Mayflies (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) of the Indian Himalaya and future challenges

Abstract

A concise overview of the diversity and distribution of Ephemeroptera of Indian Himalaya, a global biodiversity hotspot, is presented. The current study summarizes the diversity and distribution of Ephemeroptera of the seven Himalayan states of India: Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Utter Pradesh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. This study documents 10 families, 34 genera, 89 species. A total of 57 species are considered endemic to the region. The richest diversity is reported from the states of Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh and the maximum diversity is seen within three families and three genera. Updated information on Ephemeroptera of the Himalaya parts of Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and China is required to comprehensively understand the diversity and endemicity of the hotspot. Further, to advance our knowledge of Ephemeroptera of the region, a synthesis of the taxonomy of adults and larvae with description of all life history stages within a molecular phylogenetic framework is urgently required.