Hemimelaena flaviventris ( Pictet, 1841 )

Errochdi, Sanae, Alami, Majida El, Vinçon, Gilles, Abdaoui, Abdelali & Ghamizi, Mohamed, 2014, Contribution to the knowledge of Moroccan and Maghrebin stoneflies (Plecoptera), Zootaxa 3838 (1) : -

Hemimelaena flaviventris ( Pictet, 1841)

Material examined. Rif: Tanger, Tahaddart v.: Ankouda r., 61 m, 25.04.2007, 1 male; Assila r., Lâassel spr., 17 m, 26.04.2007, 1 female, 11N; Ouljat Chat r., Hakama, 53 m, 25.04.2007, 1N (ERR). Chefchaouen, Laou v.: Boumarouil r., Hamra spr., 560 m, 07.05.2005, 1 male, 4N; Assemlil r., Haout Lakhchef, Bouhachem mountain, 1020 m, 27.04.2013, 12L (ERR). Tetouan, Martil v.: Taïda r., 590 m, 28.01.2003, 3N (ELA); Hamma r., 400 m, 25.03.2007, 1N (ERR). Ouazzane, Ouargha subwaterched of Sebou v.: Sabaniyine r., 240 m, 15.04.1999, 1N; Aoudour r., Fifi r., 400–700 m, 15.04.1999, 1 female, 3N (ELA); 6 km after Fifi, Fifi r., 900 m, 15.04.2005, 1 male, 9N (ERR). High Atlas: Marrakech, Tensift v.: Setti Fatma, Ourika r., 1450 m, 09.05.2003, 5 L, 25.08.2003, 18L; Assif Tiferguine r., 2500–2790 m, 02.06.2005, 1 male, 2 female, 14L; Assif Aït Trène r., 2800 m, 02.06.2005, 2 female, 8L (ABD).

Distribution ( Fig. 1 ). An Ibero-Moroccan endemic with a wide distribution in the Iberian Peninsula ( Aubert 1963a, Illies 1978, Sánchez-Ortega et al. 2003, Errochdi et al. 2014). In Morocco, the species has a fairly wide distribution. Hemimelaena flaviventris was collected at several localities in the Rif ( Sánchez-Ortega & Azzouz 1998), Middle Atlas ( Dakki 1987), High Atlas, and the Central Plateau ( El Agbani 1984, El Agbani et al. 1992). However, this species seems to be absent in eastern Morocco probably because of higher water temperatures as compared to other Moroccan river systems.

Ecology. Larvae are mainly predaceous ( Azzouz & Sánchez-Ortega 2000). In the Middle and High Atlas, larvae often frequent permanent mountain streams of different sizes (creeks and streams), and temporary streams in the Rif and Central Plateau. Hemimelaena flaviventris has a wide altitudinal range from 17 m in the Rif to 2800 m in the High Atlas. The adults have a spring emergence (IV–VI) ( Ropero et al. 1995, Tierno de Figueroa et al. 1996).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution of Afroperlodes lecerfi, Hemimelaena flaviventris and Isoperla cf. kir in the western Maghreb.