Research Interests

EPHEMEROPTERA RESEARCH INTERESTS
Last Update: 21 Aug 2008

Luke M. Jacobus, Ph.D.
Department of Biology
Indiana University
1001 E. Third Street
Jordan Hall, Box A155
Bloomington, Indiana 47405
USA

E-mail: To find my current email address, search for "Jacobus" in the directory located here.

My homepage

A complete list of my publications is listed on this page. Most of these were funded in part by graduate research fellowships from the US National Science Foundation and the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Areas of continuing research include the following.

Ephemerellinae (Ephemerellidae) of the World

This group of mayflies has been in severe need of a global revisionary study. Its species are commonly utilized worldwide as indicators of environmental health and are often the subjects of ecological and physiological studies. Phylogenetic hyphotheses will provide a basis for even more utilization of this group in studies that aid our understanding of life in aquatic systems and beyond.

Representative Publications

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2000. Variability in the larvae of Serratella serrata (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae). Entomological News 111: 39-44.

Jacobus, L. M., W. P. McCafferty, and S. Spichiger. 2003.First adult description for Ephemerella hispida (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae). Entomological News 113: 342-343. [2002]

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2003. A new synonym of Caudatella hystrix (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 105: 776-777.

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2003. Revisions to the genus Crinitella (Ephemeroptera: Ephmerellidae). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 111: 48–50.

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2004. Contribution to the morphology and descriptive biology of Caurinella idahoensis (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae). Western North American Naturalist 64: 101–108.

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2004. Revisionary contributions to North American Ephemerella and Serratella (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 111: 174–193. [2003].

Jacobus, L. M., B. C. Kondratieff, M. D. Meyer, and W. P. McCafferty. 2004. Contribution to the biology and systematics of Ephemerella alleni (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae). The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 79: 207–211.

Jacobus, L. M. and M. Sartori. 2004. Review of the genus Hyrtanella (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae). Zootaxa 785: 1–12.

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2004. Revisionary contributions to the genus Drunella (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 112: 127–147. [2005].

Jacobus, L. M., W. P. McCafferty, and R. W. Sites. 2005. A new synonym and new Thailand records of Cincticostella femorata (Tshernova) (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 107: 733–734.

Jacobus, L. M., R. W. Newell, and W. P. McCafferty. 2006. First adult and egg descriptions of Caudatella edmundsi (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae), from Montana (U.S.A.), with habitat notes. Entomological News 117: 175–180.

Zhou, C.-F., L. M. Jacobus, and W. P. McCafferty. 2006. New Synonyms of Serratella jinghongensis (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae). Entomological News 117: 237–238.

Jacobus, L. M., W. P. McCafferty, and R. W. Sites. 2007. A new species and stage associations in the genus Crinitella (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae). Zootaxa 1611: 45–53.

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2008. Revision of Ephemerellidae Genera (Ephemeroptera). Transactions of the American Entomological Society 134: 185–274.

Synthesis of North American Mayflies

Mayflies are thought to be the oldest extant group of winged insects. What stories they must have to tell! Little by little, we are piecing together their part of North America's natural history. To get the full picture, we will need to answer several questions. Which species are here? What do we call them? Where do they live? How do they function? How do they interact? Gathering information about species' geographic distributions, biologies and morphologies (from external body structure to DNA sequence) will help answer these basic questions. Any further science dealing with mayflies can be only as good as its foundations.

Representative Publications

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2001. New Ephemeroptera records from Pennsylvania. Entomological News 112: 144.

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2001. The mayfly fauna of New York State (Insecta: Ephemeroptera). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 109: 47-80.

McCafferty, W. P. and L. M. Jacobus. 2001. Revisions to Plauditus cestus and Plauditus gloveri (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae). Entomological News 112: 305-310.

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2001. Additions to the Canadian Ephemeroptera. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 109: 367-371.

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2002. Reinstatement of Rhithrogena manifesta Eaton (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 104: 240-241.

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2002. Analysis of some historically unfamiliar Canadian mayflies (Ephemeroptera). The Canadian Entomologist 134: 141-155.

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2002. New synonyms for three North American Ephemeroptera species. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 75: 59-60.

Randolph, R. P., D. Zaranko, W. P. McCafferty, and L. M. Jacobus.2003. New Canadian records of Baetidae (Ephemeroptera) and adjustments to North American Cloeon. Entomological News 113: 306-308. [2002]

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2003. Provancher’s quebecensis mayfly species (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae, Siphlonuridae). Entomological News 113: 315-317. [2002]

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2004. First larval description of Paraleptophlebia calcarica Rowbotham and Allen (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 77: 110–115.

McCafferty, W. P., M. D. Meyer, J. M. Webb, and L. M. Jacobus. 2004. New state and provincial records for North American small minnow mayflies (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae). Entomological News 115: 93–100.

