Drunella pelosa
(Mayo, 1952)
Drunella pelosa is a of spiny crawler mayfly in the Ephemerellidae. It is native to North America. As a member of the Ephemerellidae family, it shares characteristics with other spiny crawler mayflies, including a robust body form and adaptations for clinging to substrates in flowing water. The species was originally described as Ephemerella pelosa by Mayo in 1952.
Distribution
North America (Nearctic region). Distribution records indicate presence in the Nearctic zoogeographic realm.
Human Relevance
Mayflies in the Drunella, including related such as Drunella grandis, are significant to fly fishing. Anglers refer to some Drunella species as 'green drakes' and create artificial flies to mimic their and subadult forms. While specific fly patterns for D. pelosa are not documented in available sources, the genus is known to be part of the aquatic insect fauna that supports trout and other sport fish.
Similar Taxa
- Drunella grandisBoth are spiny crawler mayflies in the Drunella. D. grandis is specifically noted as the 'spinner green drake' important to fly fishermen, while D. pelosa is a distinct with separate distribution and potentially different characteristics.
- Other Ephemerellidae members share the 'spiny ' and ecological habits, requiring careful examination for -level identification.
More Details
Taxonomic history
Originally described as Ephemerella pelosa by Mayo in 1952 (or 1951 per some sources), later transferred to Drunella. NCBI records the basionym as Ephemerella pelosa with authority (Mayo, 1951), while Catalogue of Life and GBIF cite (Mayo, 1952).