John C.
1
Morse ,
W. Patrick
2
McCafferty ,
Bill P.
3
Stark ,
Ralph W.
4
Holzenthal ,
Luke M.
5
Jacobus
and Nick A.
6
Wiersema
1Clemson
University, Clemson, SC, USA, jmorse@clemson.edu ,2Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA, mccaffer@purdue.edu , 3Mississippi College, Clinton, MS, USA, stark@mc.edu ,
4University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA, holze001@tc.umn.edu , 5Indiana University Purdue University Columbus, Columbus, IN, USA, lmjacobu@iupuc.edu , 6NA Wiersema Environmental Consulting LLC, Austin, TX, USA, nawiersema@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
EPHEMEROPTERA
PLECOPTERA
TRICHOPTERA
Species diversity of mayflies, stoneflies,
and caddisflies (Ephemeroptera,
Plecoptera, and Trichoptera, respectively,
or EPT) in the southeastern United States
is high, with at least 279 species of
mayflies, 267 species of stoneflies, and
651 species of caddisflies known or likely
to occur in EPA Region 4 (Alabama, Florida,
Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North
Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee).
Larvae of 265 mayfly species (95%), 166
stonefly species (62%), and 294 caddisfly
species (45%) are sufficiently known to
permit at least tentative identification with
diagnostic keys. An illustrated guide to
larvae of these identifiable species will
soon be available. In this work,
identification is facilitated with
dichotomous keys, with supporting
illustrations generally on the same page as
the diagnostic text or on an adjacent page.
Keys for southeastern EPT species of
larvae in several genera are provided for
the first time. Benthologists studying
faunas in nearby states also will likely find
these keys useful. The work will be
available from Clemson University Public
Service Publishing
http://www.clemson.edu/psapublishing/
W.P. McCafferty, L.M. Jacobus and N.A.
Wiersema
B.P. Stark
J.C. Morse and R.W. Holzenthal
The order Plecoptera includes
approximately 3350 extant world species
of stoneflies placed in 16 families (DeWalt
et al. 2010; Stark et al. 2009). In the
Southeast, all nine North American
families and 267 species are known.
Of the 1,455 species of caddisflies known from
the North American continent north of Mexico
(Morse 2011), 651 species (44%) have been
reported from in or near the southeastern
states, representing 23 of the 27 North
American families.
PERLIDAE, Acroneuria spp. (Modified from Hitchcock, 1974.
Characters based primarily on pigment patterns are
available for 11 of 16 regional species.)
BRACHYCENTRIDAE, Micrasema spp. (Modified from Chapin,
1978)
With respect to mayflies, the southeastern
United States is by far the richest and most
diverse area of such size in the world. The
approximately 279 species in the area
(McCafferty et al. 2010) represent over half
of those known from the United States and
very nearly half of those known from the
entire North American continent
(McCafferty 2011).
CAENIDAE, Caenis spp.
97(37’) Anal gills present on paraprocts (Fig. 3.220) . . . . .98
97’ Anal gills absent from paraprocts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
108(103) Dorsal face of forefemora with transverse row
of spatulate setae in distal half (e.g., Fig. 2.209); posterior
margin of abdominal sternum 9 strongly to barely
notched medially (Figs. 2.210, 2.211); abdominal terga 9
and 10 without triad of black dots; abdominal sterna
without submedian pairs of black dots . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
108’ Dorsal face of forefemora with scattered simple
setae only (e.g., Fig. 2.212); posterior margin of
abdominal sternum 9 convexly rounded or straight (Figs.
2.213, 2.214); abdominal terga 9 and 10 usually with triad
of black dots; abdominal sterna often with pairs of
submedian black dots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
98(97) M-line on head interrupted by dark pigment
separating pale band into three pale spots (Fig. 3.221), or
head almost completely dark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
98’ M-line on head complete (Fig. 3.222) . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
109(108) Middle third of caudal filaments (tails) with
whorls of short setae on every second or third segment,
with setae much shorter than distance between base of
whorls (Fig. 2.215) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Caenis anceps
109’ Middle third of caudal filaments with long lateral
setae on every segment, with setae much longer than
distance between their bases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
100(98’) Abdominal terga with broad, pale basal and
narrow, dark apical pigment bands (Fig. 3.224);
predator/engulfers; clingers; CT, KY, IA, MB, ME, MI, MN, NB,
NC, ND, NS, NY, OH, ON, PA, PQ, SK, TN, VA, WI, WV . . . . . . .
