Four new species of Hexanchorus Sharp from Ecuador (Coleoptera, Elmidae) with DNA barcoding and notes on the distribution of the genus

The riffle beetle genus Hexanchorus Sharp, 1882 is distributed from Mexico to Argentina, forming an important component of the freshwater invertebrate fauna of Latin America. With 21 described species, Hexanchorus represents one of the most speciose Larainae genera, but its real diversity is likely much higher. We analysed material from a relatively small area in Ecuador, resulting in the first record of H. cordillierae for Ecuador and discovery of four new species and one subspecies: Hexanchorus virilis sp. n., Hexanchorus rostratus sp. n., Hexanchorus shepardi sp. n., Hexanchorus onorei sp. n. and Hexanchorus onorei sagittatus ssp. n. For delimiting and characterizing species, both morphological and molecular (mtCOI DNA barcodes) data were used. A distribution map of Hexanchorus species is provided based on published records

Current stocking program of the sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus, L.) can negatively shape its genetic variability in the Middle Danube

The Danube River was originally inhabited by six native sturgeon species, but currently, the sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus L.) is the only native sturgeon species still occupying the Slovak–Hungarian stretch of the Middle Danube. All sturgeon species are facing extinction, suffering from overfishing, water pollution, illegal fishing, poaching or other negative impacts. Urgent and proper actions are needed to prevent their extinction, and evaluating its genetic diversity is one of the essential tools of conservation programs. Since the management actions are primarily local in nature, we first focused on comparing and analysing local sources of fish for population recovery and natural (wild) population in the adjacent stretch of the Danube River. We used 2 fragments of mitochondrial DNA and 12 microsatellites to analyse the genotype of the three groups of sterlets, i.e. wild, broodstock and stocked individuals from Slovak part of the Danube. Mitochondrial markers of all groups were diversified similarly to populations from other parts of the Danube. This confirmed that broodstock and stocked fish belong to the original Danube population. Microsatellites revealed very similar patterns among groups compared, but we detected possible negative trends reflected in losing polymorphism in a few loci in broodstock and stocked individuals

Ancyronyx clisteri, a new spider riffle beetle species from Borneo, redescription of A. sarawacensis Jäch including a description of the larva and new distribution data for A. procerus Jäch using DNA barcodes (Coleoptera, Elmidae)

Ancyronyx clisteri sp. nov. (Coleoptera, Elmidae) a new spider riffle beetle discovered from northern Borneo (Brunei; Sabah and Sarawak, Malaysia) and the larva of Ancyronyx sarawacensis Jäch are described. Illustrations of the habitus and diagnostic characters of the new species and the similar and highly variable A. sarawacensis are presented. Differences to closely related species, based on DNA barcodes and morphological characters, are discussed. Association of the larva and the imago of A. sarawacensis, and the occurrence of Ancyronyx procerus Jäch in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah are confirmed by using COI mtDNA sequences

