Perlesta teaysia Kirchner & Kondratieff, 1997

Grubbs, Scott A. & DeWalt, R. Edward, 2008, Taxonomic And Distributional Notes On Perlesta Teaysia, P. Golconda, And P. Shawnee (Plecoptera: Perlidae), Illiesia 4 (14), pp. 143-149 : 143-146

Perlesta teaysia Kirchner & Kondratieff

( Figs. 1-15 )

Perlesta teaysia Kirchner & Kondratieff, 1997:290 .

Holotype ♂ (United States National Museum of Natural History). Reed Creek of New River, Wythe Co., Virginia, U.S.A.

Perlesta teaysia Stark, 2004:95

Perlesta napacola DeWalt, 2002:174 . Holotype ♂ (Illinois Natural History Survey). Unnamed tributary of Vermilion River , Vermilion Co., Illinois, U.S.A. New synonymy

Material examined.. U.S.A., ILLINOIS: Vermillion Co., tributary to Vermillion River, 8 km SE Westville, Forest Glen Forest Preserve , 19 June 2001, R. E. DeWalt, 1 ♂ (Holotype – P. napacola ; INHS); same but

19 June 2001, R.E. DeWalt, 4 ♂, 7 ♀ (Paratypes – P. napacola ; INHS); same but 6 July 2000, R.E. DeWalt, 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (Paratypes – P. napacola ; INHS); same but 4 July 1977, D.W. Webb, 2 ♂, 10 ♀ (Paratypes – P. napacola ; INHS). INDIANA: Brown Co., tributary to Middle Fork Salt Creek , 3 km N Stone Head , 21 June 2008, R. E. DeWalt, 1 ♂, 2 ♀ ( INHS); Bear Creek, 0.7 km NNE Waycross, Yellowwood State Forest , 21 June 2006, R. E. DeWalt, 1 ♂ ( INHS); Floyd Co., locality unknown , 18 July 1972, A. V. Provonsha & E. Levine, 1 ♂ ( PU); Harrison Co., Buck Creek , 10 mi SE Corydon , 9 June 2000, S. A. Grubbs, 3 ♂ ( WKU); Jackson Co., Guthrie Creek, Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve , 18 km E Bedford , 10 June 2000, S. A. Grubbs, 5 ♂, 4 ♀ ( WKU); same but 18 July 2000, S. A. Grubbs, 4 ♂, 9 ♀ ( WKU); Salt Creek, nr. Maumee , 22 June 2008, R. E. DeWalt, 2 ♂ ( INHS); Jefferson Co., Clifty Falls State Park , 5 July 1937, collector unknown, 1 ♂, 4 ♀ ( PU); Orange Co., Patoka River, Hoosier National Forest , 11 km SE Paoli , 15–19 June 2006, S.A. Grubbs, 3 ♂, 2 ♀, 9 nymphs ( WKU); Owen Co., Raccoon Creek, Green Bluffs Nature Preserve , 3 km NW Freeman , 7–11 June 2006, S.A. Grubbs, 3 ♂, 6 ♀, 20 nymphs ( WKU); McCormick’s Creek, Spencer , 7 June 1944, W. Stehr, 2 ♂, 1 ♀ ( CNC). KENTUCKY: Green Co., Upper Brush Creek , 14 km SE Buffalo , 21 July 2003, S.A. Grubbs, 2 ♂, 1 ♀ ( WKU); same but 1 July 2005, S.A. Grubbs, 1 ♂ ( WKU); same but 17 July 2006, S.A. Grubbs, 1 ♂, 2 ♀ ( WKU); Taylor Co., Middle Pitman Creek , 5 km NW Campbellsville , 5 June 2006, S.A. Grubbs, 2 ♂ ( WKU); Warren Co., Big Reedy Creek , 19 km N Richardsville , 19 June 2001, S.A. Grubbs, 1 ♂ ( WKU); Doty Creek , 11 km SW Bon Ayr , 24 June 2001, S.A. Grubbs, 1 ♂ ( WKU); same but 6 July 2003, S.A. Grubbs, 2 ♂, 3 ♀ ( WKU). MARYLAND: Allegany Co., Fifteenmile Creek, Green Ridge State Forest , 8 km NW Little Orleans , 4 July 1996, S.A. Grubbs, 13 ♂, 14 ♀ ( WKU); Flintstone Creek, Flintstone , 29 July 1996, S.A. Grubbs, 1 ♂, 3 ♀ ( WKU); same but 4 July 1996, S.A. Grubbs, 18 ♂, 21 ♀ ( WKU); Sideling Hill