Japanese Burrowing Mayfly vs South American Giant Mayfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Japanese Burrowing Mayfly South American Giant Mayfly
Scientific Name Ephemera japonica Campsurus major
Order Ephemeroptera Ephemeroptera
Family Ephemeridae Polymitarcyidae
Size 15-25 mm 15-25 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Rivers & Streams
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Japan, East Asia South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Japanese Burrowing Mayfly

A large burrowing mayfly native to Japanese rivers and streams. It emerges in large numbers during early summer evenings.

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Did You Know?

It is culturally significant in Japan, where mayfly emergence has been celebrated in poetry for centuries.

South American Giant Mayfly

A large tropical mayfly found in South American rivers and floodplains. Males have distinctive elongated forelegs used for grasping females during mating flights.

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Did You Know?

Its mass emergences from Amazonian rivers provide a critical food pulse for fish and birds.