Marcos A. González

Deformities in larval Prodiamesa olivacea (Meigen, 1818) (Diptera, Chironomidae) and their use as bioindicators of toxic sediment stress

Morphological deformities in Prodiamesa olivacea larvae from an urban contaminated site in Santiago de Compostela (NW Spain) are documented and illustrated. Anomalies in this species were compared to those present in Chironomus riparius larvae collected at the same site. Deformity frequencies in months with N ≥ 30 larvae ranged from a low of 2.3% to a maximum of 9.1% for Prodiamesa olivacea, while those for Chironomus riparius ranged from 10% to 37.5%. Due to the increasing interest in using deformities for biomonitoring studies, the ‘Toxic Score’ for Chironomus larvae is utilised with Prodiamesa olivacea. Scoring system results for both species show a significant correlation for data of months with N ≥ 30 larvae of each species. Hence, deformities in Prodiamesa olivacea would be useful for biomonitoring purposes during periods of the year when Prodiamesa is much more abundant than Chironomus, or in other situations when Chironomus is either absent or present in low numbers.

Effects of short-term climatic variations on fluctuating asymmetry levels in Chironomus riparius larvae at a polluted site

We examined fluctuating asymmetry (FA) levels in fourth-instar larvae of Chironomus riparius(Diptera, Chironomidae) collected monthly from a polluted site in Galicia (NW Spain) where pollutant inputs are known to be roughly constant throughout the year. The site was selected because, despite this constancy in pollutant inputs, deformities in fourth-instar larvae were previously found to be more frequent and severe during cold periods and less frequent and severe during warm periods of the year, in accordance with the ‘time-of-exposure’ hypothesis. This hypothesis predicts that short-term climatic variations occurring throughout the year influence the frequency and severity of larval morphological alterations, by means of the control they exert on developmental time and, as a consequence, on the time larvae remain exposed to pollutants. We investigated whether FA levels in larvae were likewise in accordance with this hypothesis, but, contrary to our expectations, no significant differences in FA levels were detected either among months or among seasons, suggesting that FA is not influenced by normal climatic variations. However, climatic influences may be masked, and the observed constancy in FA levels over the sampling period may be a consequence of the action of a mixture of stressors which compensate each other.

The larva of Drusus bolivari (McLachlan, 1880) (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae: Drusinae)

The hitherto unknown fifth instar larva of Drusus bolivari (McLachlan, 1880) is described for the first time and compared with other known similar Iberian species. The most important features are illustrated, and some zoogeographical and ecological notes are included. The thick pronotal ridge of D. bolivari is the main character to clearly distinguish this larva from those of the remaining known Iberian species of this genus. The most similar larva is that of Anomalopterygella chauviniana (Stein, 1874), but a deep dorsomedian gap occurs in the pronotal ridge of D. bolivari that is absent in that of A. chauviniana.

The larva and female of Rhyacophila fonticola Giudicelli & Dakki, 1984 (Trichoptera: Rhyacophilidae), an interesting Betic–Rifean endemic species

The female and last instar larva of the hitherto unknown Betic–Rifean species Rhyacophila fonticola Giudicelli & Dakki, 1984 are described and figured for the first time. Some notes on male variability and ecological preferences of this species are also included. The female is clearly different from that of the remainder species of the vulgaris group in the valvar structure of segment VIII. The larva belongs to the “Pararhyacophila group”, but an unusual character makes this species unique within this group: there are two gill tufts on each side of the first abdominal segment. This character makes the larva of R. fonticola clearly different from the remaining known Iberian species.

Un difficile problème de taxonomie: les Micrasema (Trichoptera: Brachycentridae) des eaux courantes de la Péninsule Ibérique et des Pyrénées.

