Epeorus (Caucasiron) alborzicus Hrivniak & Sroka, 2020
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publication ID |
https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.947.51259 |
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publication LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3297FBE4-111C-4849-9533-225A53F7DB3C |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/F1721BB2-DC7C-4BBC-9AD2-8252A5D01EBF |
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taxon LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:act:F1721BB2-DC7C-4BBC-9AD2-8252A5D01EBF |
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treatment provided by |
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scientific name |
Epeorus (Caucasiron) alborzicus Hrivniak & Sroka |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Epeorus (Caucasiron) alborzicus Hrivniak & Sroka sp. nov. Figures 1 View Figure 1 , 2 View Figure 2
Type material.
Holotype: female mature larva: IRAN, Mazandaran Province, Panjab village, unnamed brook (LT of Haraz River); 36°05'52.8"N, 052°15'16.0"E (locality no. 152); 955 m a.s.l.; J. Bojková, T. Soldán, J. Imanpour Namin, S. Bagheri leg., 9.5.2018, SMNS_EPH_010056.
Paratypes: 38 female larvae (3 mounted on slide), 10 male larvae (2 mounted on slide): same data as holotype, SMNS_EPH_010056. DNA extracted from 1 female (code: IR11, stored in EtOH) and 2 males (codes: IR12 and IR14, both stored in EtOH).
33 female larvae, 24 male larvae: IRAN, Tehran Province, Zayegan village, Lalan River; 35°58'39.2"N, 051°34'56.5"E (locality no. 55); 2290 m a.s.l.; A. Staniczek, M. Pallmann, R. J. Godunko, F. Nejat leg., 8.5.2017, SMNS_EPH_007617.
1 female larva: IRAN, Golestan Province, above Chah-e Ja village, unnamed brook (RT of river flowing to Fazelabad); 36°40'22.8"N, 054°46'37.9"E (locality no. 104); 1450 m a.s.l.; J. Bojková, T. Soldán, J. Imanpour Namin leg., 27.4.2018. DNA extracted specimen (code: IR13, stored in EtOH).
17 female larvae (3 mounted on slide), 6 male larvae: IRAN, Alborz Province, 2.5 km W of Asara village, Karaj River; 36°01'52.1"N, 051°13'10.0"E (locality no. 58); 1890 m a.s.l.; A. Staniczek, M. Pallmann, F. Nejat leg., 10.5.2017, SMNS_EPH_007627.
The holotype and 50 paratypes are deposited in SMNS, 50 paratypes (including DNA extracted specimens) are deposited in IECA and 29 paratypes in MMTT_DOE.
Other material examined.
8 larvae: same data as holotype, SMNS_EPH_010056; young instars or damaged specimens.
13 larvae: IRAN, Mazandaran Province, NE of Kahrud village, unnamed brook (LT of Haraz River); 36°03'42.7"N, 052°15'24.8"E (locality no. 153); 1020 m a.s.l.; J. Bojková, T. Soldán, J. Imanpour Namin, S. Bagheri leg., 9.5.2018.
2 larvae: IRAN, Mazandaran Province, 3.5 km E of Polour village, Lasem Rud (RT of Haraz River); 35°50'09.4"N, 052°04'38.4"E (locality no. 73); 2100 m a.s.l.; A. Staniczek, M. Pallmann, F. Nejat leg., 14.5.2017, SMNS_EPH_007680; 17 larvae: S. Bagheri leg., 16.4.2018.
1 larva: IRAN, Mazandaran Province, 1.5 km S of Part Kola village, Shirin Rud (LT of Sefidrud); 36°9'04.3"N, 053°20'54.7"E (locality no. 63); 750 m a.s.l.; A. Staniczek, M. Pallmann, F. Nejat leg., 11.5.2017, SMNS_EPH_007641; 10 larvae: S. Bagheri leg., 5.4.2018.
7 larvae: IRAN, Mazandaran Province, 3.5 km W of Razan village, Baladeh River; 36°11'39.6"N, 052°8'34.6"E (locality no. 73); 1360 m a.s.l.; A. Staniczek, M. Pallmann, F. Nejat leg., 14.5.2017, SMNS_EPH_007677.
