Diptera: Blephariceridae) from Western North America Amanda J
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Entomology Publications Entomology 2008 A New Species of Blepharicera Macquart (Diptera: Blephariceridae) from Western North America Amanda J. Jacobson Iowa State University Gregory W. Courtney Iowa State University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ent_pubs Part of the Biology Commons, and the Entomology Commons The ompc lete bibliographic information for this item can be found at https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ ent_pubs/190. For information on how to cite this item, please visit http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ howtocite.html. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Entomology at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Entomology Publications by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A New Species of Blepharicera Macquart (Diptera: Blephariceridae) from Western North America Abstract During a review of the Blepharicera of western North America, we discovered a new species from several mid- sized rivers in southwestern Oregon and northwestern California. We hereby present descriptions of the larvae, pupae, and adults of B. kalmiopsis, new species. Diagnostic characters and a brief discussion of bionomics and distribution are also provided. Based on previous and ongoing studies, B. kalmiopsis clearly belongs to the B. micheneri Alexander species group and appears closely related to B. zionensis Alexander. Keywords Blepharicera, Blephariceridae, net-winged midges, new species, Nearctic Disciplines Biology | Entomology Comments This article is from Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 110 (2008): 978, doi: 10.4289/ 0013-8797-110.4.978. Posted with permission. This article is available at Iowa State University Digital Repository: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ent_pubs/190 A New Species of Blepharicera Macquart (Diptera: Blephariceridae) from Western North America Author(s): Amanda J. Jacobson and Gregory W. Courtney Source: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 110(4):978-987. 2008. Published By: Entomological Society of Washington DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4289/0013-8797-110.4.978 URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.4289/0013-8797-110.4.978 BioOne (www.bioone.org) is a nonprofit, online aggregation of core research in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences. BioOne provides a sustainable online platform for over 170 journals and books published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses. Your use of this PDF, the BioOne Web site, and all posted and associated content indicates your acceptance of BioOne’s Terms of Use, available at www.bioone.org/page/ terms_of_use. Usage of BioOne content is strictly limited to personal, educational, and non-commercial use. Commercial inquiries or rights and permissions requests should be directed to the individual publisher as copyright holder. BioOne sees sustainable scholarly publishing as an inherently collaborative enterprise connecting authors, nonprofit publishers, academic institutions, research libraries, and research funders in the common goal of maximizing access to critical research. PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH. 110(4), 2008, pp. 978–987 A NEW SPECIES OF BLEPHARICERA MACQUART (DIPTERA: BLEPHARICERIDAE) FROM WESTERN NORTH AMERICA AMANDA J. JACOBSON AND GREGORY W. COURTNEY Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, 3222 Science II Bldg., Ames, IA 50011-3222, U.S.A. (e-mail: [email protected]); AJJ current address: Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, 2431 Joe Johnson Dr., Suite 205, Knoxville, TN 37996-4560. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract.—During a review of the Blepharicera of western North America, we discovered a new species from several mid-sized rivers in southwestern Oregon and northwestern California. We hereby present descriptions of the larvae, pupae, and adults of B. kalmiopsis, new species. Diagnostic characters and a brief discussion of bionomics and distribution are also provided. Based on previous and ongoing studies, B. kalmiopsis clearly belongs to the B. micheneri Alexander species group and appears closely related to B. zionensis Alexander. Key Words: Blepharicera, Blephariceridae, net-winged midges, new species, Nearctic The Blephariceridae (net-winged first ventral sucker) (Courtney 2000a). midges) are a small dipteran family of The suckers are important for locomo- approximately 320 described species in tion and provide a strong hold to rocks, 28 described genera; however, these flies bedrock, or other smooth surfaces (Fru- can be an important component of tiger 1998, 2002). Larvae