Diversity and distribution of mayflies (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) in the “sky islands” of Palni Hills, Western Ghats, India

The Palni Hills, part of the Western Ghats Mountain range in southern India, constitute a biodiversity hotspot, and their high elevation creates unique ecological conditions. Despite global recognition of the region as a biodiversity hotspot, many taxonomic groups remain poorly studied, including mayflies. We conducted a survey of mayflies in the Palni Hills to document the current diversity profile and analyse their altitudinal distribution patterns, ranging from 346 to 1685 m asl. Our sampling from April to October 2023 covered eleven sites, resulting in the collection of 788 individuals, representing 24 species, 16 genera, and six families. Four species are reported for the first time from Palni Hills. Notably, the families Baetidae, Heptageniidae, and Leptophlebiidae were the most species-rich, although individual population densities remained low. We have provided the updated taxonomic hierarchy, current diversity profile, and abundance of mayflies of Palni Hills. We have also highlighted the knowledge gaps in the taxonomy and distribution of Ephemeroptera within this study area