Ann. Limnol. - Int. J. Lim. 39 (2), 135-139

The larva of Plectrocnemia laetabilis McLachlan, 1880 (Trichoptera ; ; Polycentropodinae)

R. Vieira-Lanero*, M.A. González, F. Cobo

Departamento de Biología , Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, E-15782 Santiago de Compostela (A Coruña), Spain

The fifth instar larva of Plectrocnemia laetabilis McLachlan, 1880 is described for the first time, and the main taxonomic cha- racters are figured. The larvae of P. laetabilis are very similar to those of P. conspersa (Curtis, 1834), but they are easily distin- guishable by some characters of the frontoclypeal apotome, labrum and abdominal segment IX. Additionally, some notes on dis- tribution and ecological preferences are included.

Keywords : Trichoptera, Polycentropodidae, Polycentropodinae, Plectrocnemia, larva, Iberian Peninsula.

Introduction According to González et al. (1992) and Terra (1994), there are five Plectrocnemia species in the Ibe- The Polycentropodidae are represented in the Ibe- rian Peninsula, P. geniculata McLachlan, 1871, P. rian Peninsula (González et al. 1992, Terra 1994) by conspersa (Curtis, 1834), P. inflata McLachlan, 1884, four genera : Cyrnus Stephens, 1836 ; Plectrocnemia P. laetabilis McLachlan, 1880 and P. scruposa McLa- Stephens, 1836 ; Polycentropus Curtis, 1835 and Pseu- chlan, 1880. Of these, only the larvae of P. conspersa doneureclipsis Ulmer, 1913. Nevertheless, it should be and P. geniculata have been described. The main larval noted that, in a recent paper, Tachet et al. (2001) noted diagnostic characters of P. conspersa were presented difficulties placing Pseudoneureclipsis in Polycentro- (among other authors) by Ulmer (1903), Nielsen podidae and, subsequently, Li et al. (2001) concluded (1942), Edington (1964), Lepneva (1964), Hickin that Pseudoneureclipsis should be removed from Poly- (1967), Moretti (1983), Wallace & Wallace (1983), centropodidae and placed in . Edington & Hildrew (1995) and Waringer & Graf The prothoracic tarsi and anal claws are used by (1997). Larval descriptions of P. geniculata are avai- Edington (1964) to separate the last instar larvae of lable in the papers of Hickin (1967), Wallace & Walla- Plectrocnemia from those of other British Polycentro- ce (1983), Edington & Hildrew (1995) and Waringer & podidae. Cyrnus larvae have always four blunt teeth on Graf (1997). Therefore, the immature stages of the re- the inside margin of the anal claw, which are absent in maining three species are unknown. Plectrocnemia larvae. Moreover, prothoracic tarsi are less than half length of the tibiae in the last instar lar- vae of Polycentropus, while it is about same length as Material and methods the tibiae in Plectrocnemia larvae. Material examined : 247 larvae and 80 pupae from several Galician localities (NW Spain). Association between larval and adult stage was ensured by labora- tory rearing of some larvae and by using the metamor- * corresponding author : E-mail: [email protected] photype method.

Article available at http://www.limnology-journal.org or http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/limn/2003011 136 R. VIEIRA-LANERO, M.A. GONZÁLEZ, F. COBO (2)