Résumé Un des problèmes taxonomiques les plus compliqués concernant les Trichoptères européens est celui de la plupart des espèces ibériques et pyrénéennes du genre Micrasema, habitants caractéristiques du Rhitral, ces espèces restant à ce jour imparfaitement connues et difficiles à déterminer. L´étude d’un grand nombre d´exemplaires (mâles) a permis de trouver une solution pour la plupart des problèmes. M. servatum (Navás 1918), distribuée dans les parties N.O. de la Péninsule; M. cenerentola Schmid 1952, connue du Centre et du N.O. de l´Espagne; et M. salardum Schmid 1952, connue des Pyrénées Orientales espagnoles, sont des espèces distinctes. M. gabusi Schmid 1952 décrite de la Sierra Nevada, est un synonyme de M. longulum McLachlan 1876, une espèce largement distribuée en Espagne. M. difficile Mosely 1933, décrite des Pyrénées françaises, est un synonyme de M. vestitum Navás 1918, espèce endémique des Pyrénées Centrales et Occidentales (France et Espagne). L´identité de M. moestum (Hagen 1868) pose un problème particulier : il est possible que sous ce nom on désigne actuellement une paire d´espèces cryptiques à l´état adulte, qu´il est pratiquement impossible de distinguer par leurs genitalia, mais dont les larves sont bien distinctes.

Description of Athripsodes verai sp. n. (Trichoptera, Leptoceridae) from Spain

A new Spanish A thripsodes (Trichoptera), A. verai sp. n., is described and figures of the male genitalia are given.

Descripción de las larvas de dos endemismos ibéricos del género Rhyacophila : R. melpomene Malicky, 1976 y R. laufferi Navás, 1918 (Trichoptera, Rhyacophilidae)

The last instar larvae of two Iberian endemic species of the “ Pararhyacophila group” ( Rhyacophila melpomene Malicky, 1976, and Rhyacophila laufferi Navas, 1918) are described for the first time. The most important diagnostic features are illustrated and the affinities with those known other Iberian species of the same group are discussed. Larvae of R. melpomene are very much alike to those of R. pulchra Schmid, 1952, but there are some differences between them, mainly in some pronotum characteristics. Larvae of R. laufferi are very similar to those of R. rupta McLachlan, 1879, but the shape and colour pattern of the head capsule allow a sure differentiation. Finally, some notes about species biology and distribution are included.

The Immature Stages of Ptilocolepus extensus McLachlan, 1884 (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae: Ptilocolepinae) with Notes on Biology

The last instar larva and the pupa of Ptilocolepus extensus McLachlan, 1884, an endemic of the Iberian Peninsula, are described for the first time. The final instar larva of Pt. extensus bears close resemblance to those of Ptilocolepus granulatus (Pictet, 1834), but the abdomen has a well-developed dorsal sclerotized plate on segment VIII; this is a morphological feature which has not been observed in any other Ptilocolepinae. Final instar larvae make dorsoventrally flattened, elongate-oval cases of leaf pieces from several moss and liverwort species; such cases are characteristic of the Ptilocolepinae. Some additional data on biology and geographical distribution are given.

The larva of Allogamus laureatus (Navás, 1918) (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae)

The larva of Allogamus laureatus (Navas, 1918), an endemic of the Iberian Peninsula, is described for the first time and compared with other known Iberian species. The most important diagnostic features are illustrated and some zoogeographical and ecological notes are included.

DNA-based association and description of the larval stage of Apatania theischingerorum Malicky 1981 (Trichoptera, Apataniidae), with notes on its ecology

The hitherto unknown larva of Apatania theischingerorum Malicky 1981 is described, based on the association with adult females using sequence data from the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase region. Genetic data confirmed the distinct status of this taxon within the parthenogenetic Apatania muliebris complex (Schmid 1954). We provide information on the morphology of the larva and figure the most important diagnostic features. Apatania theischingerorum is morphologically close to A. fimbriata (Pictet 1834). In the context of the Apataniidae key of Waringer et al. (2015), the species pair can be separated by pleural setation patterns on abdominal segment I and by their distribution ranges in Europe: A. fimbriata is known from the Alps, the western and central highlands, the western plains, the Hungarian lowlands and the Carpathians, whereas A. theischingerorum has been recorded exclusively on the Iberian peninsula.