Carlos Molineri

Revision of the South American Species of Leptohyphes Eaton (Ephemeroptera: Leptohyphidae) with a Key to the Nymphs

The male imago of Leptohyphes eximius Eaton, 1882 (type species of the genus) and male and female adults of L. cornutus Allen (1967) and L. plaumanni Allen (1967) are described for the first time. The nymphs of these species are redescribed. A new generic definition is proposed to include all the stages. Characters for separating male, female, eggs and nymphs of this genus from the other genera of the family are discussed and illustrated. Cotopaxi Mayo (1968) is proposed to be a junior synonym of Leptohyphes Eaton; its type species C. macuchae is declared a Nomen Dubium. The type material of all the South American species of Leptohyphes described as nymphs was studied, and a key together with a diagnosis with illustrations are presented for them. The following new synonymies are proposed: Leptohyphes eximius Eaton (= L. bruchi Navás and Bruchella nigra Navás), L. maculatus Allen (= L. comatus Allen, L. hirsutus Allen & Roback and L. myllonotus Allen & Roback), L. setosus Allen (= L. echinatus Allen & Roback), L. tacajalo Mayo (= L. albus Mayo) and L. plaumanni Allen (= L. pereirae da Silva). After this revision the number of valid South American species of Leptohyphes is eighteen (18). Scanning microscope photographs of the eggs of two species: L. eximius and L. cornutus are presented. Resumen Se describen por primera vez el imago macho de Leptohyphes eximius Eaton, 1882 (especie tipo del género) y los imagos de ambos sexos de L. cornutus Allen (1967) y L. plaumanni Allen (1967). Las ninfas de estas especies son redescriptas. Se propone una nueva definición del género para incluir todos los estados. Se ilustran y discuten los caracteres para distinguir a los machos, hembras, ninfas y huevos de Leptohyphes. Se propone a Cotopaxi Mayo (1968) como un nuevo sinónimo de Leptohyphes Eaton; y su especie tipo, C. macuchae, es declarada Nomen Dubium. Se estudió el material tipo de todas las especies sudamericanas de Leptohyphes descriptas sobre la base de ninfas, y se presenta una clave, diagnosis e ilustraciones para distinguirlas. Se proponen los siguientes nuevos sinónimos: Leptohyphes eximius Eaton (= L. bruchi Navás y Bruchella nigra Navás), L. maculatus Allen (= L. comatus Allen, L. hirsutus Allen & Roback y L. myllonotus Allen & Roback), L. setosus Allen (= L. echinatus Allen & Roback), L. tacajalo Mayo (= L. albus Mayo) y L. plaumanni Allen (= L. pereirae da Silva). Después de esta revisión son dieciocho (18) las especies de Leptohyphes que permanecen válidas en Sudamérica. Se presentan fotografías de microscopio electrónico de barrido para los huevos de dos especies: L. eximius y L. cornutus.

Nymph and egg of Melanemerella brasiliana (Ephemeroptera:Ephemerelloidea:Melanemerellidae), with comments on its systematic position and the higher classification of Ephemerelloidea

The genus Melanemerella has been of uncertain familial placement since its description in 1920. It was first assigned to the family Ephemerellidae, later transferred to Tricorythidae, and finally to Leptophlebiidae. The uncertain familial placement was partly a result of its unique characters and inadequate description based on a single female imago. We describe for the first time eggs and nymphs of both sexes. As a result of a cladistic analysis done to elucidate the correct family assignment of Melanemerella, we demonstrate that the genus is not a Leptohyphidae, Coryphoridae, or Tricorythidae. Melanemerella appears to be related to Teloganella (Teloganellidae) and Manohyphella (Teloganodidae), although the relationship is poorly supported. We propose the establishment of the family Melanemerellidae (new status) for this monobasic genus.

Ephemerelloidea (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) do Brasil

No presente trabalho sao apresentados novos registros da superfamilia Ephemerelloidea para o Brasil. Sao tambem apresentadas chaves de identificacao para os adultos e ninfas de todas as familias, generos e especies documentadas para o pais. Os generos incluidos nesse trabalho sao: Amanahyphes Salles & Molineri (1 especie), Coryphorus Peters (1 especie), Leptohyphes Eaton (5 especies), Leptohyphodes Ulmer (1 especie), Macunahyphes Dias, Salles & Molineri (1 especie), Melanemerella Ulmer (1 especie), Traverhyphes Molineri (4 especies), Tricorythodes Ulmer (6 especies), Tricorythopsis Traver (9 especies).

