The Higher Classification of the Ephemeroptera and Its Evolutionary Basis1'' W. P. McCAFFERTY3 AND GEORGE F. EDMUNDS, JR.4 ABSTRACT Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 72: 5-12 (1979) The higher classification of the extant Ephemeroptera of the world is reviewed. The su- borders Schistonota (to include the Baetoidea, Leptophlebioidea, and Ephemeroidea) and Pannota (to include the Ephemerelloidea, Caenoidea, and Prosopistomatoidea) are introduced and defined on the basis of thoracic structure and other characters. The families Ephemerel- lidae and Tricorythidae are removed from the Leptophlebioidea and placed as the Ephemer- elloidea. The phyletic basis for this classification and the evolutionary history of the super- families is presented. The Siphlonuridae and Leptophlebiidae are paraphyletic groups as constituted. All extant mayfly lineages take their origin within the Siphlonuridae and their derivations are discussed. The Leptophlebiidae gave rise to the Ephemeroidea. Classificatory modifications in the makeup of the Siphlonuridae, Siphlaenigmatidae, Baetidae, Ametropod- idae, Oligoneuriidae, Ephemerellidae, and Tricorythidae are discussed. On the basis of phy- Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/aesa/article/72/1/5/136951 by guest on 02 October 2021 letic intermediacy, the Siphlaenigmatinae is recognized as a subfamily of Baetidae, and the Isonychiinae and Coloburiscinae are recognized as subfamilies of Oligoneuriidae. Evolutionary relationships are becoming relatively for these modifications, along with evidences for the well understood among higher groups of Ephemerop- paraphyletic nature of major stem-groups are treated tera. Thus, this group of insects is a model for studies herein. integrating phylogeny, classification, and biogeography. Suborders Reasons for this level of understanding are many. The order's size has helped make systematic studies ap- New evidence from the thorax along with other data proachable from a world perspective. In addition, sys- indicate the existence of a derived monophyletic group- tematic conclusions are often testable with a wide range ing of families which represents a major and distinctive of characters from different character sources. These in- evolutionary grade within Ephemeroptera. We designate clude exoskeletal, soft anatomy, and behavioral data this grouping as the suborder Pannota. It is given equal from adult, larval, and egg stages. Fossil data, although hierarchial status to a grouping of all other families extremely sparse, have also been considered. which we designate as the suborder Schistonota (see Ta- In the past 25 yr, higher classification systems have ble 1). been proposed or reviewed by Edmunds and Traver Phyletic relationships of the suborders and their su- (1954), Demoulin (1958), Tshernova (1970), Edmunds perfamilies are depicted in Fig. 1. The common ancestor (1972), Riek (1973), Landa (1973), and Edmunds et al. (D) of the Pannota had evolved radically from the ances- (1976). All these workers have had at least some interest tral structural pattern of mayflies by a fusion of the larval in the phylogeny of mayflies. Precise criteria for the for- wing pads along the mesonotum, and a general enlarge- mulation of higher classification in Ephemeroptera have ment of the mesonotum. Mature larvae of Pannota are been suggested by Edmunds (1962) and McCafferty and usually easily recognized since, in most, less than half Edmunds (1976). Phyletic relationships were an impor- the developing forewing pad freely extends beyond its tant consideration among these criteria. Furthermore, fusion to the thorax (Fig. 2). Maximum expression of data are being generated from several on-going studies the fusion is seen in the "carapace" of the Prosopisto- of certain families or superfamilies. Some of these data matoidea. The Schistonota have generally retained the have been published (e.g., Peters and Edmunds 1970, ancestral condition of the larval thorax, and mature lavae McCafferty 1972, Edmunds 1973, McCafferty and Ed- usually have forewing pads free from notal fusion for munds 1976). one half or more of their length (Fig. 3). Table 1 represents our higher classification of the ex- The gill series in pannote larvae tend to be reduced tant Ephemeroptera of the world. This classification is and protected in various ways. Gills usually lie flattened modified from Edmunds et al. (1976) for 2 primary pur- somewhat along lateral shelves of the abdomen. Respi- poses. First, it more fully reflects the evolutionary rela- ratory surfaces are protected either by other plates on the tionships of the major phyletic lineages (superfamilies). same gill (many Ephemerellidae), specialized operculate Second, it accommodates evolutionarily intermediate li- gills (some Ephemerellidae, most Tricorythidae, and