are grazers stream ecosystems. These flies are usual- whose main diet is diatoms (Alverson et ly restricted to cool, clear, well-oxygen- al. 2001, Alverson and Courtney 2002). ated mountain streams, and many spe- Like larvae, blepharicerid pupae are cies are known to be sensitive highly adapted to fast-flowing streams, bioindicators (Lenat 1993, Courtney et being streamlined, somewhat dorsoven- al. 2007). Furthermore, with densities in trally flattened, and possessing 3–4 pairs some streams exceeding 1,000/m2 (Johns of ventrolateral adhesive discs that are 1996, Courtney unpublished) and bio- used to adhere the pupa to the substrata. mass at least temporally high in other Adult blepharicerids are delicate, long- streams (Anderson 1992), blepharicerids legged flies that superficially resemble can have a significant trophic impact. crane flies. Adults usually remain close Blepharicerids are noteworthy in their to the natal stream, where they often rest adaptations to life in and around water- on the underside of riparian vegetation, falls and torrential streams. Perhaps the overhanging logs, or shaded rocks most striking adaptations are in the (Courtney 2000b). larvae, which possess six ventral suckers Four genera of Blephariceridae occur and a specialized cephalic division (com- in the Nearctic Region (Hogue 1987, prising the fused head, thorax, and first Courtney 2000a). Agathon von Ro¨der is abdominal segment, and including the found in western North America and VOLUME 110, NUMBER 4 979 central and eastern Asia, Bibiocephala comparative material originated from Osten Sacken in western North America the collections of C. L. Hogue, C. P. and Japan, Philorus Kellogg in western Alexander and the junior author. Exam- North America and central and eastern ined specimens were on loan from or are Asia, and Blepharicera Macquart in deposited with the following institutions western and eastern North America and (acronyms used throughout the text): throughout Eurasia. The latter genus ISIC, Iowa State Insect Collection, Iowa currently contains four described species State University, Ames, Iowa; LACM, (B. jordani Kellogg, B. micheneri Alex- Natural History Museum of Los An- ander and B. zionensis Alexander [5 B. geles County, Los Angeles, California; micheneri species group] and B. osten- USNM, National Museum of Natural sackeni Kellogg) in western North Amer- History, Smithsonian Institution, Wa- ica (Hogue 1987). The distributions of shington, D.C. these species vary considerably but gen- Specimen preparation.—Most speci- erally are limited to mountainous areas mens were collected and preserved in from southwestern Canada to southern 70% or 95% ethyl alcohol (EtOH). California and Arizona (Hogue 1987, Morphological studies were based on Courtney unpublished). whole-animal preparations, pupal dissec- We hereby add a fifth species of tions, slide mounts, and scanning elec- Blepharicera to the fauna of western tron microscopy (SEM). Slide-mounted North America. Descriptions are provid- material was cleared in cedarwood oil ed for the larvae, pupae, and adults of B. and mounted in Canada balsam, follow- kalmiopsis new species. Diagnostic char- ing procedures described elsewhere acters and brief discussions of bionom- (Courtney 1990). Additional material ics, distribution, and taxonomic affinities was prepared by removing soft tissues are also provided. with dilute (approximately 10%) potas- The authors would like to dedicate this sium hydroxide (KOH). Specimens were paper to Jack Lattin, emeritus professor examined using an Olympus SZX-12 at Oregon State University. Jack’s en- dissecting microscope and a Nikon E- thusiasm, instruction, and mentorship 800 compound microscope, and draw- during GWC’s undergraduate years pro- ings were rendered with the aid of a vided not only a sound introduction to drawing tube on both systems. Material systematic entomology but the incentive for SEM examination was sonicated to consider a career in this field. It is briefly (5–10 s) in EtOH or an EtOH- perhaps befitting that the senior author KOH mixture and prepared by critical of this paper was under GWC’s mentor- point drying and gold-palladium coating ship as an undergraduate a few short in a sputter coater. Material was exam- years ago, ‘‘saw the light’’ of systematic ined with a JEOL JSM-5800LV SEM, entomology, and now is pursuing a which captured direct digital images. career in this field. Things have indeed Terminology.—Terms for structures come full circle, especially given that are based primarily on Courtney (2000a). Jack received his undergraduate degree Descriptive format.—Measurements at Iowa State University! are given in millimeters, as a mean followed by a range in parentheses. METHODS Descriptive format is based on, and Material.—Although some collections values are recorded according