Supplement 1 Ecological Engineering and Environment Protection, IX, 2017, p. 16-21

NEW DATA ON THE (DIPTERA) FAUNA FROM THE UPPER RIVER CATCHMENT () – SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION AND ECOLOGICAL NOTES Dimitriy Dashinov

Abstract: The Chironomid composition was studied in 23 sites from 12 rivers along the upper part of the Iskar River catchment ( basin). Samples were gathered using Surber sampler in the summer period of 2015-2016. A total of 54 taxa (from 39 genera and 5 subfamilies) were identified from which 33 taxa were new for the upper Iskar River catchment. Two species were new for Bulgaria: Potthastia montium (Edwards, 1929) and Symbiocladius rhithrogenae (Zavrel, 1924). Two taxa belonged to genera not reported for the Bulgarian fauna – Cryptotendipes sp. and Sympotthastia sp. For most of the rivers the chiro abundance was relatively low with a mean of 60 ind.m-2, which is about 12% of the marozoobenthos community. Key words: Chironomidae, Iskar, Potthastia montium, Symbiocladius rhithrogenae, new records

INTRODUCTION The period of sampling was in July - August 2015 and 2016. An overall macrozoobenthos sample On the Chironomidae fauna there is overall data was taken from each site using Surber sampler, for the whole Iskar River [5] [11] as well as from sections according to the adapted for Bulgaria version of the upstream and downstream of [17]. Along the multi-habitat sampling method [3]. The collected upper Iskar catchment studies of the Chironomidae samples were preserved in 70% alcohol and stored family are few. There is more data on the glacial lakes in the laboratory for further analysis. of Mountain [12] [13] [14] [16]. There is some Chironomids were mounded in permanent slides consequential data on the chironomid composition of using Canadian balsam and stored in the Diptera the Iskar River below and above the Town of collection in laboratory “Hydrobiological [5] [6]. Regarding the whole system of rivers springing monitoring and saprobiology” department of from the Rila Mountain an extensive checklist of General and Applied Hydrobiology, Sofia terrestrial and aquatic Diptera was recently published University. Larvae were identified to the lowest [4]. But these studies give only a small fraction of the possible level using several keys [1] [2] [7] [10] [15]. chiro biodiversity of the upper stream of Iskar River Relative abundance per square meter and portion of and new data is needed for a more detailed knowledge the Chironomidae family from the whole on these aquatic Diptera. macrozoobentos sample were calculated. The aim of the study is to present new data on the Chironomidae biodiversity from the upper Iskar River RESULTS AND DISCUSSION catchment with notes on the chiro distribution and abundance. A total of 54 taxa (from 39 genera and 5 subfamilies) of the Chironomidae family were MATERIALS AND METHODS recorded (Tab. 2) from which 33 are new for the upper Iskar River catchment. The list includes two A total of 23 sites from 12 rivers were surveyed. species new for Bulgaria –Potthastia montium Date, geographic coordinates, and place of sampling (Edwards, 1929) and Symbiocladius rhithrogenae are shown in Table. 1. The upper part of Iskar River (Zavrel, 1924). Two taxa belong to genera no yet catchment extends from above the Iskar Reservoir to reported for the Bulgarian fauna – Cryptotendipes the streams flowing on the northern slopes of the sp. and Sympotthastia sp., but adults or pupa are Rila Mountain. The Iskar River below Samokov needed for identification to species level. Town can be characterized as a semi-mountain river, For the identification of P. montinum the distinctive while most of the sections above Samokov are of feature was an irregular dark spot present between typical mountain rivers, some with very narrow bases of antennae [2]. This species was reported only valleys, steep run and high water velocity (the in the Cherni Iskar River (site 10). Specimens of the tributaries of Cherni Iskar). and Lakatica parasitic species [9] Symbiocladius rhithrogenae Rivers are exceptional – with moderate flow and (larvae and pupa) were found in two sites attached to fine substratum and only site 18 of Palakaria River the larvae of Rhithrogena sp. For destinguishing the shows typical mountain river features. genus Sympotthastia from Potthastia the features of the maxilla were used [8].