MULTIDISCIPLINARY EVALUATION OF THE FUNCTION AND IMPORTANCE OF THE SMALL WATER RESERVOIRS: THE BIODIVERSITY ASPECT

ABSTRACT Small water reservoirs are the very important landscape elements for effective water management. Although these man-made artificial biotopes change the proportion of lotic and lentic habitats and thus influence the species community structure, them secondarily offer a broader scale of microhabitats and, in general, can significantly influence the fauna's sustainable development. The evaluation of the function and importance of small water reservoirs in the biodiversity development on all levels is still unappreciated. In this case, preliminary results of the study on six small water reservoirs in West Slovakia are presented. The research has covered the major species groups (phytobentos, macrophytes, benthic and pelagic invertebrates, mollusks, fish and birds). As the first step, we are focusing on the description of the biodiversity patterns within the particular water reservoirs followed by the analyses of species links to the environmental variables using the multidimensional methods (neural networks, ordination methods and generalized linear methods) as the second step. The third step covers the compilation of obtained results and evaluation of the function and importance of the small water reservoirs. The major benefits of this study are as follows: (i) significant improvement of the knowledge on the biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems influenced by small water reservoirs, (ii) implementation of the innovative methods of the multidisciplinary ecological research, (iii) support for sustainable development of the biodiversity in artificial biotopes, development of the multidisciplinary network of researchers and experts from the applied sphere, (iv) effective application of outputs in the ecological management oriented to the sustainable development of the artificial aquatic ecosystems in combination with their primary use and implementation of the results gained at the international scale. L. Pekárik et al. -Multidisciplinary evaluation of small water reservoirs: the biodiversity aspect (105 ~ 112) 106 RÉSUMÉ: Evaluation multidisciplinaire de la fonction et de l'importance des étangs. L'aspect de la biodiversité. Les petits corps d'eau sont des éléments de paysage très importants pour la gestion efficace de l'eau. Même si ces biotopes artificiels changent les proportions des habitats lotiques et lentiques, elles offrent également une échelle plus large de microhabitats et, généralement, elles peuvent influencer de manière signifiante le développement durable de la faune. L'évaluation de la fonction et de l'importance des étangs dans le développement de la biodiversité à tous niveaux est encore sous appréciée. Dans ce cas, nous présentons les résultats préliminaires d'une étude effectuée sur 6 étangs anthropiques de l'Ouest de la Slovakie. La recherche a compris les groupes spécifiques majeurs (phytobentos, macrophytes, invertébrés benthiques et pélagiques, mollusques, poissons et oiseaux). En première étape, nous nous sommes concentrés sur la description des modèles de biodiversité de ces étangs suivie, en deuxième étape, par l'analyse des relations entre les espèces et les variables de l'environnement en utilisant des méthodes multidimensionnelles (des réseaux neuronaux, des méthodes d'ordination et des méthodes linéaires généralisées); la troisième étape comprend la compilation des résultats obtenus et l'évaluation de la fonction et de l'importance des étangs. Les bénéfices majeures de cette étude sont les suivantes: (i) amélioration significative de la connaissance de la biodiversité des écosystèmes aquatiques sous l'influence des étangs, (ii) l'implémentation des méthodes nouvelles dans la recherche écologique multidisciplinaire, (iii) un support pour le développement durable de la biodiversité dans les biotopes artificiels, le développement des réseaux multidisciplinaires des chercheurs et d'experts de la sphère appliquée, (iv) l'application effective des résultats dans la gestion écologique orientée vers le développement durable des écosystèmes aquatiques artificielles combinée à leur utilisation primaire et l'implémentation à l'échelle internationale des résultats obtenus. REZUMAT: Evaluare multidisciplinară a funcţiei şi importanţei iazurilor: aspectul biodiversităţii. Iazurile şi heleşteele sunt elemente peisagistice foarte importante pentru gestiunea eficientă a apei. Deşi aceste biotopuri artificiale modifică proporţiile habitatelor lotice şi lentice şi influenţează astfel structura comunităţilor biologice, ele oferă secundar o gamă mai largă de microhabitate, în general, pot influenţa de manieră semnificativă dezvoltarea durabilă a faunei. Evaluarea funcţiei şi importanţei iazurilor în dezvoltarea biodiversităţii la toate nivelurile este încă neglijată. În acest caz, sunt prezentate rezultatele preliminare ale unui studiu pe şase iazuri mici, din vestul Slovaciei. Cercetările au acoperit grupele majore de specii (fitobentos, macrofite, nevertebrate bentice şi pelagice, moluşte, peşti şi păsări). Într-o primă etapă, ne-am concentrat pe descrierea modelelor de biodiversitate, aplicate la iazurile studiate, apoi am efectuat analiza relaţiilor interspecifice cu ajutorul metodelor multidimensionale (reţele neuronale, metode de ordonare şi metode liniare generalizate) care au constituit a doua etapă a studiului. A treia etapă a acoperit compilarea datelor obţinute şi evaluarea funcţiei şi importanţei iazurilor. Beneficiile principale ale studiului sunt următoarele: (i) ameliorarea semnificativă a cunoaşterii biodiversităţii ecosistemelor acvatice sub influenţa iazurilor, (ii) implementarea de metode noi, inovatoare în cercetarea ecologică multidisciplinară, (iii) suport pentru dezvoltarea durabilă a biodiversităţii în biotopurile artificiale, dezvoltarea de reţele multidisciplinare de cercetători şi experţi din sfera aplicată, (iv) aplicarea efectivă a rezultatelor gestiunii ecologice, orientate spre dezvoltare durabilă a ecosistemelor acvatice artificiale, în paralel cu utilizarea lor primară şi implementarea rezultatelor obţinute la scară internaţională. Transylv. Rev. Syst. Ecol. Res. 8, (2009), "The Wetlands Diversity" 107 INTRODUCTION Small water reservoirs The artificial small water reservoirs were built on small streams in the first place for the purpose of their potential for irrigation and as flood protection. But also their contribution to the nature protection through the water self-purification is not negligible Small water reservoirs are very important landscape elements for effective water management. Although these man-made artificial ponds change the proportion of lotic and lenitic habitats and thus influence the species community structure, secondarily offer a broader scale of microhabitats and, in general, can significantly influence the fauna sustainable development. The evaluation of the function and also of the importance of the small water reservoirs on the biodiversity development on all levels is still unappreciated. Ertl The aim of the project SAV-FM-EHP-2008-03-04 is to identify the function of small water reservoirs in the system of aquatic biotopes of the Slovakia in respect to preservation and development of water biota diversity. The results should enable to model the development of the biodiversity for the purpose of reservoir management with the respect of ecological value of the reservoirs. Management should involve the primary purposes of reservoirs together with effective protection of the nature. This paper brings first results of limnology of selected six reservoirs of the west Slovakia

