Rheocricotopus (s. str.) costai sp. n. and R. (s. str.) pyrenaeus sp. n., two relict species from glacial rheocrenes and streams in corsica and the eastern pyrenees (diptera: chironomidae, orthocladiinae)

Two new species of the genus Rheocricotopus subgenus Rheocricotopus (R. costai sp. n. and R. pyrenaeus sp. n.) are diagnosed and described, based on material collected in some glacial rheocrenes and streams located in the high mountains of Corsica and the Eastern Pyrenees. Rheocricotopus costai sp. n. is described as male and pupal exuviae, while R. pyrenaeus sp. n. is described as male and female adults and pupal exuviae. Rheocricotopus costai sp. n. is known from both western Corsica and the Eastern Pyrenees, while the geographical distribution of R. pyrenaeus sp. n. is restricted to the protected area of the Mantet Nature Reserve (Eastern Pyrenees). Larvae of both R. costai sp. n. and R. pyrenaeus sp. n. are exclusively rheophilic being confined to lotic habitats located at high altitude (crenal and rhithral). Apart from the presence of an additional median circular small patch of spinules on tergite III of the exuviae, R. costai sp. n. directly keys into the effusus-group on the basis of several specific characters found in the male adult. Nevertheless, R. pyrenaeus sp. n. keys near both of R. reduncus Sæther & Schnell, 1988 (known from Finland, Norway and Russian Far East) and R. tchernovskii Makarchenko & Makarchenko, 2005 (known from Russian Far East), based in particular, on the unusual shape of the superior volsella which is inwardly markedly turned over distally. The genus Rheocricotopus is currently represented by 10 species in continental France and by 8 species in Corsica (Moubayed-Breil 2016). Consequently, the description of R. costai sp. n. and R. pyrenaeus sp. n. increases the total number in the genus to 12 for continental France and to 9 for Corsica. Taxonomic remarks, discussion and comments on the ecology and geographical distribution of the two new species are given.Bu çalışmada, Korsika ve Pireneler'deki yüksek dağlarda yer alan glasiyal rheokrenler ve akarsulardan toplanmış materyal incelenmiş ve Rheocricotopus cinsine ait iki yeni tür (R. costai sp. n. and R. pyrenaeus sp. n.) tanımlanmıştır. Rheocricotopus costai sp. n. erkek birey ve pupal kılıf ile tanımlanırken R. pyrenaeus sp. n. yetişkin erkek ve dişi bireyler ve pupal kılıf ile tanımlanmıştır. Rheocricotopus costai sp. n. hem Batı Korsika'dan hem de Pireneler’in doğusundan elde edilirken R. pyrenaeus sp. n.'nın coğrafik dağılımı Doğu Pirenler’de bir koruma alanı olan Mantet doğa koruma alanı ile sınırlıdır. Hem R. costai sp. n. hem de R. pyrenaeus sp. n. larvaları yüksek rakımlardaki lotik habitatlarda sınırlı olduklarından reofilik özelliktedirler. Rheocricotopus costai sp. n., pupal kılıfın 3. tergiti üzerinde medyan alanda yer alan küçük dairesel spinül yamasına ek olarak yetişkin erkeklerdeki çeşitli spesifik karakterleri ile effusus-grubu içinde yer almaktadır. Rheocricotopus pyrenaeus sp. n. ise özellikle distalde içe doğru dönük olan superior volsellanın olağan olmayan şekli bakımından Finlandiya, Norveç ve Uzak Doğu Rusyası'ndan bilinen R. reduncus Sæther & Schnell, 1988 ile Uzak Doğu Rusyası'ndan bilinen R. tchernovskii Makarchenko & Makarchenko, 2005'e benzemektedir. Rheocricotopus cinsi Fransa'da 10, Korsika'da ise 8 tür ile temsil edilmekteydi (Moubayed-Breil 2016). Sonuç olarak, R. costai sp. n. and R. pyrenaeus sp. n.'nın tanımlanması ile cinsin Fransa'daki tür sayısı 12'ye, Korsika'daki tür sayısı ile 9'a çıkmıştır. İki yeni türün ekolojileri ve coğrafik dağılımları ile ilgili taksonomik notlar, görüşler ve değerlendirmeler verilmiştir

NEW RECORDS OF CHIRONOMIDAE (DIPTERA) FROM CONTINENTAL FRANCE

Abstract Material recently collected in Continental France has allowed me to generate a list of 83 taxa of chironomids, including 37 new records to the fauna of France. According to published data on the chironomid fauna of France 718 chironomid species are hitherto known from the French territories. The nomenclature and taxonomy of the species listed are based on the last version of the Chironomidae data in Fauna Europaea, on recent revisions of genera and other recent publications relevant to taxonomy and nomenclature

