Heptageniidae

Description

The group is sometimes referred to as flat-headed mayflies or stream mayflies. These are generally rather small mayflies with three long tails. The wings are usually clear with prominent venation although species with variegated wings are known. As in most mayflies, the males have large compound eyes, but not divided into upper and lower parts.

Heptageniids breed mainly in fast-flowing streams, but some species use still waters. The nymphs have a flattened shape and are usually dark in colour. They use a wide range of food sources with herbivorous, scavenging, and predatory species known.

Genera

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility lists:

1. Acanthomola
2. Afghanurus
3. Afronurus
4. Amerogenia
5. Anapos
6. Anepeorus
7. Arthroplea
8. Asionurus
9. Atopopus
10. Belovius
11. Bleptus
12. Burshtynogena
13. Cinygma
14. Cinygmula
15. Compsoneuria
16. Dacnogenia
17. Darthus
18. Ecdyogymnurus
19. Ecdyonuroides
20. Ecdyonurus
21. Electrogena
22. Epeorella
23. Epeorus
24. Heptagenia
25. Ironodes
26. Kageronia
27. Leucrocuta
28. Maccaffertium
29. Macdunnoa
30. Miocoenogenia
31. Nestormeus
32. Nixe
33. Notacanthurus
34. Notacanthurus
35. Paegniodes
36. Paracinygmula
37. Parafronurus
38. Pseudiron
39. Pseudokageronia
40. Raptoheptagenia
41. Regulaneuria
42. Rhithrogena
43. Rhithrogeniella
44. Spinadis
45. Stenacron
46. Stenonema
47. Succinogenia
48. Thalerosphyrus
49. Thamnodontus
50. Trichogenia

The oldest described member of the family is Amerogenia from the Late Cretaceous (Turonian) aged New Jersey amber.

References

References

1. Wang, T.-Q. (March 2004). "Heptageniidae (Ephemeroptera) of the World. Part I: Phylogenetic Higher Classification". Transactions of the American Entomological Society.
2. [https://www.gbif.org/species/7873 Global Biodiversity Information Facility: Heptageniidae] (retrieved 10 November 2024)