November's Featured Wisconsin Endangered Species: Wallace's Deepwater Mayfly

For November’s Wisconsin endangered species, I’ve chosen the humble and obscure Wallace’s Deepwater Mayfly (Spinadis simplex). I’m calling attention to this species as a Thanksgiving to the lesser known, ordinary creatures whose value is greater than they or we might think - much like the majority of organisms who live out their brief but precious lives in obscurity – including most of us humans!

We know something about their aptly named Order, Ephemeroptera, but little about this particular species. How ironic, given that they are one of the oldest existing winged insects! The Order is called Ephemeroptera because the winged adults are short-lived. All insects in this Order are unique for 3 reasons – their ancient lineage, they have winged subimagos (last non-adult life stages), and their wings point straight up. And, these insects are especially vulnerable to poor water quality http://www.earthlife.net/insects/ephemer.html .

About Wallace’s Deepwater Mayfly itself, we know little. We can only say where it’s been found, in Grant, Crawford, Iowa, Richland and Columbia counties in Wisconsin, and that it prefers large, fast-flowing rivers where nymphs live among wood or other solid substrates over sand in deep water http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/er/biodiversity/index.asp?mode=info&Grp=18&SpecCode=IIEPH19010 . The specifics of its distribution and life cycle are unknown. What a great opportunity for someone to study this mayfly, and bring it and themselves into the limelight!

Threats to its survival are wetland destruction, shoreline development, water pollution, and alteration of waterflow by impoundments or destruction of nearby vegetation http://dnr.wisconsin.gov/org/land/er/wwap/plan/pdfs/04_0_Invertebrate_SGCN.pdf.
Conservation efforts to combat these threats will also benefit other sensitive species, as well as all living things that value clean water – including us!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, show your appreciation of Wallace’s Deepwater Mayfly and other endangered species, and thank your local and national conservation organizations for working to save them, by being generous with your time and money. Here are just a few of the many organizations that could use your thanks: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/er/support/how_you_can_help.htm , http://madisonaudubon.org/audubon/index.htm . and http://wisconsin.sierraclub.org/ Share your knowledge and awareness with friends, families and acquaintances! Help save the world!