neages into a practical familial classification in accord- Caenoidea), the legs (Tricorythidae: Dicercomyzinae), ance with our suggested rules (McCafferty and Edmunds or the fused mesothorax (Prosopistomatoidea). The gill 1976). series of Schistonota are usually well developed, highly The classification introduces 2 fundamental suborders variable, and expressive of a number of different adap- of Ephemeroptera, and recognizes the reclassification of tive modes and diverse lineages. several families and subfamilies. The interpretive bases The larvae of Pannota tend to be behaviorally as well as structurally homogeneous, and there is most likely a 1 Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station Journal No. 7173. Re- strong adaptive correlation between the 2 character sets. ceived for publication June 5, 1978. 2 Research supported in part by NSF Grants (DEB76-09970-A01) to the 2nd Pannote larvae are generally slow moving, relatively in- author. active crawlers or clingers. They are often secretive in 3 Dept. of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907. 4 Dept. of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City 84112. habit and tend to be inconspicuous among the vegeta- ©1979 Entomological Society of America 0013-8746/79/0100-0508$00.75/0 6 ANNALS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA LVol. 72, no. 1 Table 1.—Higher classification of the extant Ephemeroptera of the world, including suborders, superfamilies, families, and subfamilies. Distributional realms for each subfamily are indicated. Amphinotic distribution is southeastern Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and Chile and adjoining Argentina. Suborder SCHISTONOTA Superfamily Baetoidea Family Siphlonuridae Subfamily Oniscigastrinae (Amphinotic) Subfamily Ameletopsinae (Amphinotic) Subfamily Siphlonurinae (Holarctic, Amphinotic) Subfamily Rallidentinae (New Zealand) Subfamily Acanthametropodinae (Holarctic) Family Ametropodidae (Holarctic) Family Baetidae Subfamily Siphlaenigmatinae (New Zealand) Subfamily Baetinae (Widespread, except New Zealand) Family Metretopodidae (Holarctic) Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/aesa/article/72/1/5/136951 by guest on 02 October 2021 Family Oligoneuriidae Subfamily Isonychiinae (Holarctic, Oriental) Subfamily Chromarcyinae (Oriental) Subfamily Coloburiscinae (Amphinotic) Subfamily Oligoneuriinae (Ethiopian, Neotropical, Holarctic) Family Heptageniidae Subfamily Arthropleinae (Holarctic) Subfamily Pseudironinae (Nearctic) Subfamily Heptageniinae (Holarctic, Oriental, Ethiopian) Subfamily Anepeorinae (Nearctic [Holarctic?]) Subfamily Spinadinae (Nearctic) Superfamily Leptophlebioidea Family Leptophlebiidae (Widespread) Superfamily Ephemeroidea Family Behningiidae (Holarctic) Family Potamanthidae (Holarctic, Oriental) Family Euthyplociidae (Oriental, Ethiopian, Neotropical) Family Polymitarcyidae Subfamily Polymitarcyinae (Holarctic, Ethiopian, Oriental) Subfamily Campsurinae (Neotropical, Nearctic) Subfamily Asthenopodinae (Neotropical, Ethiopian, Oriental) Family Ephemeridae (Holarctic, Ethiopian, Oriental, New Zealand, Neotropical) Family Palingeniidae Subfamily Pentageniinae (Nearctic) Subfamily Palingeniinae (Palearctic, Oriental, Ethiopian) Suborder PANNOTA Superfamily Ephemerelloidea Family Ephemerellidae Subfamily Teloganodinae (Ethiopian, Oriental, Palearctic, Australian) Subfamily Ephemerellinae (Holarctic, Oriental) Subfamily Melanemerellinae (Neotropical) Family Tricorythidae Subfamily Leptohyphinae (Neotropical, Nearctic, Ethiopian) Subfamily Ephemerythinae (Ethiopian) Subfamily Tricorythinae (Ethiopian, Oriental) Subfamily Dicercomyzinae (Ethiopian) Subfamily Machadorythinae (Ethiopian) Superfamily Caenoidea Family Neoephemeridae (Holarctic, Oriental) Family Caenidae (Widespread, except New Zealand) Superfamily Prosopistomatoidea Family Baetiscidae (Nearctic) Family Prosopistomatidae (Ethiopian, Oriental, Palearctic) tion, debris, or other substrates with which they may evolved many times in relation to body and wing size occur. The swimming habit has been retained (or sec- modifications (primarily reduction), and flight behavior ondarily acquired), but is seldom used in the prosopis- evolution. Such changes have occurred in many diverse tomatoids. Schistonote larvae are variously swimmers, lineages of Ephemeroptera. In the adults of Pannota, the sprawlers, burrowers, or occasionally crawlers or clin- margins of the mesoscutellum are highly tapered from gers. Most tend to be relatively active. their relatively anteroventral origin to the posterodorsal The adults of Pannota and Schistonota are not as eas- apex of the mesoscutellum. Although there are excep- ily distinguishable or as consistently expressive of their tions, the mesoscutellum often extends posteriorly for relative evolutionary