Journal of Life Sciences 6 (2018) 183-188 doi: 10.17265/1934-7391/2018.04.003 D DAVID PUBLISHING

Finding of Fabricius 1794 in the River , (, )

Patrizia Giordano Environmental Consultancy in Via Colle Eghezzone 1, Lodi 26900, Italy

Abstract: The finding of Aphelocheirus aestivalis in River Chiese, in a residential area of Villanuova sul Clisi (BS), during a monitoring, gave an occasion for a research about ecology of species, particularly rare in Italy. The research purpose was to inquire about distribution of A. aestivalis in Italy and in Europe, about its ecology and habitats, about possible relation between the finding and the ecological peculiarities of Chiese. The record is particularly unexpected because, although the abundance in the site and good water quality as results from dissolved oxygen and electric conductivity, the macroinvertebrate assemblage has a very low diversity and total absence of particular species and the prevalence of tolerant species, its preferred preys. A. aestivalis was found, according to the most of fragmentary and sporadic studies in Italy, just in reduced flow watercourses and it is not clear if there is a connection between its ecological needs and its finding in the site, with not optimal ecological conditions. The reflection is about the role of Aphelocheirus in biological monitoring, independently of low specific diversity, potentially associate to others environmental factories (for example, the geology of watercourse basin) and the necessity of conservation in itself for the sites that host Aphelocheirus aestivalis.

Key words: Monitoring, Aphelocheirus aestivalis, indicator.

1. Introduction diffusion [4]. Because of its ecology and its particular breathing, Aphelocheirus aestivalis Fabricius, 1794 (Fig. 1), A. aestivalis requires well oxygenated waters [5] and ( ) [1], is the only species of it is possible to find it on the bottom of slow flow and Ahelocheiridae in Europe, except for Iberian shallow valley floor rivers. It is a predator species, peninsula, where we found A. murcius e A. preferring especially Chironomid and Trichoptera occidentalis Nieser et Millan 1989 [2, 3]. I found this (caddisflies) larvae [2]: during the reproductive cycle, species during a monitoring in the River Chiese, in it is located in very running waters and it migrates, in (Italy), in December 2015. the late summer season, to very deep river areas [6], A. aestivalis is a benthonic invertebrate and it is where A. aestivalis winters. This condition needs the distinguished by a plastron breather that uses very cohabitation on site of these two microenvironments. efficaciously dissolved oxygen in surface water, In Italy, there is reporting of the species, occasional obtaining it just for diffusion and, so, allowing it and infrequent, in , in , in to not reach the surface to breath: its cuticle is -Alto Adige, in Veneto, in Emilia - Romagna, covered almost entirely by a pile of small hairs, in Tuscany, in Umbria, in Lazio, in Abruzzi and that capture an air film, directly connected to Campania [7]. In the rest of Europe, because of its tracheal spiracles. Once exhausted the air film, the rarity and the decreasing populations in many renewal of oxygen reserve is guaranteed just for countries, it is included in national Red List, as in Czech Republic [8]. Corresponding author: Patrizia Giordano, PhD, ecologist of surface waters, expert in environmental impact assessment, environmental monitoring.

184 Finding of Aphelocheirus aestivalis Fabricius 1794 in the River Chiese, Villanuova sul Clisi (Brescia, Italy) 3. Results