Creek, nr. Bellegrove , at light , 4 July 1996, S.A. Grubbs, 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( WKU); same but 6 August 1996, S.A. Grubbs, 1 ♂ ( WKU); same but 14 July 1998, S.A. Grubbs, 1 ♂ ( WKU); Town Creek, Green Ridge State Forest , 5 km NE Oldtown , 4 July 1996, S.A. Grubbs, 3 ♂ ( WKU). OHIO: Ashland Co., Jerome Fork , Mohican River, C. R. 1302 , 26 June 2000, E. Chapman, 2 ♂ ( OBS); Lang Creek , US-250/OH- 60, 5 km NNW Ashland , 6 July 1995, collector unknown, 7 ♂, 8 ♀ ( OBS); Athens Co., Athens , 23 July 1997, G. Kristsky, 5 ♂, 3 ♀ ( OBS); Brown Co., Ellis Run Creek, S. R. 41 , 9 July 1994, Kovarik, 3 ♂, 8 ♀ ( OBS); Clermont Co., Little Indian Creek , 5 km SSW Laurel , 23 July 1997, G. Kristsky, 4 ♂, 2 ♀ ( OBS); Clinton Co., Lytle Creek, nr. Todds Fork junction , 5 June 1944, W.E. Ricker, 2 ♂, 1 ♀ ( BYU); Coshocton Co., Beaver Run , 2 km NW Warsaw , 14 July 2001, B. Armitage, 8 ♂, 3 ♀ ( OBS); Simmons Run, 0.9 km SSW Warsaw , 26 June 2000, E.G. Chapman, 1 ♂ ( OBS); Geauga Co., Stebbins Gulch , 18 June 1953, A. R. Gaufin, 1 ♂ ( BYU); Greene Co., Little Miami River, Clifton Falls , 19 June 1952, A. R. Gaufin, 3 ♂ ( BYU); Highland Co., Big Branch , 4 km NW New Petersburg , 26 June 1999, S. Cordas & J. Thompson, 2 ♂ ( OBS); Bull Creek , C. R. 15, 1.5 km N Bridges , 26 June 1999, S. Chordas & J. Thompson, 25 ♂, 11 ♀ ( OBS); Jefferson Co., Brush Creek , C. R. 72, 14 km SW East Liverpool , 26 June 2000, E.G. Chapman, 2 ♂, 5 ♀ ( OBS); Logan Co., Lee Creek , T. R. 69 , 25 July 1994, V. Fazio, 1 ♂, 3 ♀ ( OBS); Miami Co., Spring Creek , 7 June 1953, A. R. Gaufin, 5 ♂ ( BYU); Portage Co., Silver Creek , 3 km NW Garrettsville , 16 June 1953, A. R. Gaufin, 1 ♂ ( BYU). Shelby Co., Tawawa Creek , 9 July 1994, Kovarik, 2 ♂, 4 ♀ ( OBS); Plum Creek, at confluence with Miami River, Sidney , 28 July 1970, M.A. Tkac, 1 ♂ ( OBS); Tuscarawas Co., small woodland stream , 6 July 1997, E Chapman, 1 ♂, 18 ♀ ( OBS);. PENNSYLVANIA: Crawford Co., Linesville Creek , 3 km N Linesville , 1- 5 July 1998, S.A. Grubbs, 3 ♂, 1 ♀ ( WKU); same but 28 June 2007, S.A. Grubbs, 3 ♂, 3 ♀ ( WKU); Erie Co., West Branch Conneaut Creek , 11 km NW Springboro , 27 June 2007, S.A. Grubbs, 1♂ ( WKU). TENNESSEE: Grundy Co., Savage Creek, Rte. 399, 8 km NW Dunlap , 29 May 2003, S.A. Grubbs, 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 5 nymphs ( WKU); same but 30 May 2006, S.A. Grubbs, 1 ♀, 4 nymphs ( WKU). VIRGINIA: Montgomery Co., tributary to Mill Creek, Rte. 8, nymphs collected 25 June 1996, adults emerged 30 June 1996 (reared), S. Hiner, 2 ♂, 3 ♀ ( CSU); Wythe Co., Reed Creek , U.S. 11 bridge , 23 July 1996, B.C. Kondratieff & R. F. Kirchner, 5 ♀, 1 nymph (Paratypes – P. teaysia ; CSU); Stony Fork, Reed Creek, U.S. 52, 11.5 km NW Wytheville , Jefferson National Forest ( JNF) , 24 July 2008, S.A. Grubbs, 3 ♀ ( WKU); Reed Creek , F. R. 221, 21 km WNW Wytheville , JNF, 24 July 2008, S.A. Grubbs, 1 ♀ ( WKU); Reed Creek , C. R. 658, 5 km SW Wytheville , 24 July 2008, S.A. Grubbs, 2 ♀ ( WKU) .