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The following taxa can be considered common for were noted in previous studies [4] [5] [6]. Above the upper Iskar catchment – T. calvescens, P. gaedii, species level taxa like Conchapelopia / Rheopelopia P. gr. convictum, most of the Tanitarsini, sp. and Cricotopus / Orthocladius sp. probably Conchapelopia / Rheopelopia sp. and Cricotopus / include several species and seemingly decrease the Orthocladius sp., also T. calvescens and P. gaedii biodiversity.

Table 1. List of studied sites with date and geographic coordinates

№ Site location Date Longitude and Latitude

1 Iskar River downstream of the mouth of Palakaria River 11.8.15 N42°25'55.07" E23°31'58.08" 2 Iskar River near Zlokuchene Village 11.8.15 N42°23'35.38" E23°33'9.80" 3 Iskar River near Dragoshinovo Village 11.8.15 N42°21'50.30" E23°33'19.61" 4 Iskar River upstream of the Town of Samokov 18.8.15 N42°19'17.40" E23°33'12.96" 5 Iskar River after the merger of Beli and Cherni Iskar Rives 19.8.15 N42°17'21.06" E23°32'8.37" 6 Musalenska Bistrica River 28.7.16 N42°16'44.22" E23°35'34.01" 7 Beli Iskar River upstream of Beli Iskar Village 19.8.15 N42°15'31.08" E23°32'31.38" 8 Levi Iskar River upstream of Mala Tsarkva Village 21.8.15 N42°14'36.71" E23°31'0.19" 9 Levi Iskar River downstream of Mala Tsarkva Village 12.8.16 N42°16'17.40" E23°30'26.10" 10 Cherni Iskar River after the inflow of Urdina River 21.7.15 N42°14'14.86" E23°23'18.13" 11 Cherni Iskar River upstream of Village 7.8.15 N42°15'17.33" E23°27' 6.00" 12 Cherni Iskar River before merging with Beli Iskar River 7.8.15 N42°16'38.99" E23°31'21.19'' 13 Lakatica River before mouth 19.8.2015 N42°15'57.36" E23°28'11.64" 14 Palakaria River before mouth 19.8. 15 N42°25'24.90" E23°31'43.00" 15 Palakaria River upstream of Shirokydol Village 19.8.15 N42°23'53.20" E23°31'36.20" 16 Palakaria River upstream of BelchinskiBani Village 19.8.15 N42°22'12.87" E23°25'20.15" 17 Palakaria River southwest of Kovachevtsi Village 11.7.16 N42°25'35.94" E23°17'53.77" 18 Palakaria River upstream Village 11.7.15 N42°28'50.60" E23° 16 18.00" 19 Lopushka River 30.7.16 N42°13'31.40" E23°26'00.31" 20 Preka River 11.8.16 N42°13'47.82" E23°24'22.54" 21 Urdina River 10.8.16 N42°11'12.66" E23°20'42.79" 22 Pravi Iskar River 4.8.16 N42°12'54.18" E23°20'30.44" 23 Malyovishka near Malyovitsa Hut 10.7.16 N42°12'31.03" E23°23'13.63"

A total of 22 taxa were found only in single sample in % and number of taxa (NTchir) for each sites. In some cases this can be connected with the sample are given in Tab. 3. In every sampled river ecological preference of the species. For instance chironomids were present and ranges from several Robackia demeijerei is related to sandy bottoms [7], species, to almost half of the whole macrozoobentos found in site 3 were fine substratum was common, community. The substratum composition (sandy or species like Orthocladius (S.) lignicola and bottom) may explain some of the low abundances Brillia longifurca which feed on wood debris [8] and like in sites 2, 3 and 13. In other cases very fast were found in small mountain rives (sites 6, 20, 21 water velocity could explain the low abundance respectively) were submerged branches and logs estimated in site 8 and probably slight organic were noted. Palakaria River showed the highest pollution can constitute the great abundance biodiversity – 26 taxa from the 5 studied sites. recorded downstream in site 9. For the last The relative abundance (RA) of the mentioned site this would explain the enhanced Chironomidae family from the upper Iskar River number of species and the high chironomid density catchment, portion from the whole macrozoobentos per square meter. The dominant taxon in site 9

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Micropsectra sp., although present in other sites, extremes the chiro abundance along the catchment only in Levi Iskar River has the impressive was relatively low with a mean of 60 ind.m-2 or 12% abundance of 455 ind.m-2. Other sites with high of the marozoobenthos, values common for abundance like site 4 and 7 are more likely to bea Mountain Rivers. result of specific habitat conditions. Excluding this

