Soliperla sierra Stark, 1983

Stark, Bill P., Sandberg, John B. & Lee, Jonathan J., 2017, California Soliperla Ricker, 1952 (Plecoptera: Peltoperlidae), Distribution And Taxonomic Characters, Illiesia 13 (7), pp. 82-93 : 86-88

Soliperla sierra Stark, 1983

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid:Plecoptera.speciesfile.org: TaxonName:105

Figs. (1, 4-5, 10-11, 15)

Soliperla sierra Stark, 1983:36 .

Holotype male (USNM), French Creek, 1 mile N Caribou, Butt Reservoir Rd , Plumas Co., California.

Published California records. Plumas Co., French Creek , 1 mile N Caribou, Butt Reservoir Rd , 25 June 1980, R.W. Baumann, J. Stanger, 6♂, 3♀ ( USNM) . Sierra Co., Big Springs, Hwy 49, 2 miles W Bassetts , 29 May 1991, B. Stark, R.W. Baumann, C. Henderson, 1♀ ( BPSC) . Same site, 27 June 2003, P.A. Opler, 4♂ ( CSUIC) . Same site, 24 June 1980, R.W. Baumann, J. Stanger, 13♂, 4♀ ( BYU) .

Additional California records. Plumas Co., French Creek, Caribou Rd , NW of Caribou at water tank, 40.08635, -121.1549, 7 June 2017, B. Stark, J.B. Sandberg, 6♂, 6♀, 1L ( BPSC). Same site, 7 June 2017, J.B. Sandberg, B. Stark, 9♂, 3♀ ( JBSC). Waterfall tributary to Hopkins Creek , FR 23N16, 8.0 mi NE Gibsonville, 39.76537, -120.83298, 1 July 2017, J.B. Sandberg, 1♂, 3♀ ( JBSC) . Waterfall tributary to Nelson Creek , Quincy La Porte Rd, 10 mi S of East Quincy (Hwy 70), 39.84156, -120.85863, 24 June 2017, 2♀ ( JBSC) . Sierra Co., Big Springs , Hwy 49, 2 miles W Bassetts, 10 May 1982, D. Ziegler, K.W. Stewart, 2♀ ( BPSC) . Same site, 1 July 2008, P.A. Opler, 4♂, 1♀ ( CSUIC) . Same site, 5 July 2008, B.C. Kondratieff, R.W. Baumann, 2♀ ( CSUIC) . Same site, 17 June 2009, B.C. Kondratieff, R.W. Baumann, 18♂, 8♀ ( CSUIC) . Same site, 39.5965833, -120.6107667, 21 June 2009, B. Stark, A. Harrison, K. Nye, 15♂, 7♀ ( BPSC) . Same site, 25 June 2009, J. Lee, 5♂, 1♀ ( JJLC, BPSC) . Same site, 3 July 2010, B.C. Kondratieff, R.W. Baumann, 5♂ ( CSUIC) . Same site, 26 May 2014, B. Stark, A. Harrison, 2♂, 5 larvae ( BPSC) . Same site, 8 June 2014, D.E. Ruiter, N. Kang, 2 ♂ ( CSUIC) . Same site, 28 June 2014, B.C. Kondratieff, C.J. Verdone, 1♂ ( CSUIC) . Same site, 28 June 2015, B.C. Kondratieff, 1♀ ( CSUIC) .

Male epiproct. Stark (1983) and Stark & Gustafson (2004) present images and brief descriptions of the S. sierra epiproct based on a paratype specimen. The SEM image (Fig. 18 in Stark & Gustafson) shows an almost quadrangular shape, a wide toothless median gap along the marginal tooth row and 14 total teeth including 7 marginals and 7 submarginals. The anterior face of this specimen is 215 μm wide. The specimen examined in this study from Sierra County, California is oriented in an oblique fashion that emphasizes the width and the large toothless median gap. The SEM images of this specimen ( Figs. 4-5 ) indicate 15 total teeth and a width of 268 μm.

Male aedeagus. The structure and similarity of the aedeagus for this species to that of S. campanula was documented by Stark (1983). Both species have a median row or grouping of relatively short, thick setal-spines on the ventral aedeagal surface ( Fig. 10 ), and both have an anterolateral lobe with a close-set cluster of several additional short, thick setal spines ( Fig. 11 ). The organization of the ventral setal-spine grouping for S. sierra is not clearly in two well-organized rows, whereas in S. campanula the two median rows are usually distinct. In addition, the anterolateral spine clusters are set on partially sclerotized lobes for mature specimens of S. sierra , but these lobes are membranous for specimens of S. campanula we have examined.

Larval abdominal pigment pattern. The larva of S. sierra is similar in body size and general features to those of known species. However, in the small sample available to us, the abdominal pigment pattern appears distinct from that of other Soliperla larvae known from California. Prominent, median longitudinal pale spots on terga 3, or 4-6 form an almost continuous median pale stripe on those segments. Tergum 7 often has a well defined circular median spot and the lateral pale spots on tergum 5 are much smaller than those on terga 2-4 ( Fig. 15 ).

Distribution. Published records exist for only two sites for this species in Plumas and Sierra counties. During this study several additional specimens were collected at the Sierra County site near Bassetts, California, and in Plumas County the species was collected at three additional sites near the type locality (French Creek at the water tank, Hopkins Creek tributary, and Nelson Creek tributary) ( Fig. 17 ).

Figures

Figs. 2-7. California Soliperla male epiprocts. 2. S. quadrispinula, apical section of epiproct and upper stem, California, Humboldt Co., Unnamed stream near Berry Summit, Hwy 299. 3. S. quadrispinula, left half of anterior epiproct surface. 4. S. sierra, apical section and upper stem of epiproct, California, Sierra Co., Big Springs, Hwy 49. 5. S. sierra, right half of anterior epiproct surface. 6. S. thyra, apical section of epiproct and upper stem, California, Napa Co., 9 miles N Calistoga, Hwy 29. 7. S. thyra, right half of anterior epiproct surface.

Figs. 8-13. California Soliperla male aedeagal armature. 8. S. quadrispinula, apical aedeagal section bearing prominent spines, California, Humboldt Co., Unnamed stream near Berry Summit, Hwy 299. 9. S. quadrispinula, detail of large spine. 10. S. sierra, ventral aedeagal spine patch, California, Sierra Co., Big Springs, Hwy 49. 11. S. sierra, dorsolateral spiny aedeagal lobe. 12. S. thyra, large ventroapical aedeagal spines, California, Humboldt Co., Willow Creek, East Fork Confluence. 13. S. thyra, basolateral spine patch.

Figs. 14-16. California Soliperla larval abdominal color patterns, segments 2-10. 14. S. quadrispinula, California, Humboldt Co., Grassy Creek. 15. S. sierra, California, Sierra Co., Big Springs. 16. S. thyra, California, Glenn Co., Salt Creek.

Fig. 17. Distribution of Soliperla species in California (S. quadrispinula = red squares, S. sierra = blue circles, S. thyra = green diamonds).