Are mayflies indicator species?

Mayflies are used as indicator species when testing for environmental quality. The nymphs� external gills make them very vulnerable to silting and pollution, and they are rarely found in degraded bodies of water.

How many species of mayflies are there?

3,000
There are more than 600 species of mayfly in the United States and 3,000 worldwide.

What does a mayfly indicate?

Because they are found in a wide variety of habitats and are so widely sensitive to pollution, they are a valuable indicator of water pollution. Their presence in an aquatic ecosystem is a strong indicator of a healthy body of water.

Are mayflies a keystone species?

Mayflies are considered as keystone species and their presence is believed to be an important environmental indicator of oligotrophic to mesotrophic (i.e., low to moderately productive) conditions in running waters (Barbour et al.

What are mayfly nymphs?

Mayfly larvae (also called naiads or nymphs) are slender and soft-bodied, like adults, though they lack wings, have a series of leaflike or feathery external gills attached along the sides or on the top rear portion of the abdomen, have smaller eyes than adults, and often have a flattened head that helps them to adhere …

Where are mayfly nymphs found?

streams
Mayfly Habitat Most mayfly nymphs or naiads live in streams with clear, shallow water, but some reside in still waters and around the edges of lakes. As naiads age, they start to develop gills. Naiads that live in still waters have larger gills, and those living in moving streams have smaller gills.

How big is a mayfly nymph?

3 to 30 mm
They have an elongated, cylindrical or somewhat flattened body that passes through a number of instars (stages), molting and increasing in size each time. When ready to emerge from the water, nymphs vary in length, depending on species, from 3 to 30 mm (0.12 to 1.18 in).

How do you detect Ephemeroptera?

Ephemeroptera are aquatic insects that often go through many nymph stages (living in water) and two flying stages (the subimago and the imago). They are the only insects to have two flying stages, and can be recognized by their three caudal filaments (tails) at the tip of the abdomen, and a single claw on each leg.

What good are mayflies?

Mayflies are especially important to fishing. Mayflies contribute to the provisioning services of ecosystems in that they are utilized as food by human cultures worldwide (having one of the highest protein contents of any edible insect), as laboratory organisms, and as a potential source of antitumor molecules.