Global diversity of stoneflies (Plecoptera; Insecta) in freshwater |
| |
Authors: | Romolo Fochetti José Manuel Tierno de Figueroa |
| |
Institution: | (1) Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Università della Tuscia, Largo dell’Università snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy;(2) Departamento de Biologia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain |
| |
Abstract: | Plecoptera, or stoneflies, is a small order of hemimetabolous insects: according to our data, more than 3,497 species have
been described so far in the world. The total number of species has enormously increased in the last 30 years (2,000 species
estimated in 1976) and, if the trend continues, then it will nearly double in the near future. The order is divided into the
suborders Arctoperlaria and Antarctoperlaria, and includes 16 families: 12 arctoperlarian and 4 antarctoperlarian. The Arctoperlaria
account for a total number of 3,179 species, and Antarctoperlaria, only 318 species. The total number of genera is 286. We
give in this article the estimated number of species for each family. The fauna and diversity of stonefly in North America
(650 species reported) and Europe (426 species) are best known. Nevertheless, in the last 25 years, a mean of 2.6 Plecoptera
species per year were described in Europe. Stonefly-faunas of Australia (191 species, Tasmania included) and New Zealand (104
species) are relatively well-known, while our knowledge of the Plecoptera of Central and South America (95 and 378 species
respectively) is poor and still not representative of the real diversity. Africa has a reduced stonefly fauna (126 species).
Asian stonefly diversity (approximately 1,527 species) is much greater than that of Europe or North America despite the fact
that, except for Japan and Asiatic Russia that have been well studied, our knowledge of the remaining Asiatic areas is extremely
poor. Even though our data indicate the Holarctic Region as the diversity hot-spot for the order, the analysis of the specific
diversity divided by family suggests also an important role of tropical stoneflies.
Guest editors: E.V. Balian, C. Lévêque, H. Segers & K. Martens
Freshwater Animal Diversity Assessment |
| |
Keywords: | Plecoptera Distribution Diversity Zoogeographical regions |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|