Pavel Sroka

Revision of the giant pterygote insect Bojophlebia prokopi Kukalová-Peck, 1985 (Hydropalaeoptera: Bojophlebiidae) from the Carboniferous of the Czech Republic, with the first cladistic analysis of fossil palaeopterous insects

The holotype is redescribed of the giant pterygote insect Bojophlebia prokopi Kukalová-Peck, 1985 from the Pennsylvanian of the Czech Republic. Multiple errors in the original description are documented and corrected. Bojophlebia prokopi has neither any visible traces of a costal brace nor an anal brace, but it does show triadic branchings of MA, MP, CuA, and even, as rare a plesiomorphy, of CuP. It is therefore rejected as a fossil stem mayfly and attributed as sister group of all other Hydropalaeoptera. The first cladistic analysis of fossil palaeopterous insects, including different palaeodictyopterid groups, is presented. A revised phylogeny of Hydropalaeoptera and the stem line of Ephemeroptera are suggested. Palaeodictyopterida is recognized as sister group of Neoptera; thus Palaeoptera s.l. is rejected as a paraphyletic taxon. Four new higher taxa – Paranotalia, Euhydropalaeoptera, Neopterygota and Litophlebioidea superfam. nov. – are introduced, as well as the new family Lithoneuridae. http://zoobank.org/urn/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1B16D6AB-2B29-4891-A61D-7A9212A85493

Neither silverfish nor fowl: the enigmatic Carboniferous Carbotriplura kukalovae Kluge, 1996 (Insecta: Carbotriplurida) is the putative fossil sister group of winged insects (Insecta: Pterygota)

We revise the type material of the enigmatic fossil insect Carbotriplura kukalovae Kluge, 1996 from the Pennsylvanian of the Czech Republic. Multiple errors in the original description are documented and corrected. C. kukalovae is regarded as a possible transitional fossil link between Zygentoma and Pterygota. Carbotriplurida is therefore elevated to ordinal rank and considered as putative fossil sister group of Pterygota. The paranotal theory of the origin of insect wings and the parachute theory of origin of insect flight are briefly discussed and further corroborated. Testajapyx thomasi from the Pennsylvanian of Mazon Creek is tentatively considered as Dermaptera rather than Diplura.

Systematics and phylogeny of the West Palaearctic representatives of subfamily Baetinae (Insecta: Ephemeroptera): combined analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences and morphology

This study represents the first formal combined (morphological and molecular) phylogenetic analysis of the highly diversified subfamily Baetinae (sensu Kazlauskas 1972). Taxonomic sampling comprised the majority of different Palaearctic lineages within the subfamily recognised so far. The data set of 47 coded morphological characters was analysed together with the partial mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase c subunit I gene (COI) sequences using parsimony and Bayesian inference. From the eight genera and species-groups investigated, three were supported as monophyletic in the analyses. The monophyly of another three genera/species-groups could not be tested because only a single species was included in the sampling. The remaining two subgenera/species-groups were recovered as paraphyletic at least using one methodological approach. A monophyletic group comprising the genera Labiobaetis + Nigrobaetis + Alainites was supported as a sister lineage to the genus Baetis s.str. Morphological characters were mapped on a cladogram, clade robustness was tested by multiple approaches and alternative views to the taxonomy of the subfamily were discussed. Intraspecific and interspecific divergences in the COI sequence were estimated for the species studied. The existence of a distinct ‘barcoding gap’ was not supported. Baetis rhodani and Alainites muticus exhibited unusually high values of intraspecific variability pointing to the possible existence of cryptic species.

Distribution and biology of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) of the Czech Republic: present status and perspectives

The checklist of mayflies of the Czech Republic now comprises 107 species (30 genera, 16 families), 87 spp. found until 1970 (first research period) and 99 after 1970 (second research period). The distribution of these species in principal river basins (Elbe: 95 spp., Danube: 79 spp. and Oder: 55 spp.), their frequency, abundance and spatial distribution (highest richness in the colline zone: 93 spp.) are summarised. Main species traits (current preference, feeding and locomotion types and life cycle) are presented in tables. Saprobiological characteristics, substantially modified or newly suggested in at least 36 spp., are defined according to the Czech Standard. Four species are classified extinct, 7 critically endangered, 7 endangered, 16 vulnerable and 14 near threatened. Long-term changes caused mainly by morphological degradation of potamal watercourses (extinction and area diminishing, re-occurrence at some sites after decades of very scarce frequency or quantitative changes) are discussed.

