Biosystematic studies of south Indian Leptophlebiidae and Heptageniidae in relation to egg ultrastructure and phylogenetic interpretations

Abstract

Previous work on the importance of egg ultrastructure to the taxonomic and phylogenetic studies of Ephemeroptera with special emphasis on the two schistonotan families, Leptophlebiidae and Heptageniidae is reviewed. The chorionic sculpturings, the types of micropyles and attachment structures of the eggs of south Indian mayfly species belonging to 8 genera of Leptophlebiidae and 3 genera of Heptageniidae have been studied through scanning electron microscope.