Leuctra cf. metsovonica Aubert, 1956

Murányi, Dávid, 2007, New and little – known stoneflies (Plecoptera) from Albania and the neighbouring countries, Zootaxa 1533, pp. 1-40 : 11

Leuctra cf. metsovonica Aubert, 1956 ( Figs 24–28 )

Leuctra metsovonica Aubert, 1956 – Aubert 1956: 204 –205. ( Greece, Metsovon: ♂ holotype, Ψ allotype, 29♂ 18Ψ paratypes)

Leuctra metsovonica Aubert – Aubert 1963: 227. ( Greece)

Leuctra metsovonica Aubert – Zwick 1978: 219. ( Greece, Macedonia)

Leuctra metsovonica Aubert, 1956 – Ikonomov 1986: 227. ( Macedonia)

Leuctra metsovonica Aubert, 1957 – Pardo & Zwick 1993: 433. ( Italy)

Material: ALBANIA: Dibrë County, Korab Mountains, 1918, leg. Ernő Csiki: 3♂ 2Ψ (W. Joost det. as L. handlirschi Kempny ); Shkodër County, Prokletije Mountains, stream along the conjunction to Pejë Pass from the Bogë–Okol road, N 42°24.496’ E 19°45.271’, 1009 m, 30.05.2005, leg. KB–ZB–DM–DP: 2♂ 12Ψ; Shkodër County, Prokletije Mountains, karst spring N of Okol towards the Pejë Pass, N 42°25.664’ E 19°45.704’, 990 m, 30.05.2005, leg. KB–ZB–DM–DP: 3Ψ; Shkodër County, Prokletije Mountains, karst spring system N of Okol, N 42°25.347’ E 19°45.680’, 883 m, 0 1.06.2005, leg. KB–ZB–DM–DP: 2♂ 3Ψ, 2♂ 2Ψ (CGV); Shkodër County, Prokletije Mountains, stream along the path from Okol to Valbonë Pass, N 42°24.255’ E 19°46.483’, 895 m, 0 1.06.2005, leg. KB–ZB–DM–DP: 1♂ larva (partly prepared for SEM); Shkodër county, Prokletije Mountains, Okol, stream below Valbonë Pass, N 42°24.385’ E 19°47.917’, 1432 m, 0 1.06.2005, leg. KB–ZB– DM–DP: 1Ψ.

Leuctra metsovonica is known from Macedonia and Greece, with a dubious record from Italy ( Pardo & Zwick 1993). Albanian habitats are karstic springs and streams. The exact locality of the specimens from Korab Mountains is not known and these specimens possibly agree with the ones assigned to L. inermis by Pongrácz (1923). New for the Albanian fauna.

The species seems to be morphologically variable, as specimens from both Taygetos Mountains and Makedonia seem to be slightly different from the types collected near Metsovo ( Zwick 1978). Moreover, L. balcanica Raušer (known from Bulgaria and Macedonia) and L. quadrimaculata Kis (known from the Carpathians and from Bosnia – Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia and Bulgaria) are also very similar Balkanian species (their distribution showed on Fig 96 ). Thus, the Albanian specimens are here reported with doubts.

The male differs from the typical ones by a deeper notch in the posterior margin of tergite X. Tergite VII mostly membranous, antecosta VII strongly sclerotized and interrupted for more than a third of the segment width. Tergite IX median sclerite without any antero–medial projection, base of paraprocts more slender ( Figs 24–26 ). The female differs in the bigger median bulge which is situated more medially on the subgenital plate, and the notch between the lobes is wider than on the drawings of the types ( Figs 27–28 ). The larva is similar to other members of the inermis group and not described herein, despite that it being previously unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 96. Ditsributional maps — 96: Leuctra metsovonica, L. balcanica and L. quadrimaculata in the Balkans and the adjacent territories

FIGURES 24 – 28. Imago of Leuctra cf. metsovonica Aubert – 24: male terminalia, dorsal view; 25: male terminalia, lateral view; 26: male paraprocts, caudal view; 27: female terminalia, ventral view; 28: female terminalia, lateral view – scale 0.5 mm, Fig 26 not to scale