Protonemura sp. (aculeata, Theischinger, 1976

Murányi, Dávid, Manko, Peter, Kovács, Tibor, Vinçon, Gilles, Žiak, Matej, Kerimova, Ilhama G., Snegovaya, Nataly Yurievna & Oboňa, Jozef, 2021, Review and contribution to the stonefly (Insecta: Plecoptera) fauna of Azerbaijan, Zootaxa 4975 (1), pp. 58-80 : 68-69

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4975.1.2

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:EEFD3FFF-79E1-4EED-B74C-295A33CA50DA

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4923417

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039387DC-451B-8C38-719D-F926FB3DCCEE

treatment provided by

Plazi (2021-05-26 07:52:39, last updated 2024-11-26 02:44:23)

scientific name

Protonemura sp. (aculeata
status

 

Protonemura sp. (aculeata ?)

Şəki-Zaqatala region: 33: 1♂ (HNHM) 1♂ (LMEE).

Remarks. One of these two, relatively large sized males (the HNHM specimen) was found to be infected by nematode worms of the family Mermithidae ( Figs. 15–17 View FIGURES 15–17 ). The presence of mermithid worms in stoneflies were reported by Ravizza & Zwick (2006) from Italy and Germany, where they found several infected specimens belonging to Isoperla rivulorum ( Pictet, 1841) , Protonemura caprai ( Aubert, 1954) and another but unidentifiable Protonemura species. Lesions caused by the nematode infection show remarkable similarity between the Azerbaijan specimen and those figured and described by Ravizza & Zwick (2006). These include the fusion of the ventral vesicle with the hypoproct, shortening and fusion of paraproct lobes, and the shortening of epiproct ( Figs 11–14 View FIGURES 11–14 ).

The other specimen (kept in the LMEE), was found to be free of mermithids, and its terminalia shows no lesions but apparently it was conspecific with the infected specimen. They belong to the praecox group, and cannot convincingly be attributed to any of the described species. Since Zhiltzova (1988) reported high geographical variability of P. aculeata within the Caucasian region, we will consider our specimens as a probable variant of P. aculeata , rather than a new species. Needed are additional specimens in good condition, additional character states in the form of DNA sequences, and behavioural characters derived from bioacoustic studies.

Aubert, J. (1954) Note sur quelques Plecopteres de Piemont et de Ligurie avec la description de deux especes nouvelles. Bollettino della Societa Entomologica Italiana, 84, 107 - 113.

Pictet, F. J. (1841) Histoire naturelle des insectes Nevropteres. Famille des Perlides. Kessmann-Bailliere, Geneve-Paris, 423 pp.

Ravizza, C. & Zwick, P. (2006) First records of Mermithidae (Nematoda) parasitic in Plecoptera. Bollettino della Societa entomologica italiana, 138 (2), 89 - 95.

Zhiltzova, L. A. (1988) New and little known species of Protonemura (Plecoptera, Nemouridae) from the Caucasus. Aquatic Insects, 10 (4), 215 - 219. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 01650428809361332

Gallery Image

FIGURES 15–17. Mermithids from Protonemura sp. (aculeata?) male from the Greater Caucasus—15: mermithids as seen by transparency through the abdominal sterna; 14: four mermithid specimens dissected from the male stonefly, according to mm scale; 17: abdomen of the stonefly opened at segments 2 and 3, with mermithids protruding.

Gallery Image

FIGURES 11–14. Mermithid infected Protonemura sp. (aculeata?) male from the Greater Caucasus—11: terminalia, ventral view; 12: same, lateral view; 13: same, dorsal view; 14: same, dorsocaudal view—scale 1 mm.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Plecoptera

Family

Nemouridae

Genus

Protonemura