Data from: Aquatic hitchhikers: examining the phoretic associations between blackfly (Diptera: Simuliidae) and mayfly (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae, Tricorythidae) larvae in Kenyan river ecosystems

The interaction known as phoresy, where one organism (the phoront)
utilises another (the host) primarily for transport or access to food
resources, has been observed among various aquatic invertebrates in
Afrotropical rivers. Although documented in multiple species, phoresy’s
underlying causes, ecological dynamics, and evolutionary pathways remain
poorly understood, and its broader implications are still under
investigation. In this study, we collected and analysed macroinvertebrate
samples from seven locations along the Gura River and nine locations along
the Mara River in Kenya. We explored phoretic dynamics within a diverse
range of macroinvertebrate taxa. We identified a consistent phoretic
association between Simuliidae larvae and pupae, and Heptageniidae larvae,
at four Gura River sites, noting that the prevalence of these interactions
varied with the river’s longitudinal gradient. In the Mara River, we
detected phoretic interactions between Simuliidae pupae and Tricorythidae
larvae, although this was limited to a single site. These findings expand
our understanding of phoresy within tropical river systems and highlight
the need for more comprehensive research.