Table 2. Chironomidae checklist from the upper Iskar River catchment, site number as in Table 1 Taxon Site Number Faunistic notes Subfamily Chironominae Tribe Chironomini Cf. Parachironomus sp. 17 First record for the catchment Chironomus sp. 16 The genus has been reported in previous studies [5] [6] Cryptochironomus (Cryptochironomus) defectus 14, 16, 17 The genus has been reported in (Kieffer, 1913) previous studies [5] [6] Cryptotendipes sp. 14 First record of the genus for the Bulgarian fauna Einfeldia gr. pagana (Meigen, 1838) 16 First record for the catchment Polypedilum gr. convictum (Walker, 1856) 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 12, First record for the catchment 14, 15, 16 Polypedilum gr. laetum (Meigen, 1818) 5 First record for the catchment Polypedilum pedestre agg. 1, 11, 13, 14, 17 First record for the catchment Polypedilum sp. 9, 22, 23 - Robackia demeijerei (Kruseman, 1933) 3 First record for the catchment Microtendipes pedellus agg. 1, 3, 14, 15, 16, 17 First record for the catchment Tribe Tanytarsini Cladotanytarsus sp. 1, 8, 14, 16, 18 First record for the catchment Micropsectra sp. 4,5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 15, First record for the catchment 18, 19, 21, 22, 23 Paratanytarsus sp. 16 First record for the catchment Rheotanytarsus sp. 7, 8, 17 First record for the catchment Tanytarsus sp. 1, 4, 10, 11, 14, 16 The genus has been reported in previous studies [5] [6] Subfamily (Meigen, 1838) 1, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, The species has been reported 15 in previous studies [4] Potthastia longimanus Kieffer, 1922 2, 13 First record for the catchment Potthastia montium (Edwards, 1929) 10 First record for the Bulgarian fauna Sympotthastia sp. 10 First record of the genus for the Bulgarian fauna Diamesinae g. sp. 6, 9, 19 - Subfamily Orthocladinae Brillia bifida (Kieffer, 1909) 9, 19, 20 The species has been reported in previous studies [4] Brillia longifurca Kieffer, 1921 6, 21 The species has been reported in previous studies [5] Chaetocladius gr. piger (Goetghebuer, 1913) 9 First record for the catchment Corynoneura sp. 19, 10, 20, 23 First record for the catchment

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Taxon Site Number Faunistic notes Cricotopus (Cricotopus) cf. annulator Goetghebuer, 1 First record for the catchment 1927 Cricotopus (Cricotopus) cf. festivellus (Kieffer, 1906) 7 First record for the catchment Cricotopus (Cricotopus) tremulus (Linnaeus, 1758) 4, 5, 7, 12, 18 First record for the catchment Cricotopus (Cricotopus) sp. 10, 16 - Cricotopus / Orthocladius sp. 4, 9, 11, 14, 15, 17, - 20, 22 Epoicocladius ephemerae (Kieffer, 1924) 13, 17, 18 First record for the catchment Eukiefferiella brevicalcar (Kieffer, 1911) The species has been reported 23 in previous studies [4] Eukiefferiella gr. claripennis (Lundbeck, 1898) 4 First record for the catchment Eukiefferiella gr. ilkleyensis (Edwards, 1929) 6 First record for the catchment Eukiefferiella sp. The genus has been reported in 8, 10, 11 previous studies [5] [6] Limnophyes sp. 10, 14, 23 First record for the catchment Nanocladius sp. 14 First record for the catchment Orthocladius (Symposiocladius) lignicola Kieffer, 20 First record for the catchment 1914 Orthocladius (Mesorthocladius) cf. frigidus 10 First record for the catchment (Zetterstedt, 1838) Orthocladius (Euorthocladius) sp. 16 First record for the catchment Orthocladius sp. 7, 9 - Paracricotopus sp. 23 First record for the catchment Paracladius conversus (Walker, 1856) 17 First record for the catchment Parametriocnemus stylatus (Kieffer,1924) 18, 23 First record for the catchment Rheocricotopus (Rheocricotopus) effusus (Walker, 10, 23 First record for the catchment 1856) Symbiocladius rhithrogenae (Zavrel, 1924) First record for the Bulgarian 8, 10, 23 fauna Synorthocladius semivirens (Kieffer, 1909) The species has been reported 4 in previous studies [4] Thienemanniella clavicornis agg. 1, 22, 23 First record for the catchment Tvetenia calvescens (Edwards, 1929) 5, 6, 11, 20, 21 22, The species has been reported 23 in previous studies [4] [5] [6] Subfamily Prodiamesinae Prodiamesa olivacea (Meigen, 1818) The species has been reported 18 in previous studies [4] [5] [6] Subfamily Tanypodinae Apsectrotanypus trifascipennis (Zetterstedt, 1838) 5, 18 First record for the catchment Conchapelopia / Rheopelopia sp. 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, - 12, 16, 20, 23 Nilotanypus dubius (Meigen, 1804) 23 First record for the catchment Procladius (Holotanypus) sp. 16, 17 First record for the catchment Zavrelimyia sp. 4 -

