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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Mayflies (Ephemeroptera) » Furcatergalia » Pronggilled Mayflies (Leptophlebiidae) » Leptophlebia
Photo#276830
Leptophlebia ? - Leptophlebia - female
Copyright © 2009 Mardon Erbland

Leptophlebia ? - Leptophlebia - Female
47.63058N 52.68765W (WGS84), Logy Bay, Northeast Avalon, Newfoundland/Labrador, Canada
May 18, 2009
Size: Est 2 cm
This was flying erratically around our red car, periodically landing but taking off again almost immediately. I was only able to get a couple of photos when it crawled into the gap between the fender and hood. As it was trying to get back out, I snapped these photos. Its behaviour left me with the impression that it was in distress of some sort.

Images of this individual: tag all
Leptophlebia ? - Leptophlebia - female Leptophlebia ? - Leptophlebia - female
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Contributed by Mardon Erbland on 18 May, 2009 - 7:05pm
Last updated 19 May, 2009 - 6:19am

Yes...
a female Leptophlebia imago.
… Lloyd Gonzales, 19 May, 2009 - 12:26am login or register to post comments

 
Thanks
Thank you for the ID. Is it the eye spacing that is diagnostic of the sex? Do all mayflies in the imago stage act erratic like this one was?
… Mardon Erbland, 19 May, 2009 - 6:21am login or register to post comments

 
Gender and activity
In most (but not all) mayfly families, the males have much larger eyes than the females, often covering most of the facial area. (Leptohyphidae, Caenidae, and Potamanthidae are examples of exceptions to this.) This eye-size difference can often be seen in the mature nymph, as well as the subimago and imago. In addition, the adult males have greatly elongated forelegs (for grasping the female during mating), very long tails, and visible terminalia (claspers) at the end of the abdomen.

The subimago usually seems docile, conserving energy as it awaits the final molt and mating. The imago is much more active, and they often seem to be fooled by some surfaces (paved roads, for example).
… Lloyd Gonzales, 19 May, 2009 - 9:11am login or register to post comments

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