Communities of Chironomidae (Diptera) from four ecological zones delimited by the Mediterranean coastal ecosystems of Morocco (Moroccan Rif). Updated list and faunal data from the last two decades

Based on a large material collected during the last two decades in 43 sites covering a wide range of habitats (fresh and brackish water) we delimited four ecological zones, which extend between sea level and high mountain areas located above 1000 m. The four ecological zones are: Zone 1 (Estuarine zone including pools, ponds, lagoons and wet meadows, altitude 0-10 m); Zone 2 (Potamal, alt. 10-350 m); Zone 3 (Lower basin of streams and wadis (alt. 350-1000 m); Zone 4 (Upper basin of streams, wadis, springs and peat bogs, alt. > 1000 m). An updated list of 256 species/taxa belonging to Chironomidae (Diptera) has been established which complements previous data for the chironomid fauna of Morocco. The list includes 72 (28%) new records for the fauna of Morocco, 21 (8%) undescribed species and probably 2 new genera (1 Orthocladiinae and 1 Tanytarsini). Spatial distribution of species by subfamilies is highlighted in the four ecological zones where faunal comparative results are: Buchonomyinae (1 species); Tanypodinae (21); Diamesinae (8); Orthocladiinae (143); Chironominae (82, including 40 Chironomini and 42 Tanytarsini). Currently, a total of 410 valid species are reported from Morocco. The low frequency of both listed and undescribed species in Mediterranean coastal ecosystems is linked to the limited faunal knowledge of wetland coastal areas and fragility of lowland habitats, which are regarded as true hotspots

Cricotopus (s. str.) latellai sp. n., a new rheophilic species of the tremulus-group from the Italian and French Maritime Alps (Diptera: Chironomidae)

Cricotopus (Cricotopus) latellai sp. n. is described and diagnosed based on material comprising male and female pharate adults, pupal exuviae and larvae recently collected in some glacial streams in both the Italian and French Maritime Alps. Taxonomic notes provided in this paper include: description of C. latellai sp. n. as male and female adults, pupal exuviae and last instar larvae. The diagnosis of the Cricotopus tremulus-group is supplemented with additional characters in the male adult and pupal exuviae. Cricotopus latellai sp. n. keys near C. mantetanus Moubayed-Breil, 2016 and C. storozhenkoi Makarchenko & Makarchenko, 2016. Geographical distribution of C. latellai sp. n. is currently restricted to the Italian and French Maritime Alps. It belongs to the Tyrrhenian community of glacial relic species, which are considered to be indicators of climate change in this biogeographical region. Remarks, taxonomic position, and ecology of the new described species are given

Smittia pratti sp. n., a new riparian species from the up-per basin of the Cinqueta River, Spanish Pyrenees [Diptera, Chironomidae, Orthocladiinae]

Male adult of Smittia pratti sp. n. is described on the basis of material collected by sweep net in the upper basin of the Cinqueta River (Spanish Pyrenees, NE-Spain, altitude 1561 m). A combination of some distin-guishing characters found in the male adult (shape of the anal point, inferior volsella and gonostylus) shows a close morphological similarity with that of S. scutellosetosa Caspers, 1988 and S. zealandiana Moubayed-Breil & Mary, 2021. Therefore, the new species represents, here, the third member of the scutellosetosa-group as emended recently by MOUBAYED-BREIL & MARY (2020). The presence of ventral lobe (pars ven-tralis) at the basal junction of gonocoxites is unusual in the genus Smittia Holmgren 1869. This atypical character will easily separate the new species from its related congeners. Currently, there are 37 Smittia species reported from Europe. Consequently, description here of Smittia pratti sp. n. increases the total number in the genus to 38 valid species. The new species is only known from its type-locality. Comments on their taxonomic position and ecology are given

On the genus Chaetocladius s. str. Kieffer, 1911 from Switzerland with descriptions of five new relic species occurring in glacial alpine springs and streams (Diptera, Chironomidae)