1 larva: IRAN, Tehran Province, Lalan village, Lalan River; 35°59'50.3"N, 051°34'51.0"E (locality no. 53); 2438 m a.s.l.; A. Staniczek, M. Pallmann, R. J. Godunko, F. Nejat leg., 8.5.2017, SMNS_EPH_007613.
17 larvae: IRAN, Tehran Province, Igol village, Fasham River; 35°55'11.2"N, 051°28'51.3"E (locality no. 56); 2020 m a.s.l.; A. Staniczek, M. Pallmann, R. J. Godunko, F. Nejat leg., 8.5.2017, SMNS_EPH_007618.
10 larvae: IRAN, Alborz Province, 4 km NW of Shahrestanak village, Shahrestanak River; 35°59'01.2"N, 051°19'09.6"E (locality no. 57); 2100 m a.s.l.; A. Staniczek, M. Pallmann, F. Nejat leg., 10.5.2017, SMNS_EPH_007622.
Etymology.
The species name refers to the type locality and distribution of the species in the Alborz mountain range.
Localities and habitat preferences of larvae.
Larvae inhabit small streams (2-8 m width, 20-50 cm depth) at high altitudes (six of eleven localities at approx. 2000 m a.s.l.) in the central Alborz (Fig. 9 View Figure 9 ). One larva was found in the eastern Alborz (Fig. 9 View Figure 9 ). Larvae were found only in cold and clear streams where they dwelled on large stones in riffles with very fast flow. All localities were situated in deep valleys with rivers draining high mountains. They were mostly treeless, only sometimes with sparse solitary shrubs and trees at the banks (Fig. 10A, B View Figure 10 ). Streams had a very coarse bed substrate with prevailing boulders and stones and a low share of fine sediments, and turbulent to strongly turbulent flow. They were characteristic of high fluctuation of discharge, with sudden peaks of discharge after spates on the mountains (Fig. 10A View Figure 10 ).
Description of larva.
General colouration of larvae yellowish brown with dark brown maculation. Body length of mature larvae: 13.3-15.8 mm (female), 10.3-11.3 mm (male). Length of cerci approximately 1.3 × body length.
Head. Shape trapezoidal; anterior and lateral margin rounded, posterior margin rounded in female, slightly rounded or nearly straight in male (Fig. 1D, E View Figure 1 ). Anterior margin with shallow concavity medially. Head dimensions of mature larvae: length 2.8-3.1 mm, width 4.0-4.6 mm (female); length 2.2-2.7 mm, width 3.2-3.7 mm (male). Head width/length ratio: 1.4-1.5 (both male and female). Dorso-medial part with pair of stripes. Pair of maculae located between ocelli (sometimes fused into single macula). Rounded maculae ventrolateral of lateral ocelli and blurred maculae near inner edges of compound eyes. Pale stripes extending horizontally from lateral ocelli to lateral edges of head. Pair of elongated, curved maculae located along coronal suture. Compound eyes grey to black in female, brownish or greyish and basally black in male mature larva. Ocelli blackish, basally paler. Antennae yellowish brown, scapus and pedicellus darkened. Anterior margin of head densely covered with hair-like setae extending to lateral margins and directed medio-dorsally. Dorsal surface of head covered with fine hair-like setae and sparsely distributed stick-like setae. Sparse longer and fine hair-like setae located posteriorly to eyes.
Mouthparts. Labrum (Fig. 2A View Figure 2 ) widened anteriorly, with anterior margin slightly rounded or nearly straight (in dorsal view). Lateral angles rounded (shape of labrum may vary among individual specimens). Dorsal surface (Fig. 2A View Figure 2 , right half) sparsely covered with setae of different size; 4-6 longer bristle-like setae located antero-medially and two bristles antero-laterally. Epipharynx with longer, slightly plumose bristles situated along lateral to anterior margin (Fig. 2A View Figure 2 , left half, range of setation figured as large black dots), and cluster of fine, hair-like setae medially (not figured). Posterior margin of labrum irregularly concave; group of 6-17 setae of various size located on ventral surface close to posterior margin. Outer incisors of both mandibles (Fig. 2B, C View Figure 2 ) with three apical teeth; outer tooth blunt in both mandibles. Inner incisor of left mandible with three apical teeth, right inner incisor bifurcated.