We performed the monitoring point-like in the River Chiese on December 7, 2015, after a period of prolonged absence of rain and temperatures higher than seasonal average. We used the Surber Sampler to collect the samples, according to the sampling protocol: individuals number of A. aestivalis was 13 in total. A. aestivalis has been collected on bottom with little stones and pebbles. The result of biological monitoring is included in Fig. 1 Aphelocheirus aestivalis Fabricius 1794 (drawing of Table 1, where we referred individuals number, taxa Stefano Agostini). and families found during the samples. 2. Materials and Methods In addition to the remarkable finding of A. aestivalis, we observed the totally lack of Plecoptera The river basin of River Chiese is about 409 km2 and Ephemeroptera (except for Baetis, ubiquitous [9]: River Chiese has an appreciable flow watercourse genus) and the prevalent presence of more adaptable (36 m3/s). taxa; above all, we noticed the abundance of taxa The samplings of benthonic invertebrates fauna preferred by A. aestivalis as preies (Chironomida and have been collected in a site localized in a section of Tricoptera Hydropsychidae and Tricoptera River Chiese, running through the Villanuova sul Clisi Rhyacophilidae), besides the species preferentially (BRESCIA) residential area: we collected the samples detritivores. in order to execute a local monitoring. This was part Values of pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen and of a preliminary environmental study connected with a electrical conductivity parameters are referred briefly potential realization of a project (hydropower plant). in Table 2. This sampling was necessary because of the lack of The biological monitoring results give a numerical bibliographic environmental data related to the site in value of Extended Biotic Index (IBE) [11] equivalent question. This singular monitoring was very useful to to 6 (Class of quality III, Judgement: polluted frame the ecological conditions of the River Chiese in environment) and a numerical value of STAR_ICMi that particular site. The method of sampling was equivalent to 0.457 (Class of quality IV, Judgement: carried out with Surber Sampler and measurement of poor). The previous monitoring carried out by surface sampled, according to the multihabitat ARPA 1 Lombardia on long-standing monitoring proportional sampling. sites in River Chiese confirmed our values, found in The software MacrOper.ICM [10] was used to samples of December 2015, and the poor ecological obtain multimetric Index STAR_ICMi. Individuals condition of the River Chiese; the monitoring sites and taxa, collected in the samples, have been counted of ARPA Lombardy are located upstream and the final result is a evaluation of the site compared (, province of Brescia) and downstream with Extended Biotic Index (IBE) [11] as a quality (, province of Brescia) of Villanuova sul class, equivalent to a class of “polluted environment”. Clisi site [12]. During the monitoring, we have measured temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and electrical conductivity with a multiparametric probe. 1 Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione dell’Ambiente della Lombardia.

Finding of Aphelocheirus aestivalis Fabricius 1794 in the River Chiese, 185 Villanuova sul Clisi (Brescia, Italy)

Table 1 List of taxa, families and individuals number on site of River Chiese. Taxon Families Systematics unit Individuals number Hydropsychidae Hydropsychidae 53 Trichoptera Rhyacophilidae Rhyacophilidae 21 Ephemeroptera Baetidae Baetis 24 Chironomidae Chironomidae 25 Coleoptera Elmidae Elmidae 1 Triclada Dugesiidae Dugesia 1 Heteroptera Aphelocheirus 13 Oligochaeta Lumbricidae Lumbricidae 12 Bivalvia Pisidiidae Pisidium 3 Gastropoda Ancylidae Ancylus 1 Idracarina 5 Others Gammaridae Gammarus 5

Total systematics unit 9 Total families 12 Total individuals 164

Table 2 Values of pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen and electrical conductivity parameters in sampling, December 2015. Parameters Values pH 7.8 Temperature 12.7 °C Dissolved oxygen 8.3 mg/L Electrical conductivity 266 µS/cm

4. Discussion rainfall of the 2015 last quarter; these conditions have reduced the River Chiese flow and, so, the As referred in Table 2, values of pH, temperature microhabitats occupied by A. aestivalis were visible and dissolved oxygen parameters, measured on site, and accessible. In these circumstances, we could find are all within normal limits; the value of electrical it. Furthermore, about finding of A. aestivalis in River conductivity parameter shows a mineralisation degree Chiese, it is important to underline that, in Lombardy, “appreciable” but not high [11]. bibliographical data about A. aestivalis are known for From the biological point of view, the finding of the River Mincio basin [13], for a few occasional Aphelocheirus aestivalis is interesting for different reports in the River Ticino [14] and other low flow reasons: first of all, the finding connected to the watercourses. season was unusual because A. aestivalis is The finding of A. aestivalis in River Chiese induces preferentially found during the late summer-autumn a few reflections about the rarity of this species in season (September-October). And second, it is Italy, in general, about its ecological preferences and meaningful the localization in the River Chiese, that it about the finding in this particular site. In facts, we is a water body in a “sufficient” ecological condition, could find A. aestivalis in a appreciable flow as it is confirmed in the monitoring stations of Barghe watercourse, River Chiese (the average flow is 36 and Montichiari [12]; for these stations, there are no m3/s), while, on average, the rare reports known in previous of A. aestivalis. The explanation for the A. Italy are referred to low flow watercourses (average aestivalis finding in autumn-winter period is reasonably flow less than 15 m3/s). In particular, the findings of A. due to the particularly mild temperatures and the poor aestivalis, most recent and confirmed, are reported for