Specific identification of Plectrocnemia larvae may conspicuous. Frontoclypeal apotome typical of the ge- cause some difficulties and, occasionally, morphome- nus, with a shallow arc of 6 dark muscle attachment tric measures of several structures are needed to ensu- spots, always located clearly from behind of the inser- re the identification. Nevertheless, these measures can tion point of the seta 6. Frontoclypeal apotome ratio vary with the larval stage and, therefore, it is essential a/b 2.35 - 3.40 (mean 3.07, N = 32). Left mandible to ensure that we are identifying a last instar larva. The with three well developed teeth along mesal margins diagnostic characters commonly used to separate Plec- of both dorsal and ventral blades, and a sharp apical trocnemia species (cf. Wallace & Wallace 1983) are : tooth. Central concavity of the left mandible with a a.- Frontoclypeal apotome : brush of 3 - 4 indented setae. Right mandible similar to the left, but it lacks the group of setae of the concavity. - frontoclypeal apotome ratio (a/b in Fig. 1B) : cal- Labrum broad (Figs. 1A, E), with dark postero-lateral culated from the positions of the apex of the apotome areas and a dark line, uniform in width, along the pos- and the posterior muscle attachment spots relative to terior margin. the posterior setal alveoli (seta 6). The measurement b must be made from the edge of the muscle attachment Thorax : Pronotum slightly lighter than head, with spot, not from the limit of the associated shading, and dark spots and a well developed black posterior mar- it is essential that the apotome lies horizontally for gin. Thoracic legs concolorous with the head. measurement. A microscope with a micrometer eye- Abdomen : Ventral surface of the ninth abdominal piece will be required for making the necessary mea- segment (Fig. 1C) with four long, dark primary setae surements to calculate the ratios. (p and ip in Fig. 1C) and 7 - 24 smaller secondary se- - minimum width at median narrowing and maxi- tae on either side of the mid-line (22 - 48 setae in all). mum width in the area posterior to it (d, c in Fig. 1B). The majority of these secondary setae are, at least, half the length of the inner primaries (ip). Dorsal side of the b.- Labrum mark. The attachment region of the dor- last abdominal segment with a group of three setae on sal labral retractor muscles on the labrum is marked, in either side of the mid-line: a pair of secondary setae some species of the genus (see Wallace & Wallace (minute and which need to be looked for carefully) si- 1983), by slight irregular thickening of the margin tuated lateral to the large primary seta (Fig. 1D). The usually accompanied by dark pigmentation, while so- outer seta in this pair of secondary setae is about three me other lack thickening. To examine this feature it is times the length of the inner one. usually necessary to draw out the labrum from the pla- te (the anteclypeus) overlaying it. The anal claws are curved in obtuse angle. c.- Abdominal segment IX : number and length of both dorsal and ventral setae. Discussion d.- Cephalic capsule: width and pigmentation. P. conspersa, P. geniculata and, now, P. laetabilis, We have adopted in this paper the terminology of the are the only Iberian species of the genus with known larval characters used by Wallace & Wallace (1983) larvae. and Edington & Hildrew (1995). As there is considerable variation in some of the cha- racters used below to differentiate the species, a tabu- Description of the last instar larva lar arrangement (Table I) has been adopted to allow the various characters to be considered simultaneously. The last instar larvae of P. laetabilis show all the fea- The cephalic capsule of P. laetabilis is slightly wider tures common to the genus. (mean 2.62 mm) than that of P. conspersa and P. geni- Larval length up to 24 mm (N = 10). culata (mean 2.31 mm and 2.25 mm, respectively, ac- Cephalic capsule : slightly squarish, maximum wid- cording to Wallace & Wallace 1983). The head of both th at posterior third (mean 2.62 mm, N = 19) ; mean P. laetabilis and P. conspersa is brown but it is uni- length 3.2 mm (N = 19). Dorsal side of brown colour, formly darker in the former ; by contrast, the head and darker along frontoclypeal and coronal sutures; lateral pronotum of P. geniculata are very pale (Edington areas around the eyes of light colour (Fig. 1A). Poste- 1964). However, this character is difficult to quantify ro-lateral area of genae of light colour in ventral view ; and large variations may occur in a given population or ventral apotome, submental sclerite, margins of ven- from one population to another (Edington 1964, tral suture and adjacent area, brown. Dorsal and ven- Edington & Hildrew 1995) therefore, it seems to be an tro-posterior muscle attachment spots dark brown and invalid diagnostic character. (3) THE LARVA OF PLECTROCNEMIA LAETABILIS 137

Fig. 1. Plectrocnemia laetabilis, last instar larva. A - head, dorsal view ; B - frontoclypeal apotome, posterior region, diagram of used landmarks (see text) ; C - last abdominal sternum, setal arrangement ; D - last abdominal dorsum, setal group of the left side (see text) ; E - labrum, pos- terior margin.

