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)

Year 2019, Volume: 20 Issue: 1, 35 - 46, 15.04.2019

Joel Moubayed-breil , Patrick Ashe

https://doi.org/10.23902/trkjnat.493928

Cited By: 2

Abstract

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.

Keywords

Rheocricotopus (s. str.), new species, Diptera Chironomidae, glacial rheocrenes, Corsica, continental France, conservation, conservation

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