Faunistic studies of stoneflies (Plecoptera) in Iraq are almost nonexistent. This article records the order Plecoptera in Iraq for the first time, based on adult specimens of three species: Leuctra ...fusca (Linnaeus, 1758), Protonemura bacurianica Zhiltzova, 1957 and Pontoperla cf. teberdinica (Balinsky, 1950), belonging to three different families: Leuctridae, Nemouridae, and Chloroperlidae, respectively. The specimens were collected from the eastern and northeastern mountain streams of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region in November 2020 and May 2022.
Abstract
Little is known about the life histories, genetic structure and population connectivity of shallow groundwater organisms. We used next-generation sequencing (RAD-seq) to analyse population ...genomic structure in two aquifer species: Paraperla frontalis (Banks, 1902), a stonefly with groundwater larvae and aerial (winged) adults; and Stygobromus sp., a groundwater-obligate amphipod. We found similar genetic differentiation in each species between floodplains separated by ~70 river km in the Flathead River basin of north-west Montana, USA. Given that Stygobromus lacks the above-ground life stage of P. frontalis, our findings suggest that connectivity and the magnitude of genetic structure cannot be definitively assumed from life history differences.
The extant taeniopterygid genus BrachypteraNewport, 1848 is reported from the Eocene Baltic amber for the first time. A new species, Brachyptera dewalti n. sp. (Plecoptera: Taeniopterygidae), is ...described and illustrated based on a well-preserved female in the amber, distinguished by the presence of three well-developed ocelli, the dark color of antennae, maxillary palps, head, prothorax, and abdominal segments, the CuA vein of forewing with three branches, the nearly rhombus, dark brown postgenital plate, and the four-segmented cerci. It is the fourth taeniopterygid species known from the Baltic amber.
Two new species of Anacroneuria (A. chiriqui sp. n. and A. ngabe sp. n.) are described from Chiriqui Province, Panama, and compared with related species. One new country record, A. divisa (Navás), is ...herein recorded and new locality records are presented for several species previously reported from Panama. Three unassociated females, including one species from Bocas del Toro province are described under informal designations. There are now 25 described species of Plecoptera known from Panama.
Aquatic insects represent a great portion of Arthropod diversity and the major fauna in inland waters. The sensory biology and neuroanatomy of these insects are, however, poorly investigated. This ...research aims to describe the antennal sensilla of nymphs of the stonefly Dinocras cephalotes using scanning electron microscopy and comparing them with the adult sensilla. Besides, central antennal pathways in nymphs and adults are investigated by neuron mass-tracing with tetramethylrhodamine, and their brain structures are visualized with an anti-synapsin antibody. No dramatic changes occur in the antennal sensilla during nymphal development, while antennal sensilla profoundly change from nymphs to adults when switching from an aquatic to an aerial lifestyle. However, similar brain structures are used in nymphs and adults to process diverging sensory information, perceived through different sensilla in water and air. These data provide valuable insights into the evolution of aquatic heterometabolous insects, maintaining a functional sensory system throughout development, including a distinct adaptation of the peripheral olfactory systems during the transition from detection of water-soluble chemicals to volatile compounds in the air. From a conservation biology perspective, the present data contribute to a better knowledge of the biology of stoneflies, which are very important bioindicators in rivers.
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•Minor changes in antennal sensilla occur across different stages of aquatic nymphs.•Antennal sensilla differ between aquatic stonefly nymphs and terrestrial adults.•Stonefly nymphs and adults show a glomerular antennal lobe.•Brain morphology and antennal pathways are similar in stonefly nymphs and adults.•Same brain regions can process highly diverging information in water and air.