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Table 3. Relative abundance (RA) in ind.m-2 of the Chironomidae family from the upper Iskar River catchment, portion from the whole macrozoobentos sample in % and number of taxa (NTchir) for each sample

Site № 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 RA [ind.m- 102 23 30 194 122 43 227 13 1146 38 66 67 2] Chir [%] 12,5% 7,0% 4,0% 31,1% 20,5% 7,8% 43,1% 1,3% 47,6% 15,5% 17,7% 29,1%

NTchir 9 6 3 10 8 5 7 4 10 10 7 4 Site № 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 RA [ind.m- 9 92 34 130 88 18 32 77 21 51 137 2] Chir [%] 2,1% 8,4% 4,7% 44,8% 14,4% 3,6% 3,6% 16,0% 6,0% 8,8% 16,1%

NTchir 3 10 5 12 9 7 4 6 3 5 13

The number of found chiro taxa ranged from 3 to river types in Bulgaria), Water Research and 13, with an average of about 7 taxa. The biodiversity of Management, vol. 1 (3), 2011, 55-58. the family was substantial even in rivers with very low 4. Hubenov Z., (The Dipterans (Insecta: chiro abundance – like Lakatica River, were 9 Diptera) of the Rila Mountains), Historia naturalis chironomids per square meter belong to 3 taxa from 3 bulgarica, vol. 23, 2016, 37-99. subfamilies. 5. Kenderov L., S. Stoichev, I. Yaneva, Since the Chironomidae family is common in (Comparative Studies of Water Invertebrate Fauna from the macroozobenthic community and can sometimes Benthal and Hyporheic Habitats in Iskar River reach high abundance further faunistic and Catchment. I. Infauna: Free-Living Nematodes ecological studies should be considered in the future. (Nematoda) and Chironomid Larvae (Diptera: Chironomidae)), Acta zool. bulg., vol. 64 (3), 2012, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I thank the limitless effort of Phd student Emil Kunev 273-281. in the gathering of the majority of benthic samples. 6. Kenderov L., I. Yaneva, M. Pavlova, Special thanks to Dr. Ladislav Hamerlik and Dr. Djuradj (Ecological Assessment of the Upper Stretch of the Milosevic for their correspondence in helping with the Iskar River Based on Selected Biological Parameters in identification of some of the species. For the publication Conformity with the Wаter Frame Directive of this paper I thank the financial support of “Sofiyska 2000/60/EU), Acta zool. bulg., Suppl. 2, 2008, voda” AD part of Veolia and partner in the project 255-268. “Living water - river, dam, biodiversity, life”. Lastly I am 7. Moller Pillot H. K. M., A key to the larvae thankful for the support of the rangers of the “Rila” of the aquatic Chironomidae of the north-west National Park who provided the access to some of the more distant sites. European lowland, published by the author, Second edition, 2009, 77 p. REFERENCES 8. Moller Pillot H.K.M., Chironomidae Larvae of the Netherlands and Adjacent Lowlands. Biology 1. Bitušík P., L. Hamerlík, Guide for and Ecology of the aquatic Orthocladiinae, determinations larva midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) Prodiamesinae, Diamesinae, Buchonomyiinae, Slovakia, Part 2 Tantpodinae, Belianum, 2014, 94 p. (In Podonominae, Telmatogetoninae, KNNV Slovak) Publishing, Zeist, The Netherlands, 2013, 314 p. 2. Celohin (ed.), The determinant of freshwater 9. Schiffels S., (Commensal and parasitic invertebrates Russia 4 (Diptera), Saint Petersburg Chironomidae), Lauterbornia, vol. 68, 2009, 9-33. Science, 2000, 993 p.; available online 10. Schimd P. E., Key to the larval http://www.twirpx.com/file/364466/ (In Russian) Chironomidae and their instars from Austrian 3. Cheshmedjiev S., R. Soufi, Y. Vidinova, V. Danube region streams and rivers – part I Tyufekchieva, I. Yaneva, Y. Uzunov, E. Diamesinae, Prodiamesinae, Orthocladiinae, Federal Varadinova, (Multi-habitat sampling method for Institute of Water Quality of Ministry of Agriculture benthic macroinvertebrate communities in different and Forestry Schiffmühlenstraße, 1993, 513 p.

