Barcoding of NH Mayflies

The presence of different macroinvertebrate species can be an important indicator of the overall health of freshwater systems. Two important things that macroinvertebrates can signal are oxygen content and extent of eutrophication. However, certain aquatic species, including mayflies (Order: Ephemeroptera), can be nearly impossible to identify to species using phenotypic features alone, and without all associated life stages under consideration. Analysis of genetic markers can be useful to accurately determine the species designation of collected specimens. Previous studies in mayflies have used the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) gene to successfully assign species. This method is known as barcoding. For my work on two genera of flat-headed mayflies (Heptageniidae: Epeorus and Maccaffertium), 20 mayfly nymphs of each were collected at eight different water sites throughout New Hampshire. Collection sites included as far north as Woodstock, NH and as far south as Peterborough, NH. DNA was isolated from the nymphal leg tissue (rich in mitochondria), or the thorax was used when the legs were unavailable. Efforts are underway to sequence a portion of the CO1 gene from these specimens and determine species for each. This study is the first of its kind for mayflies in NH and will help with efforts to monitor the water quality across the state