Thorax. Pronotum anteriorly narrowed, lateral edges nearly straight. Metanotum with slight postero-medial projection. Dorsal surface covered with fine, hair-like setae (as on abdominal terga and head); sparse longer, hair-like setae along pro-, meso- and metanotal suture.
Legs. Colour pattern of femora as in Fig. 1F View Figure 1 . Femora without medial hypodermal spot. Patella-tibial suture darkened; tarsi proximally and distally darkened. Coxal projections of fore- and hind legs pointed or bluntly pointed; in middle legs blunt. Trochanteres with spatulate setae as on dorsal surface of femora (Fig. 2D View Figure 2 ). Tibiae of forelegs 1.20-1.37 × femur length, tibiae of middle legs 1.0-1.2 × femur length, and tibiae of hind legs 0.92-1.08 × femur length. Tarsi of all legs 0.26-0.34 × tibia length. Dorsal surface of femora covered by short and sporadically elongated spatulate setae (Fig. 2D View Figure 2 ), hair-like setae, and sparsely distributed stick-like setae. Anterior margin of femora with short, pointed or bluntly pointed spine-like setae; posterior margin with row of long blade-like setae and sparse row of bluntly pointed, spine-like setae. Dorsal margin of tibiae and tarsi with row of long setae; ventral margin of both with irregular row of spine-like setae accumulated distally. Tarsal claws with 2-3 denticles.
Abdominal terga. Colour pattern of abdominal terga (Fig. 1A, H-J View Figure 1 ) consists of transversal stripe along anterior margin of terga I-IX (X), medially extending to single blurred macula or pair of rounded maculae on terga II-IV and short triangular or nearly rectangular macula on terga V-IX. Terga VIII and IX (X) medially darkened. Pattern of abdominal terga sometimes poorly expressed, only with medially thickened transversal stripe along anterior margin.
Lateral margins with oblique maculae on terga I-IX, sometimes dorso-posteriorly extended. Pair of sigilla sometimes coloured, in form of short stripes or spots located antero-laterally to medial macula. Denticles on posterior margin on terga of various size, irregular and pointed (Fig. 2E View Figure 2 ). Surface of terga covered with hair-like setae and sparsely with stick-like setae. Tergum X with distinct postero-lateral projections (Fig. 2H View Figure 2 , arrow). Supra-tergalial projection (sensu Kluge 2004) short and blunt. Longitudinal row of hair-like setae along abdominal terga present medially.
Abdominal sterna. Yellowish, with distinct colour pattern in form of medial circular macula (Fig. 1B, G, K-M View Figure 1 , best expressed on sterna II-VI). Medio-anterior sigilla partly pigmented, lateral sigilla not pigmented; medio-posterior sigilla in form of pale spots in intensively pigmented specimens. Nerve ganglia occasionally darkened. Intensity of colouration varies among individuals (Fig. 1K-M View Figure 1 ). Sternum IX with V-shaped medial emargination; surface covered by irregularly distributed short hair-like setae, and medially accumulated longer hair-like setae (Fig. 2I, J View Figure 2 ).
Gills. Dorsal surface of gill plate I yellowish; of gill plates II-VII greyish on anterior half, brownish (sometimes reddish) on posterior half. Ventral margin of all gill plates yellowish. Projection of gill plate III well developed (Fig. 2G View Figure 2 ). Gill plate VII relatively wide (in natural position of ventral view, Figs 1G View Figure 1 , 2L, M View Figure 2 ). Filaments of gills II-VI reaching 0.40-0.58 × length of respective plate, filaments of gill VII reaching 0.18-0.24 × (in late-instar larvae).
Cerci . Yellowish brown, basally darkened.
Subimago, imago and eggs.
Unknown.
Morphological diagnostics of larvae.