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11. Stoichev S., (Contribution to the chironomid Biodiversity and Evolution of glacial waters in Rila fauna (Diptera Chironomidae) in the Bulgarian Mountains (Golemansky V. and Naidenow W. eds), stretch of the Danube River and its tributaries. Sofia Institute of Zoology, 2000, 155-162. Frequency of occurrence a dominant analysis of the 15. Vallenduuk H., E. Morozova, species found), Hydrobiology, vol. 39, 1994, 91-101 Cryptochironomus. An identification key to the (In Bulgarian) larvae and pupal exuviae in Europe Lauterbornia, 12. Stoichev S., (Hydrofaunistic investigation of Dinkelscherben, vol. 55, 2005, 1-22. the Urdini Ezera Glacial Lakes, Northwestern Rila 16. Yanev A., “Contribution to the study of the Mountains, West Bulgaria), Acta zoological chironomid fauna (Dipt., Chironomidae) of the bulgarica, vol. 54 (1), 2002, 63-68. seven Rila lakes” Reports of the Zoological Institute 13. Stoichev S., The zoobenthos from several and Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Science, book glacial lakes in the Rila Mountains, Bulgaria: XXXVII, 1973, 147-150 (In Bulgarian) Biodiversity and Evolution of glacial waters in Rila 17. Yaneva I., B. Rusev, (Saprobiological state Mountains (Golemansky V. and Naidenow W. eds), of the Iskar River in the first year after initial Sofia Institute of Zoology, 2000, 163-168. operation of the Sofia waste water treatment plant), 14. Stoichev S., Zoobenthos in Outflows of Hydrobiology, vol. 34, 1989, 3-19 (In Bulgarian) some Glacial Lakes in the Rila Mountains, Bulgaria:

НОВИ ДАННИ ЗА ХИРОНОМИДНАТА ФАУНА (CHIRONOMIDAE, DIPTERA) ОТ ПОРЕЧИЕТО НА ГОРЕН ИСКЪР (БЪЛГАРИЯ) – ПРОСТРАНСТВЕНО РАЗПРЕДЕЛЕНИЕ И ЕКОЛОГИЧНИ БЕЛЕЖКИ Димитрий Дашинов

Резюме: Проучен бе хирономидния състав на 23 пункта от 12 реки по поречието на Горен Искър (Дунавски водосбор). Пробонабирането бе извършено с рамка на Сърбър през лятото на 2015-2016 г. Общо 54 таксона (от 39 рода и 5 подсемейства) бяха определени като 33 от тях бяха нови за поречието на Горен Искър. Два вида бяха нови за българската фауна: Potthastia montium (Edwards, 1929) и Symbiocladius rhithrogenae (Zavrel, 1924). Два таксона принадлежаха към родове, несъобщавани за Българската фауна – Cryptotendipes sp. и Sympotthastia sp. За повечето реки плътността на хирономидите бе относително ниска, със средна стойност 60 ind.m-2 и средно 12% от плътността на макрозообентосното съобщество.

Dimitriy Antonov Dashinov, PhD student докторант Димитрий Антонов Дашинов, Sofia University „St. Kl. Ohridski”, Faculty of Biology, Софийски университет „Св. Климент Охридски”, Department of General and Applied Hydrobiology Биологически факултет, Катедра „Обща и приложна address: 1164 Sofia, 8, Dragan Tzankov Blvd., room хидробиология” 168 адрес: гр. София (п. код 1164), бул. „Д. Цанков” 8, tel.: 0879206804 каб. 168 e-mail: [email protected] тел.: 0879206804 ел. поща: [email protected]

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