Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5757 No. 6: 11 Feb. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-02-11
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5757.6.3
Page range: 543-556
Abstract views: 50
PDF downloaded: 19

The newly found imagoes of Ochernova tshernovae (Kazlauskas, 1963) from China validating its position in the family (Ephemeroptera: Neoephemeridae)

School of Life Sciences; Nanjing Normal University; Nanjing 210023; China
School of Life Sciences; Nanjing Normal University; Nanjing 210023; China
School of Life Sciences; Nanjing Normal University; Nanjing 210023; China
Ephemeroptera new record phylogeny morphology biology aquatic insect

Abstract

Previously, the male imago of the mayfly Ochernova tshernovae (Kazlauskas, 1963) was not reported. The nymphs and adults of it found in northwestern China in 2025 not only show that this species has a vaster distribution than previously known but also demonstrate it is close to the European species Leucorhoenanthus maxima (Joly, 1871). Both of them share smaller posterolateral projections of abdominal terga in nymphs and smaller compound eyes in males than other genera. Biogeographically, this new finding illustrates that three neoephemerid genera of China (Ochernova, Potamanthellus, and Pulchephemera) are connected. Therefore, both its nymphs and adults are described in detail herein, and the observed biology of it is also presented.

 

References

  1. Bae, Y.J. & McCafferty, W.P. (1998) Phylogenetic systematics and biogeography of the Neoephemeridae (Ephemeroptera: Pannota). Aquatic insects, 20 (1), 35–68. https://doi.org/10.1076/aqin.20.1.35.4489
  2. Bauernfeind, E. & Soldán, T. (2013) n.k. In: The Mayflies of Europe (Ephemeroptera). Apollo Books, Ollerup, pp. 513–515. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004260887_024
  3. Curtis, J. (1834) Descriptions of some nondescript British Species of May-flies of Anglers. London and Edinburgh Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science, Series 3, 4 (20), 120–125. https://doi.org/10.1080/14786443408648276
  4. Garces, J.M. & Sartori, M. (2022) Neoephemeridae (Insecta, Ephemeroptera) of the Philippines and Insights on Southeast Asian biodiversity. Tijdschrift voor Entomologie, 165 (1–3), 49–59. https://doi.org/10.1163/22119434-bja10022
  5. Holland, V.B., Beaty, S.R. & Jacobus, L.M. (2016) A new species of Neoephemera McDunnough, 1925 (Ephemeroptera: Neoephemeridae) from North Carolina and Virginia. Zootaxa, 4138 (1), 139–154. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4138.1.6
  6. Hsu, Y.C. (1936–1937) The mayflies of China. Peking Natural History Bulletin, 11 (4), 433–440.
  7. Joly, E. (1871) Contributions pour servir à l’histoire naturelle des Ephémérines. Bulletin de la Société d’Histoire Naturelle de Toulouse, 4, 142–151.
  8. Kazlauskas, R. (1963) New and little-known mayflies (Ephemeroptera) from the USSR. Entomological Review, 42, 582–589.
  9. Kluge, N.J. (1995) A catalogue of the type-specimens in the collection of the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences. Insecta, Ephemeroptera. Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, 52 pp.
  10. Kluge, N.J. (1997) Order mayflies, Ephemeroptera. In: Key to freshwater invertebrates of Russia and adjacent lands, Vol. 3. Arachnids and lower insects. Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, pp. 176–220. [in Russian]
  11. Kluge, N.J. (2004) n.k. In: The phylogenetic system of Ephemeroptera. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp. 271–276. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0872-3
  12. Kluge, N.J. (2022) Taxonomic significance of microlepides on subimaginal tarsi of Ephemeroptera. Zootaxa, 5159 (2), 151–186. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5159.2.1
  13. Lei, Z.M. & Zhou, C.F. (2024) The subgenus Sinephemera Kluge, 2004 in China (Ephemeroptera: Ephemeridae: Ephemera Linnaeus, 1758). Zootaxa, 5517 (1), 1–68. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5517.1.1
  14. Lestage, J.A. (1931) Contribution à l’étude des larves des Éphéméroptères. VII. Le groupe Potamanthidien. Mémories de la Société Entomologique de Belgique, 23, 73–146.
  15. Linnaeus, C. (1758–1759) Systema Naturae per regna tria Naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Vols. 1–3. 10th Edition. Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii, Holmiae [Stockholm] and British Museum (Natural History), London, 824 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.542
  16. Ma, Z. & Zhou, C. (2021) The imaginal characters of Neoephemera projecta showing its plesiomorphic position and a new genus status in the family (Ephemeroptera: Neoephemeridae). Insects, 12 (8), 723. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12080723
  17. McDunnough, J. (1925) New Canadian Ephemeridae with notes, III. The Canadian Entomologist, 57 (7), 168–176. https://doi.org/10.4039/Ent57168-7
  18. Stephens, J.F. (1835) Family III: Ephemeridae, Leach. Illustrations of British Entomology. Mandibulata, 6, 53–70.
  19. Vasanth, M., Kubendran, T. & Subramanian, K. (2025) Description of two new species of the genus Potamanthellus Lestage, 1931 (Ephemeroptera: Neoephemeridae) from India. Journal of Entomological Society of Iran, 45 (2), 247–265. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5583.2.2
  20. Zheng, X. & Chen, Z.T. (2024) Oculephemeridae n. fam., a new mayfly family from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber (Insecta, Ephemeroptera). Historical Biology, 36 (3), 534–540. https://doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2023.2167603
  21. Zhou, C.F. & Zheng, L.Y. (2001) A new species of the genus Neoephemera McDunnough from China (Ephemeroptera: Neoephemeridae). Aquatic insects, 23 (4), 327–332. https://doi.org/10.1076/aqin.23.4.327.4877

How to Cite

Li, M.-Y., Deng, M.-H. & Zhou, C.-F. (2026) The newly found imagoes of Ochernova tshernovae (Kazlauskas, 1963) from China validating its position in the family (Ephemeroptera: Neoephemeridae). Zootaxa, 5757 (6), 543–556. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5757.6.3