![]() They provide regulatory services through their cleaning of freshwater. Mayflies contribute to the provisioning services of ecosystems in that they are utilized as food by human cultures worldwide (having one of the highest protein contents of any edible insect), as laboratory organisms, and as a potential source of antitumor molecules. Mayflies are especially important to fishing. They are commemorated by festivals worldwide. In terms of cultural services, they have provided inspiration to musicians, poets, and other writers, as well as being the namesakes of various water- and aircraft. Mayflies provide direct and indirect services to humans and other parts of both freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. Though the winged stages do not have functional mouthparts or digestive systems, the larval, or nymphal, stages have a variety of feeding approaches-including, but not limited to, collector-gatherers, filterers, scrapers, and active predators-with each supported by a diversity of morphological and behavioral adaptations. ![]() The existence of the subimago stage is unique among extant insects. ![]() They are nearly cosmopolitan, except for Antarctica and some very remote islands. The Ephemeroptera, or mayflies, are a small but diverse order of amphinotic insects associated with liquid freshwater worldwide. This work is intended as a general and concise overview of Ephemeroptera biology, diversity, and services provided to humans and other parts of our global array of freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. ![]()
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