186 Finding of Aphelocheirus aestivalis Fabricius 1794 in the River Chiese, Villanuova sul Clisi (Brescia, Italy) the River di Spigno or stream Ghisone [15] with high concentration of nutrients [21]. of Piedmont Appennino, also for Rivers Chiasco, The importance of A. aestivalis in ecological Mignone, Fiora and Marta of Lazio [16], and more, for evaluation of water ecosystems is validated by the River Sile in Veneto region [17]; at last, for already score attribution to Aphelocheiridae Family, also to A. mentioned minor water bodies in River Ticino basin aestivalis, in methods and indices used in Europe (for and River Mincio basin in Lombardy [13]. Apparently example, the BMWP (Biological Monitoring Working in contrast with study until now observed in Italy, but, Party) [22] for watercourses evaluation using confirming the A. aestivalis presence in high flow macroinvertebrates: the score attributed to different watercourses, this species has been found in others Macroinvertebrates families it depends on sensibility typologies watercourses of European countries, also to pollution and it decreases with decreasing of this with a considerable flow, as the River Senna in France sensibility. Aphelocheiridae family, the only family in [18] and the River Kymijoki in Finland [19]. the Eteroptera, has received the maximum score of 10. A. aestivalis was sampled on site in which observed Similarly, in others indices used for water ecosystems physical parameters values (in particular, dissolved evaluation (for example, MMIF (Multimetric oxygen and electrical conductivity) are commonly Macroinvertebrates Index Flanders), in Belgium [23], measured in watercourses with a good oxygenation the score attributed to A. aestivalis is 8 (the maximum and a low electrical conductivity, even if it occurs, at score of index is 10), the maximum assigned to an the opposite, ecological conditions poor, as it is Emiptera genus. confirmed by Extended Biotic Index (IBE) [11] value In a few national studies [24], focused on the focal (that is equivalent to 6) and STAR_ICMi value too species used for ecoregions definition, where focal (that is equivalent to 0.457); furthermore, during the species is “a representative species of ecoregions with sampling, it has been observed the total absence of particular conservation needs and it is a good Plecoptera and Ephemeroptera (except for Baetis, prototype for the conservation of entire totality of ubiquitous genus) and taxa more adaptable species and its habitat”, A. aestivalis is collocated predominance, as preies species for A. aestivalis, such among representatives species of natural watercourses as Chironomida and Tricoptera Hydropsychidae and focal cenosis, being an indicator of watercourses with Rhyacophilidae. good flow and good richness in dissolved oxygen [24]. The ecological needs of A. aestivalis are confirmed 5. Conclusions by recent studies on Flanders about Emiptera and Nepomorpha, in which it is clear of It is remarkable and follow-up worthy the finding the role of good bioindicator of A. aestivalis, in of A. aestivalis in River Chiese for several reasons. particular in rheophilic species [20]: in fact, A. A. aestivalis carries out particular shifts among aestivalis was found almost exclusive in water bodies microhabitats depending on season; besides, it has with high contents of dissolved oxygen, but low specific ecological needs, as high concentration of electrical conductivity and low concentration of dissolved oxygen and low values of electrical nutrients. The A. aestivalis presence on sites, with conductivity. Even if the finding was singular and substrate fine-grained and homogeneus, is confirmed occasional on site in River Chiese, the presence of A. by studies carried out in Lombardy about aestivalis confirms the exigency of a few requirements macrobenthonic cenosis structure in planitial little by the species, even though they were in association water bodies; in these studies, there is a meaningful with poor ecological conditions, as the low number of evidence about the absence of A. aestivalis in sites the others species.