Aim Spatial dynamics and habitat connectivity affect community composition and diversity in many ecosystems. For many decades, diversity patterns in riverine ecosystems were thought to be related to ...local environmental conditions. Recent theoretical work, however, suggests that diversity in rivers is strongly affected by dispersal along the dendritic landscape structure and that environmental conditions are intrinsically linked to the network position. In this study we tested hypotheses on network position by relating river network geometry and connectivity to multi-level biodiversity patterns across large scales. Location Three major alpine drainage basins in Switzerland were studied (Rhine, Rhone, Ticino), extending over an elevational gradient of > 2500 m and covering a total area of 41,285 km 2 . Methods We sampled all may-, stone- and caddisfly species at 217 sites which representatively cover the three river networks. Using generalized additive models, we related diversity patterns in aquatic insects to centrality within the network as a direct river network property, and to catchment area and elevation, which are related to network position. Results Centrality within the river network, and catchment area and elevation had significant and interacting effects on α-diversity and community similarity. Alpha diversity was lowest in peripheral headwaters and at high elevations. Species richness generally increased with increasing catchment area. Well-connected, central communities within the river network had greater α-diversity than more peripheral communities did. Elevation was a strong predictor of α-diversity, with the most diverse communities found at mid-elevation sites. Community similarity decreased with increasing along-stream distance between sites. Main conclusions Our results highlight the fact that diversity patterns of aquatic insects in river systems are related to local factors such as elevation, but interact with network properties and connectivity along waterways, and differ among insect orders. These findings are consistent with dispersal-limited processes and indicate the riverine diversity should be addressed and protected taking the river network structure into account.
Remarks on the endemicity of the Italian stonefly-fauna are presented. Notes on conservation issues are also given, together with the updated list of stoneflies of Italy.
Summary
We assessed the influence of agricultural land use on aquatic–terrestrial linkages along streams arising from changes in the emergence of aquatic insects. We expected that terrestrial ...predators would respond to a change in the abundance and/or the size structure of the emerging aquatic insects by an increase or decrease in population size.
We measured the flux of emergent aquatic insects and the abundance of terrestrial invertebrate predators and birds along 10 streams across a forest‐to‐agriculture land‐use gradient. We also performed stable isotope analyses (hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen) of terrestrial invertebrate predators.
Small aquatic insects (Nematocera) were most abundant under agricultural land use, whereas larger bodied aquatic insects (Plecoptera and Trichoptera) were more associated with forest land use. Carabid beetles and linyphiid spiders were associated with agricultural streams (where there was a high abundance of small aquatic insects), whereas lycosid spiders and birds were associated with forest streams and a high abundance of large‐sized aquatic insects.
The contribution of aquatic insects to the diets of riparian Lycosidae, Linyphiidae and Carabidae was estimated to be 44%, 60% and 43%, respectively, indicating the importance of aquatic subsidies to the terrestrial system.
Our results show that agricultural land use in an overall forested landscape can have significant effects on the abundance and diet of terrestrial consumers through its impact on the size structure of the assemblage of emerging insects, rather than the overall magnitude (numbers) of the aquatic subsidy. Hence, our results suggest that the composition, not just quantity, of a cross‐habitat resource may influence the recipient system.
Mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera) are prominent representatives of aquatic macroinvertebrates, commonly used as indicator organisms for water quality ...and ecosystem assessments. However, unambiguous morphological identification of EPT species, especially their immature life stages, is a challenging, yet fundamental task. A comprehensive DNA barcode library based upon taxonomically well-curated specimens is needed to overcome the problematic identification. Once available, this library will support the implementation of fast, cost-efficient and reliable DNA-based identifications and assessments of ecological status. This study represents a major step towards a DNA barcode reference library as it covers for two-thirds of Germany's EPT species including 2,613 individuals belonging to 363 identified species. As such, it provides coverage for 38 of 44 families (86%) and practically all major bioindicator species. DNA barcode compliant sequences (≥500 bp) were recovered from 98.74% of the analysed specimens. Whereas most species (325, i.e., 89.53%) were unambiguously assigned to a single Barcode Index Number (BIN) by its COI sequence, 38 species (18 Ephemeroptera, nine Plecoptera and 11 Trichoptera) were assigned to a total of 89 BINs. Most of these additional BINs formed nearest neighbour clusters, reflecting the discrimination of geographical subclades of a currently recognized species. BIN sharing was uncommon, involving only two species pairs of Ephemeroptera. Interestingly, both maximum pairwise and nearest neighbour distances were substantially higher for Ephemeroptera compared to Plecoptera and Trichoptera, possibly indicating older speciation events, stronger positive selection or faster rate of molecular evolution.
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