New species of the genus Oligoneuriella Ulmer, 1924 (Ephemeroptera: Oligoneuriidae) from Turkey

Three new species of the genus Oligoneuriella Ulmer, 1924 from Turkey are described, namely Oligoneuriella magna sp. nov., Oligoneuriella paulopilosa sp. nov. and Oligoneuriella pectinata sp. nov. Differential diagnostic characters are given with regard to the previously known Oligoneuriella species. Data on the affinities, biology, and distribution of the new species are also provided. New morphological characters (setation of mouthparts and gill plates) potentially useful for the taxonomy of the genus are introduced.

Analyses of Developmental Rate Isomorphy in Ectotherms: Introducing the Dirichlet Regression

Temperature drives development in insects and other ectotherms because their metabolic rate and growth depends directly on thermal conditions. However, relative durations of successive ontogenetic stages often remain nearly constant across a substantial range of temperatures. This pattern, termed ‘developmental rate isomorphy’ (DRI) in insects, appears to be widespread and reported departures from DRI are generally very small. We show that these conclusions may be due to the caveats hidden in the statistical methods currently used to study DRI. Because the DRI concept is inherently based on proportional data, we propose that Dirichlet regression applied to individual-level data is an appropriate statistical method to critically assess DRI. As a case study we analyze data on five aquatic and four terrestrial insect species. We find that results obtained by Dirichlet regression are consistent with DRI violation in at least eight of the studied species, although standard analysis detects significant departure from DRI in only four of them. Moreover, the departures from DRI detected by Dirichlet regression are consistently much larger than previously reported. The proposed framework can also be used to infer whether observed departures from DRI reflect life history adaptations to size- or stage-dependent effects of varying temperature. Our results indicate that the concept of DRI in insects and other ectotherms should be critically re-evaluated and put in a wider context, including the concept of ‘equiproportional development’ developed for copepods.

Diversity of Armenian mayflies (Ephemeroptera) with the description of a new species of the genus Ecdyonurus (Heptageniidae)

We provide the first commented checklist of Armenian mayflies, based on all relevant literature and recent extensive sampling of 72 localities throughout Armenia during 2011, 2014, and 2015. Altogether 46 species are listed, eight of them reported from Armenia for the first time. One new species, Ecdyonurus (Ecdyonurus) eurycephalus sp. nov. is described (larva and male imago) based on morphological and molecular (COI) data. The species is characterized by a unique head shape in male imago and by the presence of tracheal filaments on gill plate VII in the larval stage.

Initial commented checklist of Iranian mayflies, with new area records and description of Procloeon caspicum sp. n. (Insecta, Ephemeroptera, Baetidae)

Abstract An initial checklist of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) of Iran is compiled based on critical review of available literature data, complemented with new data from 38 localities of Gilan and Ardabil provinces. At present, altogether only 46 species and 25 genera are known from Iran, 18 species are reported as new to Iran in this study. Some previously published data are critically evaluated and doubtful taxa are excluded from the list. Basic analysis of the distribution and biogeography of recorded species is given. Procloeon (Pseudocentroptilum) caspicum Sroka, sp. n. is described based on mature larva and egg. Critical differential diagnostic characters distinguishing the species from related taxa are discussed in detail.

The first annotated checklist of mayflies (Ephemeroptera: Insecta) of Georgia with new distribution data and a new record for the country

The first comprehensive checklist of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) of Georgia is provided based on literature data supplemented by our unpublished data, including extensive samples in 2013-2017, works with the collections and types, faunistic observations, and taxonomical contributions. Records of 75 species are provided, with one species reported as a new finding for the country. Notes about the taxonomic status of several species are given. The present contribution represents the first publication of this kind for mayflies within the whole Caucasus area.

‘Rolling’ stoneflies (Insecta: Plecoptera) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

This contribution describes seven new species of fossil stoneflies from Cretaceous Burmese amber, all of which are dedicated to present and past members of the Rolling Stones. Two species—Petroperla mickjaggeri gen. nov. sp. nov. and Lapisperla keithrichardsi gen. nov. sp. nov.—are placed in a new family Petroperlidae within the stemline of Systellognatha. The first Cretaceous larval specimen of Acroneuriinae, Electroneuria ronwoodi gen. nov. sp. nov., is also described along with another four new species that are placed within the Acroneuriinae genus Largusoperla Chen et al., 2018: Largusoperla charliewattsi sp. nov., Largusoperla brianjonesi sp. nov., Largusoperla micktaylori sp. nov., and Largusoperla billwymani sp. nov. Additional specimens of Acroneuriinae are described without formal assignment to new species due to insufficient preservation. Implications for stonefly phylogeny and palaeobiogeography are discussed.