A new Junior Synonym for Raptoheptagenia Cruentata (Walsh, 1863) and Remarks about Nearctic Heptagenia Walsh, 1836 (Insecta: Ephemroptera: Heptageniidae)

Abstract

Examination of a rediscovered slide of holotype genitalia of Heptagenia patoka Burks, 1946, (Insecta: Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae) revealed that H. patoka is synonymous with Raptoheptagenia cruentata (Walsh, 1863) [5 H. patoka, new synonym]. With the synonymy of H. patoka under R. cruentata, all North American Heptagenia Walsh, 1863, species are known in the larval stage. The larvae of H. dolosa Traver, 1935, and H. townesi Traver, 1935, have not been described yet, but recently they were associated with adults. Both species are part of the H. marginalis Banks, 1910, species group. Heptagenia townesi differs from H. marginalis by having longer apical spines on the segments of the caudal filaments, but further study of H. dolosa will be required to elucidate possible diagnostic characters.