Values for the ratio a/b are always bigger than 3.1 in short [9 - 14 according to Edington & Hildrew (1995), P. conspersa (3.2 - 14.8, see Wallace & Wallace, 1983) 12 - 22 according to Wallace & Wallace (1983)]. but very similar in P. laetabilis (2.3 - 3.4) and P. geni- The secondary setae on the dorsal side of the last ab- culata (2.2 - 3.4, see Wallace & Wallace 1983). dominal segment are similar in both P. laetabilis and P. The labrum of P. conspersa shows an elongated, conspersa (the outermost seta is, at least, twice the brown pigment patch in the median position of the length of the inner one, and even three times in P. lae- posterior margin, while it is absent in P. laetabilis and tabilis) ; by contrast, these secondary setae are of ap- P. geniculata (cf. Edington 1964, Hickin 1967, Walla- proximately equal length in P. geniculata. ce & Wallace 1983, Edington & Hildrew 1995, Warin- In summary, the main diagnostic character to diffe- ger & Graf 1997). rence the larvae of P. laetabilis from those of P. In all three Plectrocnemia species the ventral surface conspersa is the absence of brown pigment patch in of the last abdominal segment (segment IX) bears the posterior margin of the labrum of the former spe- eight (4 pairs) long primary setae and some smaller se- cies. In addition, the larvae of P. laetabilis and P. geni- condary setae. In both P. conspersa and P. laetabilis culata can be distinguished by the length of the ninth these secondary setae are numerous [30 - 65 setae (ac- dorsal secondary setae (the outermost seta the longer cording to Wallace & Wallace 1983) in P. conspersa, in the former, but both similar in size in the latter) and and 22 - 48 in P. laetabilis] and mostly long. By ventral secondary setae (numerous and long in the for- contrast, in P. geniculata those setae are sparse and mer species, but sparse and short in the latter one). 138 R. VIEIRA-LANERO, M.A. GONZÁLEZ, F. COBO (4)

Table I. Frontoclypeal apotome ratio (see Fig. 1B), width of head capsule, measurements of the fronto- clypeal apotome at two points, and main diagnostic characters of the species compared in the text. For P. conspersa and P. geniculata, data from Wallace & Wallace (1983), except * = data from Edington & Hildrew (1995).

Notes on biology, ecology and distribution Acknowledgements This paper is a contribution to the project PGIDT01PXI2002PR The distribution area of P. laetabilis includes the of the Xunta de Galicia. Iberian Peninsula and Pyrenees, also reaching the nor- th of Africa (González et al. 1992). Most of the Iberian References citations belong to the northern regions, but the species has been recently cited from Cadiz (South Spain, see Décamps H. 1967a. — Introduction à l’étude écologique des Tri- Ruiz et al. 2001). choptères des Pyrénées. Ann. Limnol., 3 (1), 101-176. Décamps H. 1967b. — Ecologie des Trichoptères de la Vallée D’Au- In Galicia, this species shows a wide altitudinal dis- re (Hautes-Pyrénées). Ann. Limnol., 3 (3), 399-577. tribution (González 1988, Pardo 1992), ranging from Décamps H. 1968. — Vicariances écologiques chez les Trichoptères 160 to 1650 m a. s. l.. Larvae were found in small des Pyrénées. Ann. Limnol., 4 (1), 1-50. Edington J.M. 1964. — The taxonomy of British polycentropid lar- mountain streams and, preferably, in springs with san- vae (Trichoptera). Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 143 (2), 281-300. dy bottom and, generally, moderate flow rate. Some Edington J.M. & Hildrew A.G. 1995. — A revised key to the case- other authors (Décamps 1968, Lavandier 1979, Terra less caddis larvae of the British Isles with notes on their ecology. & Molles 1987) associate also the species with this ha- Scient Publs. Freshw. Biol. Ass., 53, 1-119. González M.A. 1988. — Inventario dos Tricópteros de Galicia (In- bitat, until 2200 m a. s. l. According to Décamps secta : Trichoptera). Cad. Area Cienc. Biol. (Invent.), Sem. Est. (1967a, b) the species lives in cold springs (3 - 5 °C) Gal., II, O Castro-Sada, A Coruña : Ed. do Castro, 45 pp. and high-altitude shallow streams with gravel bottom, González M.A., Terra L. S.W., Garcia De Jalón D. & Cobo F. 1992. where waters are clear, oxygen saturated, with neuter — Lista faunística y bibliográfica de los Tricópteros (Trichoptera) de la Península Ibérica e Islas Baleares. Asoc. esp. Limnol., 11, or slightly basic pH and low mineralization. 1-200. The life cycle of this species is developed in one Hickin N.E. 1967. — Caddis Larvae. Larvae of the British Trichop- year (Lavandier & Dumas 1971), and its flight period tera. Hutchinson, London. 466 pp. Lavandier P. 1979. — Ecologie d’un torrent Pyrénéen de haute mon- extends from May to October (Décamps 1967a, tagne : l’Estaragne. PhD dissertation, Univ. Paul Sabatier. Tou- González 1988). louse. 532 pp. (5) THE LARVA OF PLECTROCNEMIA LAETABILIS 139

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