New species of Leptohyphidae (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) from Colombia with evidence of reproductive time segregation

Abstract Five new species of Leptohyphidae are described, four of them from nymphal and adult stages: Leptohyphes albipennis, L. coconuco, L. nigripennis, and Tricorythodes trifasciatus. Tricorythopsis ticuna is described from male imagines only. Two of the new species, Leptohyphes albipennis and L. nigripennis, represent a distinct group in the genus characterized by the presence of hind wings in the female and T-shaped penes in the male. Both species, very closely related, differ markedly in swarm time activity. SEM photographs of the eggs of L. nigripennis are presented.

Phylogeny and biogeography of the ephemeral Campsurus Eaton (Ephemeroptera, Polymitarcyidae)

To analyse speciation within the large Neotropical genus Campsurus Eaton, we examined apparent subgroupings by morphological methods using discrete and continuous character states. In this report, the albifilum group is redefined based on redescription of male imagos of Campsurus albifilum from the holotype and fresh material and from four closely related new species: Campsurus yavarin.sp. and C. fuliginatusn.sp. described from male imagos; and C. homaulosn.sp. and C. gracilipenisn.sp. described from imagos of both sexes. An illustrated key to distinguish the male adults of all species in the albifilum group is included. A phylogeny of the group is proposed based on a matrix of seven continuous and 12 discrete characters analysed under implied weights, and includes additional species representing all known or previously proposed groups. This demonstrates the practical application of methods using continuous characters to give additional resolution and support to the phylogeny. The monophyly of the major and the albifilum groups is confirmed. Based on these results, a biogeographical analysis is conducted (spatial analysis of vicariance) based on distributional records for each species. Two main vicariant events are found: (i) a west–east separation in tropical‐subtropical South American lowlands, followed by (ii) a north–south separation of the Amazonas and Paraná regions. Sympatric speciation seems common: most sister species pairs are co‐distributed, and show nonoverlapping ranges in body size.

Amanahyphes saguassu, a new genus and species of Leptohyphidae (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerelloidea) from northern Brazil

Abstract Amanahyphes saguassu gen. et sp. n. from the Amazon basin is described and illustrated from all life stages. This is the second known genus in Leptohyphidae to show divided eyes in the male, a rather infrequent characteristic in the family. Some defining characters of this new taxon include: adults dipterous, forewings with Cu-A lobe not enlarged, forceps bisegmented, and nymphs slender with very long legs, abdominal gills on segments II – V, and subquadrate operculate gills on abdominal segment II.

New species and new stage descriptions of Campsurus major species group (Polymitarcyidae: Campsurinae), with first report of silk-case construction in mayfly nymphs

Campsurus major, C. argentinus and C. amapaensis sp. nov. form a monophyletic group supported by the following apomorphies in the male genitalia: robust pedestals with a widely rounded inner-posterior margin and a more acute and thinner outer margin, penes strongly sclerotised and curved ventrally, each lobe twisted outwards, and with a small membranous lobe on ventral margin. The nymphs of Campsurus major and C. argentinus and the female adult of C. major are described for the first time and illustrated here; the male adults of both species are redescribed. A new species, C. amapaensis, is described from male imagos. The following new synonymies are proposed: Campsurus argentinus Esben-Petersen (= C. pallidus Needham & Murphy, junior synonym) and C. major Needham & Murphy (= C. brasiliensis Traver, junior synonym). The nymphs of both species are reported to use silk to build soft cases and to glue substrate particles. A list of characters useful to distinguish the treated species from others in the genus is given.

Phylogeny of the mayfly family Leptohyphidae (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) in South America

Abstract A cladistic analysis of the South American members of the Ephemeropteran family Leptohyphidae is presented. A matrix of 73 taxa and 124 morphological characters was analysed under two distinct weighting criteria (implied weighting, which weights characters as a whole, and self‐weighted optimization, which differentially weights character state transformations). To assess the monophyly of the Leptohyphidae, representatives of Ephemerellidae, Ephemerythidae, Machadorythidae, Teloganodidae, Tricorythidae, Coryphoridae and Melanemerellidae were also included. Trees were rooted in Ephemerellidae. Conspicuous differences in consensus topology occur when transformation costs among character states are weighted (including asymmetries). The differences in the assessments of character reliability in the two weighting criteria used are discussed. In many cases, self‐weighting, in allowing for asymmetries in transformation costs, considered many of the character state transformations as more reliable (= informative) than implied weights (which needlessly down‐weighted the whole character). The results confirm the monophyly of Leptohyphidae and support its sister‐group relationship with Coryphoridae. The shortest trees do not support the recently proposed division of Leptohyphidae into two subfamilies. Ephemerelloidea higher classification is discussed briefly.