DNA barcode reference libraries for the monitoring of aquatic biota in Europe: Gap-analysis and recommendations for future work

Effective identification of species using short DNA fragments (DNA barcoding and DNA metabarcoding) requires reliable sequence reference libraries of known taxa. Both taxonomically comprehensive coverage and content quality are important for sufficient accuracy. For aquatic ecosystems in Europe, reliable barcode reference libraries are particularly important if molecular identification tools are to be implemented in biomonitoring and reports in the context of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). We analysed gaps in the two most important reference databases, Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) and NCBI GenBank, with a focus on the taxa most frequently used in WFD and MSFD. Our analyses show that coverage varies strongly among taxonomic groups, and among geographic regions. In general, groups that were actively targeted in barcode projects (e.g. fish, true bugs, caddisflies and vascular plants) are well represented in the barcode libraries, while others have fewer records (e.g. marine molluscs, ascidians, and freshwater diatoms). We also found that species monitored in several countries often are represented by barcodes in reference libraries, while species monitored in a single country frequently lack sequence records. A large proportion of species (up to 50%) in several taxonomic groups are only represented by private data in BOLD. Our results have implications for the future strategy to fill existing gaps in barcode libraries, especially if DNA metabarcoding is to be used in the monitoring of European aquatic biota under the WFD and MSFD. For example, missing species relevant to monitoring in multiple countries should be prioritized for future collaborative programs. We also discuss why a strategy for quality control and quality assurance of barcode reference libraries is needed and recommend future steps to ensure full utilisation of metabarcoding in aquatic biomonitoring.This paper is a deliverable of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action DNAqua-Net (CA15219) Working Group 1, led by Torbjørn Ekrem and Fedor Čiampor. Thanks to the University of Minho and University of Pécs for hosting workshops and working group meetings. We also thank staff at National Environment Agencies and others that provided national checklists of taxa used in biomonitoring, and otherwise assisted with checklist proof-reading: Jarmila Makovinská and Emília Mišíková Elexová (Slovakia); Steinar Sandøy and Dag Rosland (Norway); Mišel Jelič (Croatia); Marlen Vasquez (Cyprus); Adam Petrusek (Czech Republic); Kristel Panksep (Estonia); Panagiotis Kaspiditis (Greece); Matteo Montagna (Italy); Marija Katarzyte (Lithuania); Ana Rotter (Slovenia); Rosa Trabajo (Spain); Florian Altermatt (Switzerland); Kristian Meissner (Finland), Rigers Bakiu (Albania), Valentina Stamenkovic and Jelena Hinic (Macedonia); Patricia Mergen (Belgium); Gael Denys & the French Biodiversity Agency (France); Mary Kelly-Quinn (Ireland); Piotr Panek and Andrzej Zawal (Poland); Cesare Mario Puzzi (Italy); Carole Fitzpatrick (United Kingdom); Simon Vitecek (Austria); Ana Filipa Filipe (Portugal); Peter Anton Stæhr & Anne Winding (Denmark); Michael Monaghan (Germany); Alain Dohet, Lionel L'Hoste, Nora Welschbillig & Luc Ector (Luxembourg), Lujza Keresztes, (Romania). The authors also want to thank Dirk Steinke for providing the original European ERMS list for marine taxa and Florian Malard for comments on the manuscript. The preparation of the AMBI checklist was carried out in the scope of a Short-term Scientific Mission (ECOST-STSM-CA15219-150217- 082111) granted to SD visiting AZTI, Spain. ZC was supported by grants EFOP-3.6.1.-16-2016-00004 and 20765-3/2018/FEKUTSTRAT. TE was supported by the NorBOL-grant (226134/F50) from the Research Coun cil of Norway. BR, FL and MFG contributed through support from the GBOL project, which is generously funded by the German Federal Min istry of Education and Research (FKZ 01LI1101 and 01LI1501). MG contributed through support of the Polish National Science Centre, grants N N303 5794 39 and 2014/15/B/NZ8/00266. SF was funded by the project PORBIOTA - Portuguese E-Infrastructure for Information and Research on Biodiversity (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022127), supported by Operational Thematic Program for Competitiveness and Internationalization (POCI), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER)