Remarks. Perlesta teaysia was described from southwestern Virginia ( Kirchner & Kondratieff, 1997). DeWalt (2002) described P. napacola from eastern Illinois, yet first reported this species as P. nr. teaysia in DeWalt et al. (2001). DeWalt (2002) indicated that P. napacola was distinct from P. teaysia only in the egg stage, noting that males and females of the two species were morphologically inseparable. Perlesta teaysia was later reported as new to Maryland ( Grubbs & Stark, 2001), Pennsylvania ( Grubbs & Stark, 2001) and West Virginia ( Tarter & Nelson, 2006) based solely on male morphology. Stark (2004), in his key to the Perlidae of the eastern Nearctic region, separated the males of the two species only by geographic differences (i.e., Illinois vs. Virginia). Grubbs (2004) and Tarter et al. (2006) have subsequently reported P. napacola from Indiana and Kentucky, respectively, based on SEM work with eggs.

Eggs from multiple series of P. teaysia collections from western Maryland were examined recently with SEM, surprisingly revealing an identical pattern of chorionic sculpturing to P. napacola eggs, yet also very distinct from P. teaysia . This discrepancy raised a question regarding the true identity of P. teaysia because the Maryland location and the Virginia type locality both lay within the Ridge and Valley Physiographic Province.

Eggs from paratype females of P. napacola were examined with SEM and compared to eggs from Indiana, Kentucky, and Maryland. Eggs were not present in the type series of P. teaysia , yet gravid females were collected in July 2008 from each of three sites near the type locality. The egg shape, collar characteristics and chorionic sculpturing pattern were identical for all eggs examined ( Figs. 1–15 ), revealing that the egg depicted in Kirchner & Kondratieff (1997; Fig. 10 ) does not represent the true P. teaysia and that P. napacola must be a junior synonym. The combination of (a) a long tubular aedeagus lacking a caecum, (b) dense, separated patches of sensilla basiconica on the 10 th tergum, and (c) paraprocts lacking a spine is now considered distinctive for the male of P. teaysia .

The egg presented in the original description belongs to an undetermined species. In addition, it should be noted that the egg shown in Stark (2004; Fig. 7.407 ) for P. teaysia also is of undetermined identity. All previously documented records of P. napacola from Illinois ( DeWalt et al., 2001; DeWalt, 2002), Indiana ( Grubbs, 2004), and Kentucky (Tarter et al., 2006) are now referable to P. teaysia , while the collection from Tennessee represents a new state record.

Figures

Figs. 1–15. Perlesta teaysia egg SEM micrographs. 1–3: U.S.A., IL, Vermilion Co., Forest Glen Forest Preserve, 4 August 1977, 4–6: U.S.A., IN, Jackson Co., Guthrie Creek, 18 July 2000, 7–9: U.S.A., KY, Warren Co., Doty Creek, 6 July 2003, 10–12: U.S.A., MD, Allegany Co., Flintstone Creek, 4 July 1996, 13–15: U.S.A., VA, Wythe Co., Reed Creek, 24 July 2008). 1, 4, 7, 10, 13. Entire egg, 200X; 2, 5, 8, 11, 14. Anterior pole, 1000X; 3, 6, 9, 12, 15. Chorionic sculpturing, 2000X.