Brachycercus maculatus, a member of a rare group of mayflies, is now recorded for the first time from New York State in the upper Hudson River. An illustrated key to the Brachycercus larvae of northeastern North America is provided to spur further study of the genus in the region

Abele, Lawrence

Bode, Robert W

Burian, Steven K

Novak, Margaret A

English

Valparaiso University

The Great Lakes Entomologist Volume 30 Number 3 - Fall 1997 Number 3 - Fall 1997 Article 3 October 1997 New Record of Brachycercus Maculatus Berner (Ephemeroptera: Caenidae) From New York and a Key to Larvae of Northeastern Species Steven K. Burian Southern Connecticut State University Margaret A. Novak New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Robert W. Bode New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Lawrence Abele New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle  Part of the Entomology Commons Recommended Citation Burian, Steven K.; Novak, Margaret A.; Bode, Robert W.; and Abele, Lawrence 1997. "New Record of Brachycercus Maculatus Berner (Ephemeroptera: Caenidae) From New York and a Key to Larvae of Northeastern Species," The Great Lakes Entomologist, vol 30 (2) Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol30/iss2/3 This Peer-Review Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Biology at ValpoScholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Great Lakes Entomologist by an authorized administrator of ValpoScholar. For more information, please contact a ValpoScholar staff member at scholar@valpo.edu. THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST1997 85 NEW RECORD OF BRACHYCERCUS MACULATUS BERNER (EPHEMEROPTERA: CAENIDAE) FROM NEW YORK AND A KEY TO LARVAE OF NORTHEASTERN SPECIES Steven K. Burian 1, Margaret A. Novak2, Robert W. Bode2 and Lawrence Abele2 ABSTRACT Brachycercus maculatus, a member of a rare group of mayflies, is now recorded for the first time from New York State in the upper Hudson River. An illustrated key to the Brachycercus larvae of northeastern North America is provided to spur further study of the genus in the regio . Species of the genus Brachycercus Curti include some of the most enig­matic mayflies. Larvae are small with ocellar tubercles and occ r among fine detritus and shifting sediments of lentic and slow-flowing lotic habitats. Al­though current distribution records indicate that the genus is broadly dis­tributed, larvae are rarely collected. Adults are small, short-lived, and en­countered even less frequently than larvae. Virtually nothing is known about the swarming behavior or biology of most North American species. Taxo­nomic studies of Brachycercus (Berner 1950, Soldan 1986, Berner and Pescador 1988), which contain little information on biology, constitute most of what is known about North American species. Brachycercus maculatus Berner is a species that was believed to have been restricted to north-central Florida, but recently it was confirmed from North Carolina (M. Pescador, pers. comm.). The purpose ofthis paper is to re­port the discovery of B. maculatus from the upper Hudson River in New York. We also present, a regional key to the larvae of the four species of Brachycer­cus now known to occur in New York, New England, and southern Quebec. Brachycercus maculatus Berner 1946, NEW RECORD-NEW YORK: (11 Larvae) Warren Co., Hudson River, Corinth, milepoint 214 [430 14' 55"N/073° 49' 57"W], 7 July 1994, R.W.Bode; (4 Larvae); Saratoga Co., Hud­son River, Waterford, milepoint 157 [420 47'19"N/073° 40' 38"Wl, 7 July 1994, R.W.Bode. Brachycercus maculatus larvae were collected in Petite Ponar grab sam­ples (APHA, 1985) taken during ambient water quality monitoring at the vil­lage of Corinth and at Waterford on the upper Hudson River. Physical and chemical water quality parameters for both collection sites are presented in Table 1. Corinth samples containing Brachycercus larvae were obtained 20 m upstream of a hydroelectric dam and 5 m from the northeastern shore. Wa­terford samples were taken 20 m from the eastern shore. The substrate in Ponar grab samples at both sites consisted of sand, silt, and organic material lDept. of Biology, S uthern Connecticut State University 501 Crescent St., New Haven, CT, 06515. 