Soliperla thyra ( Needham & Smith, 1916 )

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 : 88-90

Soliperla thyra ( Needham & Smith, 1916)

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Plecoptera .speciesfile.org: TaxonName:102

Figs. (6-7, 12-13, 16)

Peltoperla thyra Needham & Smith, 1916:87 .

Holotype

male (Cornell University), Nevada.

Soliperla thyra: Illies, 1966:26 .

Published California records. El Dorado Co., Bridal Veil Falls , Hwy 50 abv Picnic Area , 14 May 1983, R.W. Baumann, Mower, 3♂ ( BYU) .

14 15 16

Glenn Co., Salt Creek near Alder Springs, 27 April 1987, B. Stark, R.W. Baumann, C.R. Nelson, 9♂, 1♀ ( BPSC) . Lake Co., 6 miles S Middletown , 11 May 1926, 1♂ ( CAS) . Same site, 12 May 1926, 1♂, 5♀ ( CAS) . Marin Co., Bill Williams Creek , Kentfield, 14 May 1983, R.F. Gill, 1♂ ( BYU) . Cascade Creek , Mill Valley, 25 April 1957, H.B. Leech, 1♂ ( ROM) . Same site, 20 May 1955, H.B. Leech, 1♀ ( ROM) . Mt. Tamalpais , 25 May 1974, D.G. Denning, 1♂ ( BYU) . Redwood Creek , near Mt. Tamalpais State Park, 22 April 1987, B. Stark, R.W. Baumann, C.R. Nelson ( BYU) . Trickle near Alpine Lake, 1 May 1955, S.W. Hitchcock, 1♂, 2 larvae ( OSAC) . Mendocino Co., Small stream, Leggett , Hwy 101, 22 May 1982, B. Stark, D. Ziegler, 1♂, 1♀, 2 larvae ( BPSC) . Summit , Hwy 175, 23 April 1987, B. Stark, R.W. Baumann, C.R. Nelson, 2♂, 13 larvae ( BPSC) . Napa Co., 9 miles N Calistoga, Hwy 29, 21 May 1982, B. Stark, D. Ziegler, 4♂, 10♀, 4 larvae ( BPSC) . Angwin , April 1976, D. Ashley, 1♀ ( BPSC) . Placer Co., Mad Canyon Creek , Mad River Rd, 5 miles E Foresthill, 16 May 1983, R.W. Baumann, Mower, 4♂, 6♀ ( BYU) . Skunk Canyon Creek , Mosquito Ridge Rd, 7 miles E Foresthill, 16 May 1983, R.W. Baumann, Mower, 1♂, 1♀ ( BYU) . Santa Clara Co., Uvas Canyon, 25 May 1974, D.G. Denning, 1♀ ( BYU) . Sierra Co., Mossey Falls , Hwy 49 near jct Indian Creek, 18 May 1983, R.W. Baumann, Mower, 1♂ ( BYU) .

Additional California records. El Dorado Co., Bridal Veil Falls, Hwy 50, 38.77, -120.49, 19 June 2009, R.W. Baumann, B.C. Kondratieff, 1♂, 1♀ ( BYU) . El Dorado Ditch , 1 mile E of Pacific House, 38.7596, -120.4922, 1180 m, 8 June 2015, C.B. Barr, W.D. Shepard, 2♂ ( JBSC) , 1♂ ( EMEC) . Same site, 28 May 2015, C.B. Barr, W.D. Shepard, 1♀ ( EMEC) . Same site, 27 May 2016, C.B. Barr, W.D. Shepard, 1♂ ( EMEC) . Same site, 18 June 2016, C.B. Barr, W.D. Shepard, 1♂ ( EMEC) . Same site, 15 June 2017, C.B. Barr, W.D. Shepard, 2♂ ( EMEC) . Humboldt Co., Willow Creek, East Fork confluence, 40.90849, -123.70783, 19 May 2008, J. Lee, 2♂, 1♀ ( JJLC, BPSC) . Same site, 15 June 2011, J. Lee, 1♂ ( JJLC) . Lake Co., Putah Creek , 38.78528, -122.69250, 14 May 2012. L.E. Serpa, 1♂ ( LESC) . Mendocino Co., North Fork Garcia River Tributary , 38.92056, -123.55028, 28 May 2008, L.E. Serpa, 1♂, 2♀ ( LESC) . Small stream, Leggett, Hwy 101, 22 May 1982, K.W. Stewart, D.D. Ziegler, 1♀ ( BYU) . Santa Clara Co., Swanson Creek, Uvas Park , 11 May 1982, S.D. Smith, 1♀ ( BYU) . Uvas Creek , 4 km below Uvas Park, 11 May 1982, S.D. Smith, 1♂, 1♀ ( BYU) . Valpe Creek , 37.47167, -121.66675, 12 May 2005, L.E. Serpa, 1♂, 1♀ ( LESC) . Sonoma Co., Courtship Creek , 38.34044, -122.59806, 25 April 1981, L.E. Serpa, 1♂ ( LESC) .

Male epiproct. Stark & Gustafson (2004) presented an image (Fig. 19 in Stark & Gustafson) of the epiproct from Glenn County specimens in which the epiproct stem gradually becomes wider near the apex and the lateral margins of the anterior face do not extend beyond those of the stem. In addition, the anterior face was 252 μm wide and heavily armed with a total of 37 marginal and submarginal teeth in 3+ rows. The specimen of S. thyra in our study from Napa County ( Figs. 6-7 ) has the anterior face distinctly wider than the stem (175 μm, but narrower than that of the Glenn County specimen) and has smaller and far fewer (21) teeth.

Male aedeagus. Stark (1983) described and illustrated this distinctive structure from the holotype and from Napa County specimens. Herein, we provide additional images of the structure from a Humboldt County specimen. In all specimens examined by us, the ventral surface of the aedeagus bears a pair of prominent, curved spines that arise from sclerites ( Fig. 12 ). Additional small setal spines occur along the anterolateral margins ( Fig. 13 ).

Larval abdominal pigment patterns. Stark (1983) described the larva of this species from Napa County specimens. In those specimens, terga 4 and 7 have small, circular, median pale spots and the median tergal spot on segment 5 is similar in shape to the lateral spots In our study of Glenn County specimens the median spot on tergum 4 is absent and the median spots on terga 5-6 are similar in size and shape ( Fig. 16 ).

Distribution. The holotype specimen of S. thyra is reported to be from “ Nevada ” ( Needham & Smith 1916) and all other known specimens are from California, with most records coming from the Coast Range north of San Francisco. The northernmost record is from Willow Creek in Humboldt County and the southernmost from Uvas Canyon in Santa Clara County. The species is also known from the Sierra Nevada in El Dorado and Placer counties and it co-occurs with S. quadrispinula in the Willow Creek drainage of Humboldt County. However, S. thyra was collected on the main stem Willow Creek while S. quadrispinula occurred in its smaller, high gradient tributaries.

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.