A new species of Neoephemera McDunnough, 1925 (Ephemeroptera: Neoephemeridae) from North Carolina and Virginia

Abstract

Neoephemera eatoni sp. nov. is described based on nymphs, imagos, and eggs from North Carolina and Virginia, USA. Nymphs of the new species are associated only with hornleaf riverweed (Podostemum ceratophyllum) growing on the surfaces of cobbles and boulders in moderate to swift flows, at a depth of up to one meter. Life stages were associated by laboratory rearing. Nymphs of the new species are distinguished from other Nearctic Neoephemera by the following combination of characters: all legs are short and stout, with overall lengths subequal to each other; tibial and tarsal lengths are subequal on all legs; tarsal claws are sharply curved; anterolateral projections on the pronotum and mesonotum are reduced; and anterosubmedian tubercles are absent from the pronotum. Male and female imagos exhibit unique abdominal maculations; the anterior protuberance of the mesonotum is obovate; and distinct leg banding patterns are absent. Male imagos have the fore tibia at least 2× the length of mid and hind tibiae, and female imagos have all legs subequal in length. Our new species may be most closely related to N. youngi based on imagos of the two species each having a small spine posteromedially on abdominal tergum II and having annulated terminal filaments. An updated key to North American species is provided.

The First Two Complete Mitochondrial Genomes of Neoephemeridae (Ephemeroptera): Comparative Analysis and Phylogenetic Implication for Furcatergalia

“…Larvae could be found from mountain torrents to large streams and rivers, generally being either clingers on erosional substrates or sprawlers on depositional substrates [ 26 , 27 ]. Studies of Neoephemeridae have mainly focused on the morphological classification and biogeography [ 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. However, there is no mitogenome sequence of this family available in GenBank.…”

The Imaginal Characters of Neoephemera projecta Showing Its Plesiomorphic Position and a New Genus Status in the Family (Ephemeroptera: Neoephemeridae)

“…The eggs of this species are more similar to the species of the Neoephemeragroup because of their finger-like projections [1]. Compared to eggs of Neoephemera youngi, N. eatoni and L. maximus [3,21], the finger-like projections of Pulchephemera projecta are stouter and irregularly situated.…”

“…The mayfly family Neoephemeridae (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) includes 13 extant species [1][2][3][4]. Most species have been described from both imaginal and nymphal materials [1,3,5,6].…”

“…The mayfly family Neoephemeridae (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) includes 13 extant species [1][2][3][4]. Most species have been described from both imaginal and nymphal materials [1,3,5,6]. An exception is the species Neoephemera projecta Zhou and Zheng, 2001, the single species of the genus Neoephemera McDunnough, 1925 found in China and the Eastern Palearctic region, which was originally reported based on nymphs only [2,7].…”