2New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation, 50 Wolf Rd., Albany, NY 12233-3502. 1Burian et al.: New Record of <i>Brachycercus Maculatus</i> Berner (EphemeropteraPublished by ValpoScholar, 199786 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 30, No.3 Table 1. Physical and chemical para eters of Brachycercus sites on the Hudson River. Chemical habitat parameters recorded at the time of collection are listed with annual ranges. Annual ranges of chemical parameters were obtained from Firda et al. (1993,1994, and in press). Site 	 Vel. a Width Depth a Flow Temp. Spec. D.O. pH (mls) (m) (m) (m3/s) (ac) Cond.d Corinth 1.0 110 2.0 23.0 45 CO. 1-24.6) (33-57) (6.6-7.3) Waterford 0.5 300 4.0 230.4C 26.4 133 8.1 7.8 (0.2-30.0) (98-177) (3.3-14.0) (7.0-7.8) aTaken at mid-channel. bMeasured at USGS gage at Lake Luzerne 8.0 km upstream of site. "Measured at USGS gage 5.3 km upstream of site. dCmhos/cm @ 25°C) (mostly leaves). Specimens of B. maculatus were only found in samples that contained fine sediments with few leaves or macrophyt  stems. Samples with a large amount of plant matter contained no Brachycercus. Larvae taken at both sites ranged in length from 2.66 to 5.75 mm, with a mean of 4.43 mm. Several had black wing pads indicating that emergence was imminent at the time of collection. Among these specimens body lengths ranged from 4.58 to 5.75 mm, with a mean of 5.23 m. Previously, adult emergence has only been reported for B. lacustris (Lyman 1955) and B. flavus (Harper and Harper 1976). Both of these species have emergences that occur in late July and continue into August, whereas B. maculatus seems to be emerging in early July. Lyman (1955) showed that B. lacustris had a prolonged emergence that peaked in early August. Harper and Harper (1976) reported a simil r peak emergence for B. flavus in early August. Un­fortunately, because no other specimens ofB. maculatus were obtained it was not possible to determine the duration or the peak of its emergence at the Hudson River sites. In Florida adults of B. maculatus have been reported in February, April, and July (Berner and Pescador 1988). Four species of Brachycercus (B. fluvus Traver, B. lacustris (Needham), B. nitidus (Traver), and B. maculatus) are now known from New York, NewEngland, and southern Quebec. Among the these species B. nitidus is most distinctive and easily identified. However, the remaining species are very similar. Differences among diagnostic characters described by Traver (1935), Berner (1946, 1950), Burks (1953), Soldan (1986), and Berner and Pescador (1988) are subtle and may eventually be shown to be within the range of variation a single widely distributed species. But any decision on this matter will require a thorough revision of the genus. Until that occurs the following key, based on our studies and the decriptive works listed above, w ll aid in in­dentifying the larvae of these taxa as they are now defined. We hope that this will spur interest and futher study ofBrachycercus in this region. Key to Larvae ofBrachycercus of Northeastern North America 1. 	Pronotum with a pair of well developed lateral spines (Fig.l); body length 7.0-9.0 mm .............................................. B. nitidus 2The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 30, No. 2 [1997], Art. 3https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol30/iss2/3THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST1997 87 3 dm1~ I ~~ Figures 1-7. 1-3: Head and pronotum, arrows indicate pronotal spines or ridges; 1, B. nitidus; 2, B. maculatus; 3, B. lacustris; 4-5: Left lateral view of abdomen showing posterolateral projections, segment 2 is labeled; 4, B. flavus;5, B. lacustris; 6-7: Dorsal view of right gill covers; 6, B. flavus; 7, B. lacustris. 