J Arthropod-Borne Dis, June 2013, 7(1): 71–82 N Malekei-Ravasan et al.: Notes on the Iran… Original Article Notes on the Iran Caddisflies and Role of Annulipalpian Hydropsychid Caddisflies as a Bio-monitoring Agent Naseh Malekei-Ravasan 1, Abbas Bahrami 1, Mansoreh Shayeghi 1, Mohamad Ali Oshaghi 1, Masomeh Malek 2, Allah Bedasht Mansoorian 3, *Hassan Vatandoost 1 1Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2Department of Biology, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran 3Department of Parasitology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (Received 20 Nov 2012; accepted 9 Feb 2013) Abstract Background: Eco-faunistic studies are inevitable step in environmental researches. Aquatic organisms like caddisflies are known as biological indicators for water quality assessment and water resource management. They have special role for energy flow in the freshwater habitats as food web and food chain among aquatic creatures. Methods: In addition to an extensive literature review on Iran Caddisflies, a field study was carried out in Lavasan river flows in north east of Tehran to collect aquatic insects using D-frame nets and or direct search on stone beneath. The water quality was measured using analytical method. Results: Literature revealed record of 62 trichopterid species in the country comprising 14 families. The most abun- dant species belonged to the Hydropsychidae. Herein we report presence of the Annulipalpian Hydropsyche sciligra H Malicky, 1977 in the study area. Habitat water quality of H. sciligra resembled human drinkable water. However presence of snail, Physa acuta and fish Capoeta buhsei in the water sampling area indicated inferior quality. Conclusion: From ecological point of view caddisfly larvae are predators of most important medical vectors like mosquitoes, blackflies and midges. Also they are useful and important indicator for monitoring physicochemical effects in the nature, so that they can be used for bio-monitoring program. From medical point of view, wing hairs or other body parts of caddisflies can be inhalant and contact allergens in Trichopterists and in sensitive individuals who come in contact. Key words: Caddisfly, Hydropsyche, Faunistics, Bio-monitoring, Iran Introduction Trichoptera, is one of the largest insect orders tricate and complex structures built by in- presenting in aquatic ecosystems. The order in- sects, at least among the non-social orders cludes 3 suborders Spicipalpia, Annulipalpia (Holzenthal et al. 2007). and Integripalpia each one containing four, Trichoptera and Lepidoptera, concoct the eight, and 33 families, respectively. The aquatic Amphiesmenoptera super order (Kristensen larvae assemble a portable case (Integripalpia, 1991). Their presenting and archaic lineages and two of four families of “Spicipalpia”) or diversification ascribe to the Triassic and the fixed retreat (Annulipalpia), except for those middle Jurassic respectively. The earliest pro- of a pair of “free-living” spicipalpian families. totrichopteran dates to the mid-early Permian The net, retreat, case, and pupal structures of (Kristensen 1997). So, Trichoptera depict a sig- caddisfly larvae that filter fine organic mat- nificant and important branch on the tree of ter or larger particles are among the most in- life, whose present distribution and bioge- *Corresponding author: Dr Hassan Vatandoost, 71 http://jad.tums.ac.ir Email: [email protected], [email protected] Published Online: April 10, 2013 J Arthropod-Borne Dis, June 2013, 7(1): 71–82 N Malekei-Ravasan et al.: Notes on the Iran… ography is reflective of those past events that quate treatment, and the water quality is be- have affected the distribution and diversi- ing degraded (Langergraber and Muellegger fication of earth’s entire freshwater biota. For 2005). Loss of freshwater for human con- instance extinction of an endemic alpine caddis sumption is correlated with cease to existing fly, Rhyacophila angelieri (Rhyacophilidae) aquatic biodiversity. A critical step is to de- was predicted with reduced melt water in- scribe aquatic biota to help developing coun- puts (Brown et al. 2007). tries build efficient, fast, and inexpensive The role of Trichopteran larvae in trophic dy- techniques to diagnose and monitor negative namics and energy flow in the freshwater hab- perturbations to water quality. The use of aquat- itats seems to be inevitable (Resh and Rosen- ic organisms as indicators of water quality is berg 1984). Both of habitats and inhabitants a standard method in management of water of these ecosystems affected strongly and en- resources. The pros and cones of the use of vironmentally intimidated. Trichoptera are ap- macro-invertebrates in biological monitoring