A description of the male adults of five Chaetocladius s. str. species (C. castellae sp. n., C. lencioniae sp. n., C. lodscrozetae sp. n., C. macunensis sp. n. and C. muttensis sp. n.) is provided based on material collected in some glacial alpine springs and cold streams located in the Swiss Alps (altitude 1800–2700 m). Male adult of the nearest Chaetocladius species known from Europe and neighbouring areas belong to: C. aedeagolobatus Rossaro, Magoga & Montagna, 2017; C. insolitus Caspers, 1987; C. gracilis Brundin 1956; C. antipovae Makarchenko & Makarchenko, 2011; C. dissipatus (Edwards, 1929), C. holmgreni (Jacobson, 1998), C. egorych Makarchenko & Makarchenko, 2017. Although some resemblance can be found between the five diagnosed and described species and other related members of the Chaetocladius genus, the taxonomic position cannot be clarified until current comprehensive work on the genus is complete. Geographical distribution of the five new species is currently restricted to the two Alpine Swiss glacial catchments: upper basins of the Rhône River and Muttbach streams; streams and lakes delimited by the Macun area. This highlights the importance of some high mountain ranges, considered as cold glacial enclaves and hotspots of endemism, in the preservation and persistence of autochthonous alpine relic species. Such species are considered as relevant biogeographic representative and their loss would be biologically indicative of global warming and climate change. Currently, there are only seven recorded Chaetocladius species from Switzerland: C. coppai Moubayed-Breil, 2017; C. laminatus Brundin, 1947; C. cf. longivirgatus Stur & Spies, 2011; C. melaleucus (Meigen, 1818); C. perennis (Meigen, 1830); C. piger (Goetghebuer, 1913); C. suecicus (Kieffer, 1916). Consequently, the description of the five new species increases the total number in the genus Chaetocladius to twelve for this country. Remarks and comments on the taxonomic position, ecology and geographical distribution of the new described species, with key to known male adults from the upper catchment of Rhône River (including Muttbach valley) are provided.

First records of Buchonomyia thienemanni Fittkau (Diptera: Chironomidae) from the Czech Republic

Buchonomyia thienemanni Fittkau is recorded from the Czech Republic for the first time based on specimens collected in samples from a section of the River Dyje in Podyjí National Park (Moravia) and the Litavka River in the Brdy Mountains (Bohemia)

Anticipating where are unknown aquatic insects in Europe to improve biodiversity conservation

Aim: Understanding biodiversity patterns is crucial for prioritizing future conservation efforts and reducing the current rates of biodiversity loss. However, a large proportion of species remain undescribed (i.e. unknown biodiversity), hindering our ability to conduct this task. This phenomenon, known as the ‘Linnean shortfall’, is especially relevant in highly diverse, yet endangered, taxonomic groups, such as insects. Here we explore the distributions of recently described freshwater insect species in Europe to (1) infer the potential location of unknown biodiversity hotspots and (2) determine the variables that can anticipate the distribution of unknown biodiversity. Location: The European continent, including western Russia, Cyprus and Turkey. Methods: Georeferenced information of all sites where new aquatic insect species were described across Europe from 2000 to 2020 was compiled. In order to understand the observed spatial patterns in richness of recently described species, spatial units were defined (level 6 of HydroBASINS) and associated with a combination of a set of socioeconomic, environmental and sampling effort descriptors. A zero-inflated Poisson regression approach was used to model the richness of newly described species within each spatial unit. Results: Nine hundred and sixty-six recently described species were found: 398 Diptera, 362 Trichoptera, 105 Coleoptera, 66 Plecoptera, 28 Ephemeroptera, 3 Neuroptera, 2 Lepidoptera and 2 Odonata. The Mediterranean Basin was the region with the highest number of recently described species (74%). The richness of recently described species per spatial unit across Europe was highest at mid-elevation areas (between 400 and 1000 m), latitudes between 40 and 50° and in areas with yearly average precipitation levels of 500–1000 mm, a medium intensity of sampling effort and low population density. The percentage of protected areas in each study unit was not significantly related to the richness of recently described species. In fact, 70% of the species were found outside protected areas. Main conclusions: The results highlight the urgent need to concentrate conservation efforts in freshwater ecosystems located at mid-altitude areas and out of protected areas across the Mediterranean Basin. The highest number of newly described species in those areas indicates that further monitoring efforts are required to ensure the aquatic biodiversity is adequately known and managed within a context of growing human impacts in freshwater ecosystems.Generalitat de Catalunya 2017SGR1643Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TED2021-130328B-I00, RYC2019-027446-

Parakiefferiella wuelkeri n. sp. (Diptera: Chironomidae) from western Europe and North Africa

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Synorthocladius federicoi sp. nov., a new species occurring in the middle basin of the Adige River, northern Italy (Diptera, Chironomidae, Orthocladiinae)

An adult male Synorthocladius was collected in the middle basin of the Adige River in the city of Verona, northern Italy. A combination of atypical characters for the genus signalled a new species. Synorthocladius federicoi sp. nov. is here diagnosed and described. The new species is known only from its type locality and is presumed to be a local biogeographical representative of the Italian Pre-Alps. An emended generic diagnosis, a key to known Synorthocladius from Europe and comments on the taxonomic position of the new species are given