3Burian et al.: New Record of <i>Brachycercus Maculatus</i> Berner (EphemeropteraPublished by ValpoScholar, 199788 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 30, No.3 1'. Pronotum without lateral spines, but may have a air of transverse ridges (Fig. 2); body length less than 7.0 mm .............................. 2 2. 	 Pronotum with well developed transverse ridges that are distinct from the lateral margins to the midline (Fig. 2) .................. .E. maculatus 2'. 	Pronotum smooth with weakly developed transverse ridges that may ap­pear not to meet the lateral margins (Fig. 3) ........................ 3 3. 	 Posterolateral spines on abdominal segment 2 sharp and greater than half the length of spines on segment 3 (Fig. 4); gill covers with distinct dark spots near basal articulation, spots do ot extend to the intersec­tion of ridges on gill covers (Fig. 6) .......................... B. fiavus 3'. 	Posterolateral spines on abdominal segment 2 blunt and only about half the length of those on segments 3 (Fig. 5), bases of spines on segment 2 wider than those on segments 3-6; gill covers without distinct spots, but may have dark shading that extends to the intersection of ridges on gill covers (Fig. 7) ....................................... B. lacustris ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank Dr. M. Pescador for confirming our identifications and for pro­viding information on unpublished records of B. maculatus. We also thank Dr. WL. Peters for the loan of material from the aquatic insect collection at Florida A&M University and the New York Dept. of Conservation for their support for this paper. LITERATURE CITED APHA. 1985. Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater (l6th edition). American Public Health Association, Washington, D.C. 1268 pp. Berner, L. 1946. New species of Florida mayflies (Ephemeroptera). Fla. Entomo!. 28: 60-82. Berner, L. 1950. The Mayflies of Florida. 1:niv. of Florida Studies, BioI. Sci. Series no. 4,267 pp. Berner, L. and M. Pescador. 1988. The Mayflies o  Florida, Revised Edition. Univ. Presses ofFlorida, Gainesville, Florida, 415 pp. Burks, B.D. 1953. The mayflies, or Ephemeroptera, of Illinois. Bull. Ill. Nat. Hist. Surv. 26: 1-216. Firda, G. D., Lumina, R, Murray, P. M., and Freem , W. O. 1993. Water Resources Data-New York, Water Year 1993, Volume 1. Eastern New York excluding Long Is­land. 1:. S. Geological Survey Water Data Report NY-93-1, 452 pp. Firda, G. D., Lumina, R, Murray, P. M., and Freeman, W. O. 1994. Water Resources Data-New York, Water Year 1994, Volume 1. Eastern New York excluding Long Is­land. 1:. S. Geological Survey Water Data Report NY-94-1, 488 pp. Firda, G. D., Lumina, R, Murray, P. M., and Freeman, W. O. (In Press). Water Re­sources Data-New York, Water Year 1995, Volume 1. Eastern New York excluding Long Island. C S. Geological Survey Water Data Report. Harper, F. and P. P. Harper. 1976. Inventaire et phenologie des Ephemeropteres du lac Saint-Louis, Quebec. Ann. Soc. ent. Quebec 21: 136-143. Lyman, F.E. 1955. Seasonal distribution and life cycles of Ephemeroptera. Ann. Ento­mol. Soc. Amer. 48: 380-391. Soldan, T. 1986. A revision of the Caenidae with ocellar tubercles in the nymphal stage (Ephemeroptera). Acta Universitatis Carolinae-Biologica 1982-1984: 289-362. Traver, J.R 1953. Pa t II, Systematic. pp. 239-739 In: J.G. Needham, J.R Traver, and Y.C. Hsu (eds.), The biology of mayflies with a systematic account of N rth American species. Comstock Pub!. Co., Ithaca, New York. 4The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 30, No. 2 [1997], Art. 3https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol30/iss2/3

New Record of \u3ci\u3eBrachycercus Maculatus\u3c/i\u3e Berner (Ephemeroptera: Caenidae) From New York and a Key to Larvae of Northeastern Species

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New Record of \u3ci\u3eBrachycercus Maculatus\u3c/i\u3e Berner (Ephemeroptera: Caenidae) From New York and a Key to Larvae of Northeastern Species

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