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Family Pseudironidae - Crabwalker Mayflies

Pseudiron centralis Pseudiron centralis Mayfly - Pseudiron centralis - female Mayfly - Pseudiron centralis - female Pseudiron adult - Pseudiron centralis - female Mayfly nymph species unknown - Pseudiron centralis
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)
Suborder Pisciforma
Superfamily Heptagenioidea
Family Pseudironidae (Crabwalker Mayflies)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Previously considered a subfamily of Heptageniidae
Numbers
Family contains a single species(1)
Size
Mature nymphs and adults 10-15 mm body length
Identification
Nymph: body flattened, eyes and antennae dorsal; mouthparts adapted for predation (e.g., mandibles apically with sharp spines); tibiae and tarsi bowed, claws as long or longer than tarsi
Range
Endemic to North America; found from intermountain west (Canada and USA) through Midwest to southeastern USA
Habitat
Mid-sized to large sandy rivers
Season
Adults emerge in mid- to late summer through most of range, earlier in southeastern USA
Food
Nymphs are predators, thought to feed mostly on larval chironomid midges
Life Cycle
Univoltine, first-instar nymphs emerge in late spring to early summer
Print References
Pescador M.L. (1985) Systematics of the Nearctic genus Pseudiron (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae: Pseudironinae). Florida Entomologist 68: 432-444.
Soluk D.A., Clifford H.F. (1984) Life history and abundance of the predaceous psammophilous mayfly Pseudiron centralis McDunnough (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae). Canadian Journal of Zoology 62: 1534-1539.