Leptohyphes zalope (Ephemeroptera : Leptohyphidae): A polytypic North and Central American species

Reared larval to adult associations along with the study of extensive type materials and new collections from North and Central America indicate that the little stout crawler mayfly Leptohyphes zalope has been described under numerous synonymys, including L. apache, n. syn., L. ferruginus, n. syn., L. hispidus, n. syn., L. lumas, n. syn., L. piraticus, n. syn., L. succinus , n. syn., and L. zelus, n. syn. Variation in coloration and size of larvae and adults as well as head spiculation in larvae grades among and within p opulations of L. zalope. Somewhat variable head patterning in the larvae is obscured in pre-emergent larvae, but is otherwise diagnostic, together wit h the presence of a three-segmented maxillary palpi and a basal process on the outer ventral lamellae of the operculate gill. Adults have a slightly b ulbous terminal forceps segment, and somewhat variable but apparently disti nctive coloration. The species is wide ranging from the southwestern United States throughout much of Mexico, and Central America to Costa Rica.