A revision of Onychelmis Hinton, 1941 (Coleoptera: Elmidae), with description of new species, DNA barcoding and notes on the geography of the genus

The genus Onychelmis Hinton, 1941 was for a long time regarded as a small taxon with only three known species distributed in the Andes. A study of new material from Ecuador, using morphological and molecular data, has resulted in the discovery of five new species: Onychelmis lenkae sp. nov., O. lobata sp. nov., O. minor sp. nov., O. onorei sp. nov. and O. splendida sp. nov. We also revised the entire genus and redescribed the three known species, O. longicollis (Sharp, 1882), O. leleupi Delève, 1968 and O. whiteheadi Spangler & Santiago, 1991. Habitus photographs of adults are provided, together with line drawings of male and female genitalia, and schematic illustrations of the distribution of femoral tomentum for each species. DNA sequences for barcoding the COI mtDNA fragment were used to support species delimitation and to suggest possible relationships among species. The revision includes a key to adults of all species of Onychelmis and notes on the biogeography of the genus, with an updated distribution map

Hypsilara autanai Laššová, Čiampor & Čiamporová-Zaťovičová, 2014, n. sp.

Hypsilara autanai n. sp. Figs 15–21 Type locality: stream ca. 2–3 m wide, situated at the foot of a mountain, quickly flowing in a dense forest with cascades, riffles and pools, with stones, roots and moss. Type material: holotype male (NMW): ” Venezuela, Amazonas Province, Cerro Autana env., stream ca. 2–3m wide, with stones, roots and moss, 131 m a.s.l., 04° 49 ' 33.6 '' N, 067° 28 ' 55.4 '' W, 23.11. 2012, Čiampor Jr & Čiamporová-Zaťovičová lgt.”, paratypes (CCB, NMW, MIZA, ZSM): 2 specimens with the same locality data as holotype; 7 specimens ” Venezuela, Amazonas Province, Cerro Cuao env., small stream in primary forest, ca. 1m wide, with large boulders, fine gravel, moss and fallen wood, 923 m a.s.l., 05°05' 39.1 '' N 067° 27 ' 41.4 '' W, 19.11.2012 ”. Diagnosis. Hypsilara autanai n. sp. resembles externally both known species. It differs in smallest size, less convex dorsum, pronotal sublateral grooves almost straight, pronotal median longitudinal groove short but deeply impressed, narrower elytra, elytral apices not produced, metaventrite of males without admedian tufts of darkened setae and different shape of aedeagus as follows: a) phallobase ca. 0.63 times as long as penis, b) parameres ca. 0.8 times as long as penis, c) parameres narrowly fused at base, d) penis narrowly triangular in ventral or dorsal view. Hypsilara autanai n. sp. is also well characterized by differences in cox 1 gene. Description. Body elongate (Fig. 17), CL: 3.67 mm, ca. 2.26 times longer than wide (CL/EW), dorsum feebly convex, dorsal surface with very dense short recumbent setae and more sparse longer, dark, semierect setae. Coloration of head dark brown, antenna paler. Body dark brown dorsally, venter reddish-brown, coxa and trochanter light reddish-brown, tarsus brown, tibia brown dorsally, ventrally black. Head. Head partly retractable into thorax. Labrum short, partly concealed by clypeus, dark brown, with large punctures and longer fine setae, lateral angles rounded; clypeus longer and wider than labrum, about 2.0 times as wide as long, densely setose; frontoclypeal suture visible, straight. Eyes well developed, slightly protruding from head outline, suboval in lateral view, bordered with long setae along upper margin, cranial surface not raised near dorsal margin of eyes. Antennae eleven segmented, scape long and curved, pedicel shorter, both densely setose, remaining segments forming club, nearly as long as scape and pedicel combined. Thorax. Pronotum widest behind middle, PW: 1.20 mm, PL: 0.89–0.96 mm; disc moderately convex, with deep, short median longitudinal groove in posterior half (not reaching posterior margin), widely V-shaped transversal depression before middle and pair of deep admedian prebasal punctures; sublateral grooves almost straight, well developed from base, reaching middle of pronotum; sides of pronotum moderately convex in posterior 2 / 3, subparallel in anterior third; lateral margins explanate (wider anteriorly); anterior angles rounded, slightly protruding anteriad; posterior angles nearly orthogonal (Fig. 17). Hypomeron subparallel, slightly narrowed posteriad, margin dark brown to black, anterior depression feebly depressed. Prosternal process 1.5 times as long as prosternum in front of coxae, narrowly triangular, lateral margins slightly rounded, apex rounded. Surface of prosternum with sparse shallow punctures, setose, in males with tuft of longer dark brown setae medially behind anterior margin. Mesoventrite short and wide, with large and deep depression for reception of prosternal process; portions between coxae with distinct transverse darkened carina. Metaventrite with median suture thin and darkened, developed from anterior 1 / 3 to posterior margin; disc flat, densely pubescent, lateral sides with sparse larger punctures, prebasally with row of punctures along metacoxa. Elytra ca. 2.70 mm long (EL), 1.61 mm wide (EW); subparallel in anterior 0.57, then tapering toward rounded apices; disc slightly convex, posterior third and lateral margins strongly declivous, densely pubescent; elytral margin dark brown to black; humeri rounded; epipleuron glabrous, widest anteriorly, narrowed posteriad. Each elytron with ten rows of punctures, punctures larger and deeper on disc, striae 3 and 4 fused before apex. Scutellum flat, wider than long, with pointed apex and sides arcuate. Legs moderately long, tibiae not flattened, hind tibiae longest; metacoxae transverse prebasally with distinct short transverse carina. Abdomen. Intercoxal process of ventrite 1 triangular, longer than wide, lateral sides raised, continuing in carinae reaching posterior margin of ventrite, apex subacute; ventrite 5 feebly pointed, margins of ventrites narrowly darkened. Aedeagus elongate, fibula absent, corona membranous; parameres ca 0.8 times as long as penis, widest at the base, narrowed toward narrowly rounded apices, basally fused in ventral view, in lateral view continuously narrowed toward subacute apex, inner side almost straight; penis narrowed in basal 3 / 4, apical 1 / 4 abruptly narrowed with subacuminate apex; in lateral view penis feebly curved, slender except widened base. Penis and parameres with sparse fine spines (Figs 18–20). Ovipositor with stylus (terminal segment) short, cylindrical; preterminal segment elongate ca. 7.5 times as long as styli, bearing several small spines; basal segment with baculus ca. 1.3 times as long as preterminal and distal segments combined (Fig. 21). Sexual dimorphism. Both sexes are very similar regarding external morphology. Males can be distinguished by patches of darkened setae on prosternum. Distribution. H. autanai n. sp. is known only from the two closely situated localities. Habitat. The specimens were collected by kick-sampling and individual collecting in preserved, permanently flowing submountain forest stream with riffles and pools. The stream at the sampling site was about 2–3 m wide, with stony substrate covered by moss mats (Figs 15, 16) and naturally humic water with pH 4.67. The measured conductivity was 4 ΜS, total dissolved solids (TDS) 2 ppm and water temperature 24.5 °C. Etymology. The species is named after Cerro Autana, tepui located in the Amazonas state which stands 1,220 m above sea level. The type locality was situated close to the Autana tepui.Published as part of Laššová, Kristína, Čiampor, Fedor & Čiamporová-Zaťovičová, Zuzana, 2014, Two new Larainae species from Guayana region, Venezuela (Coleoptera: Elmidae), pp. 187-195 in Zootaxa 3753 (2) on pages 192-194, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3753.2.8, http://zenodo.org/record/22780