Finding of Aphelocheirus aestivalis Fabricius 1794 in the River Chiese, 187 Villanuova sul Clisi (Brescia, Italy)

In Europe, the studies about A. aestivalis are more these two conditions can potentially influence systematic and frequent than in Italy, not only for the electrical conductivity and, anyway, the presence of species distribution and ecology, but also for macroinvertebrates, also on local scale. It could be anatomical and reproductive aspects; in Italy, there are remarkable to study the impact of the human factors, not target studies about the distribution of A. aestivalis as well, as the urban centre along the river, the narrow and the few available studies are fragmentary and not riparian vegetation, sometimes absent, and, the existence particularly recent. Because of the ecological of renewable energy plants (hydroelectric plants). importance of A. aestivalis, it comes spontaneously a Those factors could influence the distribution of few questions, above all as a result of its finding in the macroinvertebrates species; it would be good to start River Chiese: so, is it the distinctive habitat of the systematic and focused studies about those factors. species, in other words, the spatial and seasonal Finally, because of its rarity, it is possible to migration between two different microhabitats, not attribute an intrinsic value to A. aestivalis, so as to easily accessible, that affects the easy individuation of involve the adoption of conservation measures or A. aestivalis (this is the reason because in Italy the protection exclusively for that only and important species is found in low flow freshwater bodies)? found species? A. aestivalis could be the only reason Or, the fragmentary distribution of A. aestivalis in for these conservation measures, because of its Italy is due to a general deterioration of ecological fragmentary distribution and its specific ecological conditions in the potamal section of Italian water needs? bodies, potentially grown to host it? Actually, the Finally, this is the last starting point to reflect: coincidental finding of A. aestivalis in River Chiese, although there is just one rare species, for example A. in a section comparable to potamal section, would aestivalis, in a river environmentally affected, it could prove effectively the watercourse vocation to host the be remarkable a re-valuation of this watercourse just species, even if the finding was facilitated by to save one rare species. It must be possible to supporting factors combination? In facts, the finding attribute new importance to A. aestivalis as part of of A. aestivalis has been possible thanks to remarkable biological monitoring in order to make ecosystemic local flow reduction; furthermore, also the high general evaluation of the watercourses. temperature, higher than the average, has allowed the References permanence of A. aestivalis in more visible areas of River Chiese, delaying its shift in deeper areas of the [1] Tamanini L. 1979. “Eterotteri acquatici (Heteroptera: river. Moreover, the ecological condition of the River Gerromorpha, Nepomorpha).” In CNR, Guide per il riconoscimento delle specie animali delle acque interne Chiese is not good, because of the low diversity of italiane, p. 106. species; anyway, this status confirms the general trend [2] Dethier, M. 1996. “Presence de l’Hètèroptère aquatique A. of most planitial watercourses to get their ecological aestivalis (Fab) dans la Semois.” Natura Mosana 49 (2): conditions worse. In particular, a few stretch of 70-4. [3] Carbonell, J. A., Abellàn, P., Arribas, P., Elder, J. F., and watercourses in planitial areas are vulnerable because Millàn, A. 2011. “The genus Aphelocheirus Westwood, of the impact of human activity, very frequent in that 1833 (: Aphelocheiridae) in the Iberian section of water bodies, often in semi-natural Peninsula.” Zootaxa 2771: 1-16. conditions. Another interesting starting point is the [4] Wilco, C., Verberk, P., and Bilton, D. T. 2015. “Oxygen-Limited Thermal Tolerance Is Seen in a potential correlation between the basin tipology Plastron-Breathing and Can Be Induced in a (calcareous, siliceous, or a mixed of the one or the Bimodal Gas Exchanger.” The Journal of Experimental other) and mineral salts dissolved in the watercourses: Biology 218: 2083-8.

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