The shell of a mayfly larva is home to a variety of microscopic creatures.

COMMON NAME:  Mayfly shell Kingdom / Phylum: Animalia / Arthropoda Class / Subclass: Insecta Order / Suborder: Ephemeroptera Family / Subfamily: . Genus / Species: . Date: 10/03/2009 Location: Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ Magnification: 4x objective, brightfield & darkfield
Brightfield and darkfield views of a mayfly larva's shell.

COMMON NAME:  Mayfly shell Kingdom / Phylum: Animalia / Arthropoda Class / Subclass: Insecta Order / Suborder: Ephemeroptera Family / Subfamily: . Genus / Species: . Date: 10/03/2009 Location: Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ Magnification: 10x objective, darkfield & brightfield
At 10x magnification, a bell-shaped vorticella is seen tethered to the head (upper right). A pair of small unidentified ciliates swims by the first and second pair of legs on the second image (center-left).

COMMON NAME:  Mayfly shell Kingdom / Phylum: Animalia / Arthropoda Class / Subclass: Insecta Order / Suborder: Ephemeroptera Family / Subfamily: . Genus / Species: . Date: 10/03/2009 Location: Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ Magnification: 40x objective, brightfield
A pair of small unidentified ciliates swims by a mayfly leg.

COMMON NAME:  Mayfly shell Kingdom / Phylum: Animalia / Arthropoda Class / Subclass: Insecta Order / Suborder: Ephemeroptera Family / Subfamily: . Genus / Species: . Date: 10/03/2009 Location: Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ Magnification: 10x objective, brightfield
A large ciliate swims by the mayfly tail, and a vorticella is tethered nearby.

COMMON NAME:  Mayfly shell Kingdom / Phylum: Animalia / Arthropoda Class / Subclass: Insecta Order / Suborder: Ephemeroptera Family / Subfamily: . Genus / Species: . Date: 10/03/2009 Location: Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ Magnification: 10x objective, brightfield
A vorticella is tethered near the base of one of the three tails. At bottom-right an amoeba creeps nearby.

COMMON NAME:  Mayfly shell Kingdom / Phylum: Animalia / Arthropoda Class / Subclass: Insecta Order / Suborder: Ephemeroptera Family / Subfamily: . Genus / Species: . Date: 10/03/2009 Location: Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ Magnification: 10x objective, brightfield
A ciliate swims under a mayfly's leg, with diatoms and other things nearby.

COMMON NAME:  Mayfly shell Kingdom / Phylum: Animalia / Arthropoda Class / Subclass: Insecta Order / Suborder: Ephemeroptera Family / Subfamily: . Genus / Species: . Date: 10/03/2009 Location: Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ Magnification: 40x objective, brightfield
Tiny swimming creatures swim up and down inside a transparent mayfly tail.

COMMON NAME:  Mayfly shell Kingdom / Phylum: Animalia / Arthropoda Class / Subclass: Insecta Order / Suborder: Ephemeroptera Family / Subfamily: . Genus / Species: . Date: 10/03/2009 Location: Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ Magnification: 10x objective, brightfield
The tether line of a vorticella can be seen (center left), along with a dileptus (lower center). In the second image, a fast moving ciliate speeds by (top center).

All photos ©2009 Colin L. Miller, all rights reserved.