FIGURES 32–42. Stenelmis puberula larva, 32 in Stenelmis puberula Reitter (Coleoptera: Elmidae)-description of larva and its association with adults, using DNA sequences

FIGURES 32–42. Stenelmis puberula larva, 32) right mid-leg, dorsal view; 33) left hind-leg, dorsal view; 34) mid-leg, detail of tibia; 35) hind-leg, detail of femur-tibia articulation; 36) detail of abdominal forked scales; 37) detail of abdominal tergum, lateral view; 38) venter of abdominal segments; 39) abdominal tergites, dorsal view; 40) abdominal segment 9, dorsal view; 41) abdominal segment 9, lateral view; 42) abdominal operculum, hooks and anal gills.Published as part of <i>Čiamporová-Zaťovičová, Zuzana, Jr, Fedor Čiampor & Kodada, Ján, 2007, Stenelmis puberula Reitter (Coleoptera: Elmidae)-description of larva and its association with adults, using DNA sequences, pp. 17-28 in Zootaxa 1661 (1)</i> on page 25, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1661.1.2, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/10088848">http://zenodo.org/record/10088848</a&gt

Ictelmis, a new riffle beetle genus from Ecuador (Coleoptera: Elmidae)

Čiampor, Fedor, Linský, Marek, Čiamporová-Zaťovičová, Zuzana (2019): Ictelmis, a new riffle beetle genus from Ecuador (Coleoptera: Elmidae). Zootaxa 4695 (5): 483-491, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4695.5.