Epeorus (Caucasiron) sinitshenkovae (Braasch & Zimmerman, 1979)

Hrivniak, Ľubos, Sroka, Pavel, Bojkova, Jindriska & Godunko, Roman J., 2020, Identification guide to larvae of Caucasian Epeorus (Caucasiron) (Ephemeroptera, Heptageniidae), ZooKeys 986, pp. 1-53 : 1

Epeorus (Caucasiron) sinitshenkovae (Braasch & Zimmerman, 1979) Figs 24 , 25 , 26

Iron sinitshenkovae Braasch & Zimmermann, 1979

Epeorus (Iron) sinitshenkovae (Braasch & Zimmermann, 1979); in Kluge (1995)

Epeorus (Caucasiron) sinitshenkovae (Braasch & Zimmermann, 1979); in Kluge (2004)

Type locality.

Russia, the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, central Greater Caucasus, right tributary of Dongoserun (Donguz-Orun-Baksan) River (2100 m a.s.l.).

Distribution.

Georgia, south-western Russia. Species endemic to the Greater Caucasus (Fig. 24 ).

Habitat.

Larvae inhabit small streams and rivers at middle and high altitude in the western and central Greater Caucasus. Altitudinal range of sampling sites 760-2580 m a.s.l. (Fig. 24 ). Most frequently found above 1800 m a.s.l. Often syntopic with E. (C.) alpestris and at lower altitude with E. (C.) soldani .

Main morphological diagnostics of larvae.

(i) abdominal terga V-VII with narrowed triangular medial macula and a pair of anterolateral spots (Fig. 25H ; arrows); (ii) abdominal sterna without coloration pattern (Fig. 25B, I ); (iii) femora without medial hypodermal spot (Fig. 25F, G ); (iv) gill plates VII (in natural position from ventral view) narrow (Figs 25J , 26H-K ); (v) gill plates III with poorly developed projection (Fig. 26G ); (vi) setae on abdominal terga not distinctly wide at base, often elongated (Fig. 26E ); (vii) tergum X without postero-lateral projections (Fig. 26L ).

Remarks.

Taxonomy. Original description based on male imago and larva from the Greater Caucasus ( Braasch and Zimmermann 1979). The type series is currently deposited in SMNS. Female imago not described in detail. The association of imagines and larvae based on the colour pattern of abdominal terga and sterna in material from the same locality.

Figures

Figure 24. Geographical (left) and vertical (right) distribution of Epeorus (Caucasiron) sinitshenkovae.

Figure 25. Epeorus (Caucasiron) sinitshenkovae, larva: A habitus in dorsal view B habitus in ventral view C habitus in lateral view D head of male in dorsal view E head of female in dorsal view F, G middle leg in dorsal view H abdominal terga (arrows point on anterolateral spots) I abdominal sterna II-VI J gills VII (in natural position from ventral view).

Figure 26. Epeorus (Caucasiron) sinitshenkovae, larva: A labrum (left half in dorsal view right half in ventral view) B incisors of left mandible C incisors of right mandible D setae on dorsal surface of femora E surface and posterior margin of abdominal tergum VII with detail of slightly widened elongated seta F gill I G gill III H gill VII (flattened on slide) I-K gill VII (in natural position from ventral view) variability in shape L abdominal segments VIII-X in lateral view M sternum IX of female.