Ecological and historical filters constraining spatial caddisfly distribution in Mediterranean rivers

1. Contemporary species distributions are determined by a mixture of ecological and historical filters acting on several spatial and temporal scales. Mediterranean climate areas are one of the world's biodiversity hotspots with a high level of endemicity, which is linked to complex ecological and historical factors. 2. This paper explores the ecological and historical factors constraining the distribution of caddisfly species on a large regional scale. A total of 69 taxa were collected from 140 sampling sites in 10 Iberian Mediterranean river basins. Approximately 74% of taxa can be considered rare, with the southern basins (the Baetic–Riffian region) having greater endemicity. The greatest richness, involving a mixture of northern and southern species, was found in the transitional area between the Baetic–Riffian region and the Hesperic Massif. 3. The historical processes occurring during the Tertiary (i.e. the junction of the Eurasian and African plates) explained 3.1% of species distribution, whereas ecological factors accounted for 20.7%. Only 0.3% was explained by the interaction of history and ecology. A set of multi‐scale ecological variables (i.e. basin, reach and bedform characteristics) defined five river types with specific caddisfly assemblages. The commonest caddisfly species accounted for the regional distribution pattern, while rare taxa contributed to the explanation of subtle patterns not shown by common species. 4. Despite the importance of historical factors for biogeography and the large scale used in our study, ecological variables better explained caddisfly distribution. This may be explained by the length of time since the historical process we are considering, the high dispersion and colonisation capacity of many caddisfly species, and the strong environmental gradient in the area. Because of the historical and environmental complexity of Mediterranean areas, rare taxa should be included in ecological studies so that the singularity of these ecosystems is not missed.     

Locomotor Activity Patterns in Ilybius fenestratus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera,Dytiscidae) in a Central Norwegian Lake,with Evidence for Breeding-Induced Arrhythmicity

The diel activity of Ilybius fenestratus was studied in Målsj?en, a lake in S?r-Tr?ndelag, Central Norway (63°14'N, 10°26'E), during 1971–1972. Adults and larvae were sampled in activity traps every week during March–October and every 2–3 weeks during November–February. The traps were emptied every 2 hrs during a 24- hr period. The diel locomotor activity of I. fenestratus was clearly nocturnal, except in the second half of July, for the males also in the first half of July, when surprisingly the population showed an arrhythmic activity pattern. The arrhythmicity is connected with the mating and egg-laying period of the species. The larvae were also nocturnal in the autumn, but showed arrhythmicity under the ice during the winter.     

Neophylax kolodskii (Trichoptera: Uenoidae), A New Species from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park,U.S.A.

Neophylax kolodskii sp. n. from Great Smoky Mountains National Park is described and illustrated from adult specimens.     

Development and Survival of Chironomus tepperi Skuse (Diptera: Chironomidae) at a Range of Constant Temperatures

Chironomus tepperi Skuse were reared individually at a range of constant temperatures from 12.5 to 37.5°C (2.5°C intervals), with development and survival monitored at regular intervals. C. tepperi is protandrous, with males developing significantly faster than females at the majority of temperatures examined, due primarily to a shorter final instar. Some individuals completed development at all temperatures, however emergent adults failed to successfully inflate their appendages at 37.5°C. Developmental rate increased with increasing temperature up to 32.5°C, but fell at 35°C. Low adult emergence at 37.5°C precluded a reliable estimate of total development time at that temperature. Survival to adult emergence varied from 10 to 60%, with highest mortality in the pupal stage at all temperatures. Degree-days (DD) and developmental zero (DZ) estimates for egg to adult development are 150.5 DD and 10.5°C for males and 167.1 DD and 10.3°C for females. DD and DZ estimates are presented for each developmental stage. The significance of wide thermal tolerances in a colonist midge species is discussed.     

Larva,pupa and adult male of Atopsyche (Atopsyche) maxi,a new species from northwestern Argentina and southern Bolivia (Trichoptera: Hydrobiosidae)

Rhagovelia pediformis sp. n. is described from western Colombia and placed in the R. elegans group.     

中国角石蛾属四新种描述(毛翅目,角石蛾科)

记述了角石蛾科角石蛾属4新种,分别为采自广西的田林角石蛾Stenopsyche tianlinensis sp.nov.,叠尾角石蛾Stenopsyche bistratosa sp.nov.,贵州的鹿肢角石蛾Stenopsyche cervaria sp.nov.和采自陕西的细弯角石蛾Stenopsyche sinuolata sp.nov..模式标本保存于南京农业大学昆虫标本馆.     

中国缺叉多距石蛾属六新种记述(毛翅目,多距石蛾科)

研究了中国毛翅目多距石蛾科缺叉多距石蛾属种类,并报道了其中亲缘关系较近的6新种,即端截缺叉多距石蛾Polyplectropus truncatufus sp.nov.,端突缺叉多距石蛾Polyplectropus convexus sp.nov.,斧端缺叉多距石蛾Polyplectropus dolabriformis sp.nov.,颚状缺叉多距石蛾Polyplectropus mandibuliformis sp.nov.,距枝缺叉多距石蛾Polyptectropus rectangulus sp.nov.,喙端缺叉多距石蛾Polyplectropus rostriformis sp.nov..新种模式标本保存在南京农业大学昆虫标本馆.