DOI: 10.5061/dryad.k3j9kd5nc
title: Data from: Aquatic hitchhikers: examining the phoretic associations between blackfly (Diptera: Simuliidae) and mayfly (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae, Tricorythidae) larvae in Kenyan river ecosystems

description: 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.
description: # Data from: Aquatic hitchhikers: examining the phoretic associations
 between blackfly (Diptera: Simuliidae) and mayfly (Ephemeroptera:
 Heptageniidae, Tricorythidae) larvae in Kenyan river ecosystems Dataset
 DOI: [10.5061/dryad.k3j9kd5nc](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.k3j9kd5nc) ##
 Description of the data and file structure We collected data from seven
 sites in the Gura River and nine sites in the Mara River, Kenya. We
 inspected for evidence of phoresy between the macroinvertebrate taxa.  ###
 Files and variables #### File: Phoresy_Benjamin-et-al._-2025.html
 **Description:** This is the HTML file for the phoresy analysis #### File:
 phoresy.gura.csv **Description:** This is a csv file containing the
 phoresy data for the Gura River ##### Variables * site: The names of the
 sampling sites  * sim.abund:  The number of Simuliidae abundance.  *
 hept.abund:The number of Heptageniidae abundance.  * tot.phor: The total
 number of phoresy noted.  * pct.phor: The perecentage of phoresy in the
 Gura River  * elevation (m.a.s.l): The elevation/altitude for each site.
 The units of measurements are (m.a.s.l) * discharge (m^3^/s) (: The
 discharge data for Gura sites. The units of measurement are (m^3^/s) *
 velocity (m/s): The velocity of the Gura River sites. The units of
 measurement are (m/s) * slope: The slope calculated for each site ####
 File: Mara_River_macros_2023.csv **Description:** This dataset contains
 macroinvertebrates data collected in the Mara River during 2023 #####
 Variables * Site : These are Mara River sites  * Baetidae: Dominant Mayfly
 taxa * Chironomidae:Dominant Diptera taxa  * Hydropsychidae:Dominant
 Trichoptera taxa  * Simuliidae :Dominant Diptera taxa * Tricorythidae
 :Dominant Mayfly taxa #### File: Gura_River_macros_2018.csv
 **Description:** This dataset contains macroinvertebrates data collected
 in the Gura River during 2018 ##### Variables * Site:These are Gura River
 sites  * Heptageniidae:Dominant Mayfly taxa * Simuliidae:Dominant Diptera
 taxa  * Hydropsychidae:Dominant Trichoptera taxa  * Chironomidae :Dominant
 Diptera taxa  * Baetidae:Dominant Mayfly taxa #### File:
 Mara_river_July_2022_macros.csv **Description:** This dataset contains
 macroinvertebrates data collected in the Mara River during July 2018 #####
 Variables * Site:These are Mara River sites  * Baetidae:Dominant Mayfly
 taxa * Chironomidae:Dominant Diptera taxa  * Hydropsychidae:Dominant
 Trichoptera taxa  * Simuliidae:Dominant Diptera taxa  *
 Tricorythidae:Dominant Mayfly taxa #### File:
 Phoresy_Benjamin_et_al.__2025.Rmd **Description:** This is the R makrdown
 file for all the anayses for the phoresy paper.  #### File:
 Gura_River_Oct_2018_macros_sampling.csv **Description:** This dataset
 contains all macroinvertebrates data collected in the Gura River during
 Oct, 2018.  ##### Variables * Date: This column shows the date of
 sampling  * Altitude(m): This is the elevation/ altitude for each
 site. The units of measurements are (m.a.s.l) * Site Name: This refers to
 the site name  * Site code:This referes to the site code  * Order :The
 macroinvertebrate order  * Family : The macroinvertebrate family  * Count:
 The total count of the macroinvertebrates.  * Abundace(ind/m): The total
 number of individual per metre.  * FFGs codes: The functional feeding
 guilds codes  * FFGs:The functional feeding guilds.  * Genus: The
 macroinvertebrate genus.  * Description: Any further information regarding
 the taxa.  #### File: Gura_River_Nov_2018_macros_sampling.csv
 **Description:** This dataset contains all macroinvertebrates data
 collected in the Gura River during Nov, 2018. ##### Variables * Date: This
 column shows the date of sampling  * Altitude(m): This is the elevation/
 altitude for each site * Site Name: This refers to the site name  * Site
 code:This referes to the site code  * Order :The macroinvertebrate order 
 * Family : The macroinvertebrate family  * Count: The total count of the
 macroinvertebrates.  * Abundace(ind/m): The total number of individual per
 metre.  * FFGs codes: The functional feeding guilds codes  * FFGs:The
 functional feeding guilds.  * Genus: The macroinvertebrate genus.  *
 Description: Any further information regarding the taxa.  #### File:
 Gura_River_Dec_2018_macros_sampling.csv **Description:** This dataset
 contains all macroinvertebrates data collected in the Gura River during
 Dec, 2018. ##### Variables * Date: This column shows the date of sampling 
 * Altitude (m): This is the elevation/ altitude for each site. The units
 of measurements are (m.a.s.l) * Site Name: This refers to the site name  *
 Site code:This referes to the site code  * Order :The macroinvertebrate
 order  * Family : The macroinvertebrate family  * Count: The total count
 of the macroinvertebrates.  * Abundace(ind/m): The total number of
 individual per metre.  * FFGs codes: The functional feeding guilds codes 
 * FFGs:The functional feeding guilds.  * Genus: The macroinvertebrate
 genus.  * Description: Any further information regarding the taxa.  ####
 File: Mara_River_June_2023_macros_sampling.csv **Description:** This
 dataset contains all macroinvertebrates data collected in the Mara River
 during June, 2023. ##### Variables * Date :This column shows the date of
 sampling  * Site name :This refers to the site name  * Site code:This
 referes to the site code  * Elevation (m):This is the elevation/ altitude
 for each site * Order :The macroinvertebrate order  * Family :The
 macroinvertebrate family  * Genus :The macroinvertebrate genus.  * Species
 : The macroinvertebrate species * Count:The total count of the
 macroinvertebrates.  #### File: Mara_River_July_2022_macros_sampling.csv
 **Description:** This dataset contains all macroinvertebrates data
 collected in the Mara River during July, 2022. ##### Variables * Date
 :This column shows the date of sampling  * Site name :This refers to the
 site name  * Site code:This referes to the site code  * Elevation (m):This
 is the elevation/ altitude for each site. The units of measurements are
 (m.a.s.l) * Order :The macroinvertebrate order  * Family :The
 macroinvertebrate family  * Genus :The macroinvertebrate genus.  * Species
 : The macroinvertebrate species * Count:The total count of the
 macroinvertebrates.  #### File: Mara_River_June_2022_macros_sampling.csv
 **Description:** This dataset contains all macroinvertebrates data
 collected in the Mara River during June, 2022. ##### Variables * Date
 :This column shows the date of sampling  * Site name :This refers to the
 site name  * Site code:This referes to the site code  * Elevation (m):This
 is the elevation/ altitude for each site. The units of measurements are
 (m.a.s.l) * Order :The macroinvertebrate order  * Family :The
 macroinvertebrate family  * Genus :The macroinvertebrate genus.  * Species
 : The macroinvertebrate species * Count:The total count of the
 macroinvertebrates.  NB: The empty cells throughout the dataset indicate
 that the information is not available