Toward a Sustainable Experience in an Intermountain Valley in Northwestern Argentina

Sustainable development is possible only by application of integrated environmental management or ecosystem management (1). Moreover, ‘‘sustainability’’ includes sustainable ecosystems interrelated with sustainable social and economic systems. Despite the skeptical opinions of Levin (2) and Ludwig (3), sustainability seems to be the only accepted path to the future. Meanwhile, the future of Latin America’s ecosystems, beyond global climate change, depends on acceptance of the fact that they are part of a natural and social system that requires integrated ecologic recovery/ restoration research and management (4). Consideration of new approaches that use epistemologic analysis and identification of solvable problems is a good starting point (5). The problems of local areas of tropical Andean mountains (and valleys) have traditionally been managed by professionals from a mainly social perspective. However, the problems are a complex mix of tensions related to subsistence endangered by low food production, a cultural crisis, and a threatened ecosystem. Solutions can sometimes come from outside of the analyzed system. For example, tourism in the Andean valleys can offer protection against ecosystem destruction. Ecotourism and trout fisheries have been very popular activities for many years in Andean Patagonic areas and more recently in the Ecuadorian Andes (6). Now, because of a new economic situation in Argentina, produced by a combination of globalization, currency devaluation, and environmental concerns, the prospects for ecotourism seem almost unlimited. In northwest Argentina, ecotourism is becoming a new star in the recent economic boom, especially in Salta Province, as a result of an aggressive campaign of publicity and investment in this field. Planners are focusing, for example, on national park visits, the highest railroad trip in the world, and extreme road trips. Tucumán Province (268 S) is a small (22 524 km) and densely populated (59 hab km ) neighbor to Salta Province. It is 43% mountain ranges and 57% plains with wonderful landscapes, and it has much ecotourism potential. We identified the problems (solvable ones) in one Andean valley characterized by its isolation (Fig. 1). On the basis of increased tourism activity, we developed a model to be applied as a project, including strong participation by several sectors (university, governmental agencies, nongovernmental organizations [NGOs], owners, settlers, and diverse professionals) and with a consideration for financing with external funds. Specifically, this paper considers the possibility of sustaining a project in the Chaquivil Valley (Fig. 2) that will make the valley a productive intermountain area and help it achieve a sustainable tourismbased economy. Landowners are convinced of the need to implement innovative and eco-friendly practices in the region. Their decisions are based on economics and on compatibility between the actual practices in the intermountain valleys and new ecologic practices required for ecotourism. The goal we proposed is difficult, considering the complex relations between participants’ idiosyncrasies, ecosystem peculiarities, and nonexistent comparable experiences. New paradigms and montology, a new approach to mountain studies (6), are needed to make this goal achievable. The new paradigms must provide for the people’s needs, especially if they can affect the ecosystem.

Phylogeny and biogeography of Asthenopodinae with a revision of Asthenopus, reinstatement of Asthenopodes, and the description of the new genera Hubbardipes and Priasthenopus (Ephemeroptera, Polymitarcyidae)

Abstract The Neotropical species of Asthenopodinae are revised in a formal phylogenetic context. The five known species of Asthenopus Eaton, 1871, together with other five new species were included in a cladistic analysis using morphological characters (continuous and discretes). Representatives of the Afro-Oriental group of the subfamily (Povilla Navás, 1912 and Languidipes Hubbard, 1984) were also included to test the monophyletic hypothesis traditionally accepted for the group. Additional taxa representing the other subfamilies of Polymitarcyidae were incorparated: Ephoron Williamson, 1802 (Polymitarcyinae) and Campsurus Eaton, 1868, Tortopus Needham & Murphy, 1924 and Tortopsis Molineri, 2010 (Campsurinae). A matrix of 17 taxa and 72 characters was analyzed under parsimony resulting in a single tree supporting the monophyly of the subfamily Asthenopodinae. Other results include the monophyly of the Afro-Oriental taxa (Povilla and Languidipes), the paraphyletic nature of Neotropical Asthenopodinae, and the recognition of four South American genera: Asthenopus (including Asthenopus curtus (Hagen), 1861, Asthenopus angelae de Souza & Molineri, 2012, Asthenopus magnus sp. n., Asthenopus hubbardi sp. n., Asthenopus guarani sp. n.), Asthenopodes Ulmer, 1924, stat. n. (including Asthenopus picteti Hubbard, 1975, stat. n., Asthenopodes traverae sp. n., Asthenopodes chumuco sp. n.), Priasthenopus gen. n. (including Priasthenopus gilliesi (Domínguez), 1988, comb. n.), and Hubbardipes gen. n. (including Hubbardipes crenulatus (Molineri et al.), 2011, comb. n.). Descriptions, diagnoses, illustrations and keys are presented for all Neotropical taxa of Asthenopodinae (adults of both sexes, eggs and nymphs). Additionally a key to the subfamilies and genera of Polymitarcyidae is included. A quantitative biogeographic analysis of vicariance is presented and discussed through the study of the “taxon history” of the group.