1. Emphemeroptera

Question 1

Ephemeroptera

Baetidae

Answer 1

Structure
• Small spindle-shaped bodies

Behaviour
• Dart actively from stone to stone or cling onto various substrates

Habitat
• Rocks, plants or coarse sand
• Moderately fast streams

Question 2

Ephemeroptera

Caenidae

Answer 2

Structure
• Humped backs
• “Miniskirt” gills

Behaviour
• Swim in short bursts, dolphin-style, or crawl slowly over the substrate

Habitat
• Stones or muddy areas
• Slow or very slow streams

Question 3

Ephemeroptera

Heptageniidae

Answer 3

Structure
      •	Unusually broad head
      •	Long spread-out tails
      •	Large black eyes
      •	Flat body

Behaviour
• Runs swiftly over short distances
• Legs are held close to the body when at rest

Habitat
• Stones or submerged pieces of wood
• Moderate to fast flowing streams

Question 4

Ephemeroptera

Leptophlebiidae

Answer 4

Structure
• Square heads
• Very long, spreading tails
• Feathery, leaf-like gills on both sides of abdomen

Behaviour
• Running over the substrate
• Swimming dolphin-style for short distances
• Fluttering gills

Habitat
• Stones or submerged pieces of wood
• Gentle flowing streams

Question 5

Ephemeroptera

Oligoneuridae

Answer 5

Structure
•	Large nymphs
•	Pointed heads
•	Long tufts of hair on the forelegs
•	Large, leaf-shaped gills on the sides

Behaviour
• Swift running over the substrate

Habitat
• Coarse sand or sandy patches
• Very fast flowing streams

Question 6

Ephemeroptera

Polyntitarcyidae

Answer 6

Structure
• Very prominent mouthparts
• Legs are adapted for digging into riverbanks
• Long wavy gills on both sides of the abdomen

Behaviour
• Sits quietly inside a burrow
• Active waving of the gills when at rest

Habitat
• Muddy riverbanks
• Moderately fast flowing streams

Question 7

Ephemeroptera

Prosopistomatidae

Answer 7

Structure
•	Bodies oval-shaped , very flat
•	Short stubby tail
•	Two very small eyes
•	No legs visible

Behaviour
• Active swimming

Habitat
• Stones or any floating substrate
• Fast flowing streams

Question 8

Ephemeroptera

Teloganodidae

Answer 8

Structure
•	A well-built upper body
•	Eyes are set to the side of the head
•	Some species have muscular legs
•	Two large round gills visible on the abdomen

Behaviour
• Crawling slowly
• Swimming in a jerky fashion

Habitat
• Stones or dense vegetation
• Fast streams in Southern and Eastern Cape

Question 9

Ephemeroptera

Tricorythidae

Answer 9

Structure
•	A muscular upper body
•	Strong muscular legs
•	Brush-like mouthparts
•	Large eyes

Behaviour
• Clambering over substrate
• The three tails tilt upwards when at rest
• Swimming is a convulsive upwards movement, followed by falling down with body in vertical position, legs extending to the front
Habitat
• Rocks or any solid submerged substrate
• Fast flowing streams