes accompanied by one median caudal filament) at the end of the abdomen, one tarsal claw on each leg, and feathery or plate-like abdominal gills.
POLLUTION TOLERANCE
Sensitive
Life History
Mayflies, with over 3,400 species, make up one of the oldest orders of insects, with the first fossils dating to about 275 million years ago. They are hemimetabolous, without a pupal stage; however, they are unique in that they have a subimago stage, an extra life stage between the larva and the adult in which the insect has wings, but is still sexually immature. Most of their life is spent as aquatic larvae and most species spend only a few hours to no more than 3 days as flying adults. Different families and genera can be found in a variety of flowing-water and some still-water habitats. They can be burrowers in loose sediments, flat-bodied sprawlers on rocks, or fish-like and very streamlined in shape, making good swimmers. Larvae can be easily identified by having only a single claw on each foot, gills on the top or sides of the abdomen, and the presence of two or three slender tails.
Diagnostic Characters
Order
Abdominal Gills
Single Tarsal Claw
Usually 3 Tails
+ Expanded Character List
Wings developing in wing pads. Mouthparts suitable for chewing. Gills present on tops and sides of abdomen. Segmented legs present. One tarsal claw per leg. Usually with 3 tails (sometimes 2).
Media
Mayflies Hatching
Bugs Of The Underworld: Mayfly
Mayfly Tails (cerci) and Movement
iNaturalist is an online social network and crowdsourced species identification platform
FAMILY
Ameletidae
“Comb-mouthed Minnow Mayflies”
Ameletus
Ameletus
Ameletus
FAMILY
Baetidae
“Small Minnow Mayflies”
Baetis
Baetis
Heterocloeon
Heterocloeon
FAMILY
Baetiscidae
“Armored Mayflies”
Baetisca
FAMILY
Caenidae
“Small Square-gilled Mayflies”
Caenis
Caenis
FAMILY
Ephemerellidae
“Spiny Crawler Mayflies”
Attenella
Attenella
Attenella
Drunella
Drunella
Ephemerella
Ephemerella
Eurylophella
Eurylophella
Serratella
Serratella
FAMILY
Ephemeridae
“Burrowing Mayflies”
Ephemera
Ephemera
Hexagenia
FAMILY
Heptageniidae
“Flat-headed Mayflies”
Epeorus
Epeorus
Heptagenia
Heptagenia
Leucrocuta
Leucrocuta
Maccaffertium
Maccaffertium
Rhithrogena
Rhithrogena
Stenacron
Stenacron
FAMILY
Isonychiidae
“Brush-legged Mayflies”
Isonychia
Isonychia
Isonychia
FAMILY
Leptohyphidae
“Little Stout Crawler Mayflies”
Tricorythodes
Tricorythodes
FAMILY
Leptophlebiidae
“Prong-gilled Mayflies”
Habrophlebia
Habrophlebia
Leptophlebia
Leptophlebia
Neoleptophlebia
Neoleptophlebia
FAMILY
Metretopodidae
“Cleft-footed Minnow Mayflies”
Siphloplecton
FAMILY
Polymitarcyidae
“Pale Burrower Mayflies”
Ephoron
Ephoron
FAMILY
Potamanthidae
“Hackle-gills”
Anthopotamus
Anthopotamus
FAMILY
Siphlonuridae
“Primitive Minnow Mayflies”
Siphlonurus
Siphlonurus
FAMILY
Ameletidae
“Comb-mouthed Minnow Mayflies”
Ameletus
Ameletus
Ameletus
FAMILY
Baetidae
“Small Minnow Mayflies”
Baetis
Baetis
Heterocloeon
Heterocloeon
FAMILY
Baetiscidae
“Armored Mayflies”
Baetisca
FAMILY
Caenidae
“Small Square-gilled Mayflies”
Caenis
Caenis
FAMILY
Ephemerellidae
“Spiny Crawler Mayflies”
Attenella
Attenella
Attenella
Drunella
Drunella
Ephemerella
Ephemerella
Eurylophella
Eurylophella
Serratella
Serratella
FAMILY
Ephemeridae
“Burrowing Mayflies”
Ephemera
Ephemera
Hexagenia
FAMILY
Heptageniidae
“Flat-headed Mayflies”
Epeorus
Epeorus
Heptagenia
Heptagenia
Leucrocuta
Leucrocuta
Maccaffertium
Maccaffertium
Rhithrogena
Rhithrogena
Stenacron
Stenacron
FAMILY
Isonychiidae
“Brush-legged Mayflies”
Isonychia
Isonychia
Isonychia
FAMILY
Leptohyphidae
“Little Stout Crawler Mayflies”
Tricorythodes
Tricorythodes
FAMILY
Leptophlebiidae
“Prong-gilled Mayflies”
Habrophlebia
Habrophlebia
Leptophlebia
Leptophlebia
Neoleptophlebia
Neoleptophlebia
FAMILY
Metretopodidae
“Cleft-footed Minnow Mayflies”
Siphloplecton
FAMILY
Polymitarcyidae
“Pale Burrower Mayflies”
Ephoron
Ephoron
FAMILY
Potamanthidae
“Hackle-gills”
Anthopotamus
Anthopotamus
FAMILY
Siphlonuridae
“Primitive Minnow Mayflies”
Siphlonurus
Siphlonurus
Dorsal
Lateral
Ventral