The main larval diagnostic characters of E. (C.) alborzicus sp. nov. are as follows: (i) colour pattern of abdominal terga (Fig. 1A, H-J View Figure 1 ) and sterna (Fig. 1B, K-M View Figure 1 ), (ii) presence of distinct postero-lateral projections on tergum X (Fig. 2H View Figure 2 ), (iii) absence of medial hypodermal femur spot (Fig. 1F View Figure 1 ), (iv) gill plate VII relatively wide (in natural position from ventral view; Figs 1G View Figure 1 , 2L, M View Figure 2 ), and (v) fine hair-like setae on surface of abdominal terga (Fig. 2E View Figure 2 ).
Affinities.
The combination of diagnostic characters mentioned above clearly distinguish larvae of E. (C.) alborzicus sp. nov. from all other Caucasiron species known so far. However, some of the diagnostic characters occur also in other Caucasiron species distributed in the Caucasus. The colour pattern of abdominal sterna in E. (C.) alborzicus sp. nov. is similar in E. ( C. ) bicolliculatus ( Hrivniak et al. 2017: 356, fig. 8) and E. ( C. ) alpestris ( Braasch 1979: 284, fig. 1d). Both species also lack a medial hypodermal femur spot. Epeorus (C.) bicolliculatus can be distinguished from E. (C.) alborzicus sp. nov. by (i) the presence of flattened setae on the surface of abdominal terga ( Hrivniak et al. 2017: 359, fig. 23), (ii) the presence of paired postero-medial protuberances on terga II-IX ( Hrivniak et al. 2017: 356, figs 10, 11; 360, figs 31, 32), and (iii) the absence of a postero-lateral projection on the tergum X.
Epeorus (C.) alpestris differs by the characteristic colour pattern of abdominal terga ( Braasch 1979: 294, fig. 1c) and the absence of postero-lateral projections on the tergum X.
The presence of postero-lateral projections on the abdominal tergum X is characteristic for two species distributed in the Caucasus, E. ( C. ) magnus , E. (C.) nigripilosus , and sporadically also in E. ( C. ) znojkoi . Epeorus (C.) magnus differs from E. (C.) alborzicus sp. nov. in the absence of colouration of abdominal sterna and the characteristic setation on the dorsal margin of labrum (numerous thickened bristle-like setae, Hrivniak et al. in prep.). Epeorus (C.) nigripilosus can be separated from E. (C.) alborzicus sp. nov. by the presence of the distinct medial hypodermal femur spot and unique colour pattern of abdominal sterna ( Sinitshenkova 1976: 89, fig. 28). Epeorus (C.) znojkoi can be clearly distinguished from E. (C.) alborzicus sp. nov. by the colour pattern of abdominal terga and conspicuous reddish colouration of abdominal sterna ( Braasch 1980: 172, fig. 4b-c).
Two species, E. ( C. ) soldani and E. ( C. ) sinitshenkovae , are lacking a medial hypodermal femur spot just like E. (C.) alborzicus sp. nov. Both can be separated from the latter by the absence of postero-lateral projections on tergum X, narrower gill plates VII (in natural position from ventral view), and the absence of a distinct colour pattern of abdominal sterna. Additionally, E. ( C. ) soldani differs from E. (C.) alborzicus sp. nov. by the presence of flattened setae on the surface of abdominal terga ( Hrivniak et al. 2017: 359, fig. 25).
Other Caucasiron species distributed in the Caucasus and adjacent areas do not share important diagnostic characters with E. (C.) alborzicus sp. nov. All of these species can be easily distinguished by the following combination of characters: (i) absence of the colour pattern of abdominal sterna and presence of the medial hypodermal femur spot in E. ( C. ) turcicus , E. ( C. ) longimaculatus , E. (C.) shargi sp. nov. and (ii) colour pattern of abdominal terga and sterna in E. ( C. ) caucasicus ( Braasch 1979: fig. 3a), E. ( C. ) iranicus ( Braasch and Soldán 1979: fig. 12), and E. (C.) zagrosicus sp. nov. (Fig. 5A-C, G, H-K View Figure 5 ). The larva of E. ( C. ) insularis is currently not described.
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