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2005. A new species and new synonym in Camelobaetidius (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 78: 153–157.

Randolph, R. P. and L. M. Jacobus. 2005. Northwest Biological Assessment Workgroup Taxonomic Workshop Manual: Ephemeroptera. Xerces Society, Portland, Oregon. 178 pp.

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2005. Apobaetis futilis, a new combination in Nearctic Baetidae (Ephemeroptera). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 107: 979.

McCafferty W. P., R. D. Waltz, J. M. Webb, and L. M. Jacobus. 2005. Revision of Heterocloeon McDunnough (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae). Journal of Insect Science 5 (35), 26 pp. + 5 pl., available online: <insectscience.org/5.35>.

Jacobus, L. M., W. P. McCaffety. 2006. Notable Ephemeroptera Records (Baetidae, Leptophlebiidae, Metretopodidae) from Indiana. Entomological News 117: 344–346.

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2007. Reinstatement of Serratella serratoides and status of Ephemerella molita (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 190: 730–732.

McCafferty, W. P. and L. M. Jacobus. 2008. Insecta, Ephemeroptera, Baetidae: Range extensions and new state records from Kansas, USA. Check List 4: 92–97.

Ephemeroptera Phylogeny and Classification

Whenever practical, the classification of mayflies should reflect their phylogeny. In this way, a name is more than just a name. If enough background information exists and a name is properly given, a species's very name can help predict those qualties of the species that we do not yet know.

Representative Publications

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2006. Phylogenetic revision of Ephemerythidae (Ephemeroptera: Pannota). Transactions of the American Entomological Society 132: 75–79.

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2006. Reevaluation of the phylogeny of the Ephemeroptera Infraorder Pannota (Furcatergalia), with adjustments to higher classification. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 132: 81–90, 429-430.

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2008. Revision of Ephemerellidae Genera (Ephemeroptera). Transactions of the American Entomological Society 134: 185–274.

All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA

I am participating in the ATBI of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, contributing to the monumentous task of documenting the diversity and biological interaction of every living thing in the Park. My last visit was in May 2007.

Representative Publications

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2003. An introduction to the Smoky Mountain mayflies (Insecta: Ephemeroptera). Southeastern Biology 50: 358–360.

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2005. Mayfly (Ephemeroptera) Diversity in the Great Smoky Mountains. Southeastern Biology 52: 45–46.

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2006. A new species of Acentrella Bengtsson (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) from Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA. Aquatic Insects 28: 101–111.

DeWalt, R. E., L. M. Jacobus and W. P. McCafferty. 2007. Summer Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera of Southwestern Drainages in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 109: 136–154.

Parker, C. R. O. S. Flint, Jr., L. M. Jacobus, B. C. Kondratieff, W. P. McCafferty, and J. C. Morse. 2007. Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Megaloptera, and Trichoptera of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Southeastern Naturalist, Special Issue 1: 159–174.

Review of the Africa and Madagascar Fauna

The Afrotropics remain as a region in great need of biodiversity research. Recent strides have been made towards improving the basic knowledge of the mayfly fauna.

Representative Publications

Jacobus, L. M. and W. P. McCafferty. 2001. Contribution to the systematics of Afrobaetodes Demoulin (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae). African Entomology 9: 97-103.

Gattolliat, J.-L. and L. M. Jacobus. 2005. Review of the Dabulamanzia and Nesydemius (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) species of Madagascar. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 113: 212–217.

Jacobus, L. M., W. P. McCafferty, and J.-L. Gattolliat. 2006. Taxonomy of Afrotropical Securiops, new genus, and Cloeodes Traver (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae). African Entomology 14: 129–140.

Oriental Mayfly Diversity

The Oriental Region also remains as an area in need of biodiversity research.

Representative Publications

Kluge, N. J., C. -F. Zhou, Luke M. Jacobus, W. P. McCafferty. 2004. A new Southeast Asian mayfly species (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae: Ephemerellinae). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 112: 148–152. [2005].

Jacobus, L. M., W. P. McCafferty, and R. W. Sites. 2005. A new synonym and new Thailand records of Cincticostella femorata (Tshernova) (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 107: 733–734.

Jacobus, L. M., W. P. McCafferty, and R. W. Sites. 2005. Significant range extensions for Kangella and VietnamellaEntomological News 116: 268–270. (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae, Vietnamellidae).

Jacobus, L. M., and W. P. McCafferty. 2006. A New Oriental Species of Uracanthella (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae) from Thailand

and Vietnam. Entomological News117: 276–280.

McCafferty, W. P. and L. M. Jacobus. 2006. A new Oriental species of Behningia (Ephemeroptera: Behningiidae). Journal of Insect Science 6: Art. No. 47.