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Guide to New Zealand's freshwater invertebrates
Double gill mayfly
(
Leptophlebiidae
: Zephlebia
)
Diagnostic features
Zephlebia mayfly nymphs have a flattened body form, sharp spines on some abdominal segments, and double abdominal gills. There are numerous species with varying colours, patterns and gill shapes.
Typical habitats
Zephlebia larvae are common in many hard bottom and soft bottom, bush covered and farmland streams, especially in the North Island.
Feeding
Leptophlebiid mayflies feed by scraping diatom algae and other organic matter from stone surfaces.
Indicator value
High abundances of Zephlebia are indicative of good habitat and water quality, particularly if other mayflies or stoneflies are common or abundant. They have tolerance values of 7 (hard bottom sites) and 8.8 (soft bottom sites).