Fig. 4.111
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Acroneuria lycorias
100’ Abdominal terga generally with dark basal and pale
apical pigment bands (Fig. 3.225) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
99(98) Abdominal terga without distinctive pigment bands;
predator/engulfers; clingers; AL, AR, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, LA,
MO, MS, OH, OK, PA, WV . . . . . . . . . . . . Acroneuria evoluta
99’ Most abdominal terga with an incomplete, narrow, pale
basal band (Fig. 3.223); predator/engulfers; clingers; AL, CT,
DC, DE, FL, GA, LA, MA, MD, ME, MS, NC, NJ, NY, PA, PQ, SC,
TX, VA, WV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Acroneuria arenosa
39(38) Ventral apotome longer than broad (Fig. 4.115); head
dark brown, muscle scars not apparent (Fig. 4.117); case
curved, typically of silk but may incorporate some sand (Fig.
4.118); springs and small cold streams of Appalachian
Mountains of NY, VA, and GA, NC, SC, TN . . .Micrasema burksi
39’ Ventral apotome broader than long (Fig. 4.114); head, case,
and habitat variable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Fig. 4.114
INTRODUCTION
The work of Brigham et al. (1982) included
species-level identification aids for larvae of
mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies in the
Carolinas, USA. It revealed the limits of our
knowledge for species diagnosis at that time
and stimulated considerable subsequent
research to fill the gaps. We are preparing
keys to synthesize diagnostic characters
discovered and described in the past 30 years
for EPT species occurring or likely to occur in
the Southeast. Keys identify EPT larvae to
family, genus, and species. Illustrations are
original or borrowed.
38(25’) Mesonotal sclerites partially or completely divided into
4 plates (Figs. 4.111, 4.112); ventral apotome rectangular,
broader than long (Figs. 4.114) or longer than broad (Fig.
4.115); east of Great Plains
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Micrasema rusticum Group, 39
38’ Mesonotal sclerites entire, consisting of 2 plates (Fig.
4.113); ventral apotome trapezoidal (Fig. 4.116); small cold
streams, typically in Fontinalis mats grazing on moss leaves and
detritus; QC to NB and south to NC and SC . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Micrasema sprulesi
Fig. 4.112
Fig. 4.115 Fig. 4.116
Fig. 4.113
Fig. 4.117
Fig. 4.118
REFERENCES CITED
Fig. 2.210
Fig. 2.209
Fig. 2.211
Fig. 3.220
Fig. 2.214
Fig. 2.215
Fig. 3.222
Fig. 2.212
Fig. 3.223
Fig. 2.213
Fig. 3.221
Fig. 3.224
Fig. 3.225
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Brigham, A.R., Brigham, W.U. & Gnilka, A. (Eds.) 1982. Aquatic insects and
oligochaetes of North and South Carolina. Midwest Aquatic Enterprises,
Mahomet, Illinois. 837 pp.
Chapin, J.W. 1978. Systematics of Nearctic Micrasema (Trichoptera: Brachycentridae).
Ph.D. dissertation, Clemson University, Clemson, SC. 136 pp.
DeWalt, R. E., Neu-Becker, U., and Steuber, G. 2010. Plecoptera species file online
.Version 1.1/4.0. Available from http://Plecoptera.SpeciesFile.org/HomePage.aspx
(accessed 23 July 2010).
Hitchcock, S. W. 1974. Guide to the insects of Connecticut. Part VII. The Plecoptera or
stoneflies of Connecticut. State Geological and Natural History Survey of
Connecticut, 107:1-262.
McCafferty, W. P. 2011. North American mayfly list. Available from
http://www.entm.purdue.edu/mayfly/ (accessed 1 August 2011).
McCafferty, W. P., D. R. Lenat, L. M. Jacobus, and M. D. Meyer. 2010. The mayflies
(Ephemeroptera) of the southeastern United States. Transactions of the
Entomological Society of America 136: 221-233.
Morse, J.C. 2011. The Trichoptera World Checklist. Pp. 372-380 in K. Majecka, J.
Majecki, & J. Morse (Eds.), Proceedings of the 13th International Symposium on
Trichoptera, Zoosymposia 5. 512 pp.
Stark, B. P., Baumann, R. W., and DeWalt, R. E. 2009. Valid stonefly names for North
America. Updated as of March 19, 2009. Available from
http://plsa.inhs.uiuc.edu/plecoptera/ (accessed 23 October 2009).