South American Giant Mayfly vs Tiny Winter Black Stonefly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	South American Giant Mayfly	Tiny Winter Black Stonefly
Scientific Name	Campsurus major	Capnia nigra
Order	Ephemeroptera	Plecoptera
Family	Polymitarcyidae	Capniidae
Size	15-25 mm	4-8 mm
Habitat	Rivers & Streams	Rivers & Streams
Diet	Omnivores	Detritivores
Regions	South America	Europe, Northern Asia
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

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.

Tiny Winter Black Stonefly

A tiny black stonefly that emerges in late winter across European streams. It is among the earliest insects to appear each year.

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Did You Know?

Females are often wingless or short-winged, relying on walking rather than flight to find mates.