Hexagenia

Hexagenia mexicana

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Cladus: Pancrustacea
Cladus: Allotriocarida
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Ordo: Ephemeroptera
Subordo: Furcatergalia
Infraordo: Scapphodonta
Superfamilia: Ephemeroidea

Familia: Ephemeridae
Genus: Hexagenia

Hexagenia mexicana

Hexagenia is a genus of mayfly in the family Ephemeridae, the common burrower mayflies.[1]
Species

These eight species belong to the genus Hexagenia:

Hexagenia albivitta (Walker, 1853) i c g
Hexagenia atrocaudata McDunnough, 1924 i c g b
Hexagenia bilineata (Say, 1824) i c g b
Hexagenia callineura Banks, 1914 c g
Hexagenia limbata (Serville, 1829) i c g b
Hexagenia mexicana Eaton, 1885 i c g
Hexagenia orlando Traver, 1931 i c g b
Hexagenia rigida McDunnough, 1924 i c g b

Data sources: i = ITIS,[2] c = Catalogue of Life,[3] g = GBIF,[4] b = Bugguide.net[5]
General information

Hexagenia are commonly referred to as burrower mayflies as they create u-shaped tunnels in the aquatic substrate where they reside. This shape allows them to draw in water from the surrounding areas by undulating their body near the mouth of the tunnel. Hexagenia feed upon microscopic organisms suspended in the water column and thus draw in all the food and oxygen they require. Therefore, these burrowing mayflies are often found in shallow substrates of streams and lakes, specifically in areas of slow current.

Hexagenia is similar in size and appearance to Pentagenia. The main difference is the rounded frontal process adjacent to the mandibular tusks in Hexagenia. In Pentagenia, this frontal process comes to a point.
Hexagenia frontal process
References

"Mayfly Central". Retrieved 2018-05-06.
"Hexagenia Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
"Browse Hexagenia". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
"Hexagenia". GBIF. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
"Hexagenia Genus Information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 2018-05-06.