plicable and important for monitoring phys- were outlined. Among the pros is that the tax- icochemical effects, and are widely used in onomy of many groups is very well known and biomonitoring programs in developed coun- identification keys are available. This pro is tries (Lenat 1993, Resh and Unzicker 1975, true for the United States and Europe, and Dohet 2002). Australia, but lack of taxonomic knowledge Hydropsychidae Curtis (1835), with about and identification manuals is the greatest 1,500 described species, is the 3rd largest fam- barrier to the development of biological mon- ily in Trichoptera and the most diverse of the itoring studies in other regions like our country net-spinning Annulipalpians. Five subfamilies (Resh 1995, Bonada et al. 2006). are currently recognized: Arctopsychinae, The Iranian Trichoptera fauna mostly was Macronematinae, Hydropsychinae, Diplect- studied by non-autochthonous researchers roninae, and Smicrideinae. Hydropsychinae (Schmid 1959, Malicky 1986, Mirmoayedi and contains 19 prevalently genera from all bioge- Malicky 2002, Mey 2004, Malicky 2004, ographic regions, which the largest genera in- Chvojka 2006) based on collections of 62 spe- clude Hydropsyche Pictet (275 species), Cera- cies from the 23 provinces of Iran. Despite topsche Ross and Unzicker, often considered a the evolutionary, ecological, environmental, subgenus of Hydropsyche (100 species), and and adorable importance of the Trichoptera, Cheumatopsyche Wallengren (260 species) there is a little knowledge about ecology with (Schefter 1996, Holzenthal et al. 2007). emphasizing habitat characteristics of Iranian Hydropsychid larva exhibits a large spec- Trichoptera. So, to cover this brevity firstly trum of tolerance values and is used in bio- we collected some caddisflies, then listed monitoring programs throughout the world. families presenting in Iran with emphasizing For example, North Carolina Biotic Index Hydropsychidae family species and finally (NCBI) tolerance values for hydropsychids measured water quality of surrounding larval range from 0.0 for H. carolina ranks to 8.8 habitat and some ecological features of for H. betteni Ross (on a scale of 0–10, with Lavasan district, Tehran, capital of Iran. 0= least tolerant of pollution) (Lenat 1993). One of the major environmental issues that Materials and Methods the world faces today is the water crisis (Aldhous 2003). Industrial activities and ur- This bi-seasonal (summer/winter) study was banization have raised pollution in rivers, conducted on Lavasan River runs in Northeast streams, and lakes in developing countries. of Tehran capital of Iran. The rampant climate Most sewage enters waterways without ade- of the region is cold Mediterranean. Water 72 http://jad.tums.ac.ir Published Online: April 10, 2013 J Arthropod-Borne Dis, June 2013, 7(1): 71–82 N Malekei-Ravasan et al.: Notes on the Iran… temperature was measured using thermom- season, probably Trichoptera overwinter in eter during sampling. We collected immature larval stage in this region. stages of the Trichoptera by D-frame nets and/or removing river floor stones from Hydropsychidae three different habitat types run, riffle and Larvae of this family are easily separated stream bank locating in the way of the run- from others by the hard sclerotized plates on ning water where larvae stick their retreat the top of each thoracic segment and highly under/beside of the stones. The retreats and branched gills on venter of abdominal probably harboring immature insect pre- segments (Fig. 1,2). Each branched gills served in 70% ethanol and transferred to the have 30 or more filaments on venter of School of Public Health (SPH) laboratory. The thoracic segments and on most abdominal key morphological characters of the extract- segments (Fig. 6). Larvae of Hydropsyche dis- ed immature Trichoptera plus retreats gen- tinguished from other hydropsychid genera by eral feature were examined under micro- pair of large sclerites in inter-segmental fold scope (Olympus SZX12) through taken high posterior to prosternal plate of prosternum resolution photos. Water samples were col- (Pescador and Rasmussen 1995). lected in summer 2010, prior the seasonal rains According to the World Checklist database start. The specimens were taken in autoclavable (Morse 2010) there are 62 trichopterid spe- pyrex bottle w/cap 250 ml, previously acid- cies in Iran comprising 14 families. Suborders, washed and rinsed with copious amounts of families, number of species, Case/Retreat mak- distilled water. Electrical conductivity (EC) ing, feeding type and Biotic Index Values and total dissolved solids (TDS) was meas- (RBP) of Iran caddisflies are shown in table ured using EC/TDS HACH CO150 meter.