The impact of Miocene orogeny for the diversification of Caucasian Epeorus (Caucasiron) mayflies (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae).

A common hypothesis for the high biodiversity of mountains is the diversification driven by orogeny creating conditions for rapid in situ speciation of resident lineages. The Caucasus is a young mountain system considered as a biodiversity hotspot; however, the origin and evolution of its diversity remain poorly understood. This study focuses on mayflies of the subgenus Caucasiron, one of the most diversified stenotopic mayflies inhabiting various types of streams throughout the Caucasus. Using the time-calibrated phylogeny based on two mitochondrial (COI, 16S) and three nuclear (EF-1α, wg, 28S) gene fragments, we tested the role of Caucasian orogeny in biogeography, diversification patterns, and altitudinal diversification of Caucasiron mayflies. We found that orogeny promoted the lineage diversification of Caucasiron in the Miocene. The highest diversification rate corresponding with the uplift of mountains was followed by a significant slowdown towards the present suggesting minor influence of Pleistocene climatic oscillations on the speciation. The Caucasiron lineages cluster into three principal clades originating in the Upper Miocene. We found a strong support that one of the three clades diversified via allopatric speciation in the Greater Caucasus isolated in the Parathetys Sea. The other two clades originating most likely outside the Greater Caucasus diversified towards high and low altitude, respectively, indicating possible role of climatic factors and/or passive uplift on their differentiation. Current high Caucasiron diversity in the Greater Caucasus is a result of in situ speciation and later immigration from adjacent mountain ranges after the Parathetys Sea retreat. Our phylogeny supported the monophyly of Rhithrogeninae, Epeorus s.l., Caucasiron, and Iron. Epeorus subgenus Ironopsis was found paraphyletic, with its European representatives more closely related to Epeorus s.str. than to Iron. Therefore, we re-arranged taxa treated within Ironopsis to comply with the phylogeny recovered herein.

Description of larva, redescription of adults and biology of Mortogenesia mesopotamica (Morton, 1921) (Ephemeroptera: Palingeniidae).

All life stages of Mortogenesia mesopotamica (Morton, 1921) are described, on the basis of material collected in the lower Euphrates-Tigris River basin. Adults are redescribed, and larvae are described for the first time, based on sets of larval exuviae. The monotypic genus Mortogenesia Lestage, 1923 is redefined using both adult and larval characteristics: eyes not contiguous, distinctly separated by a wide gap; vestigial mandibular tusks present, with 3-4 rounded lateral projections; forewing veins MP1 and iMP not brought together; CuA furcation absent on forewing; both claws similarly shaped in males; hind tarsi five-segmented; penes with roughly triangular, apically rounded and divergent lobes (in adults); seven conspicuous stout teeth on outer margin of mandibular tusk, with no apical spine-like setae; maxillary palps two-segmented; distal segment of labial palps asymmetric and bulbous; basal segment of labial palps densely pilose; forelegs with relatively short, triangular claws that are basally wider than tarsi; foretibiae with stout spines only; and a simple, leaf-like gill 1 (in larvae). The burrowing larvae of M. mesopotamica occur solely in large permanent lowland rivers, in clayey or muddy sediments, with particles exceeding 0.025-0.075 mm. Based on observations of their burrows, larval density is approximately 100-200 individuals per square meter. Various evidence suggests a unique phenomenon of male neoteny in Mortogenesia. Preliminary results of male dissections suggests a missing teneral adult cuticle, and male "subimagoes" and females occur simultaneously after oviposition. Mortogenesia mesopotamica is known currently from the Euphrates-Tigris basin in Iraq and from the Karkheh River in Iran.

New Oligoneuriidae (Insecta, Ephemeroptera) from Iran.

Two new species of the mayfly family Oligoneuriidae are described based on larval specimens recently collected in Iran. The first new species, Oligoneuriella tuberculata Godunko & Staniczek, sp. nov., can be distinguished from all its congeners by the presence of pronounced protuberances posteromedially on abdominal terga, highly reduced paracercus, large lamella of gill I, and setation on hind margin of middle and hind femora confined to their basal halves. The second species, Oligoneuriopsis villosus Bojková, Godunko, & Staniczek, sp. nov., remarkably belongs to a mostly Afrotropical genus. The new species clearly differs from all its congeners in the shape of setae on the surface of gills and terga, pattern of body colouration, and the shape of posterolateral projections of abdominal segments. Except for the species description, the generic diagnosis of Oligoneuriopsis Crass, 1947 is briefly discussed. COI barcode sequences of both new species are provided and molecular species delimitation is tested using distance-based and likelihood-based approaches, with both new species unambiguously recognised as separate lineages. The analysis of COI also corroborates the respective affinities of both new species, estimated based on morphology. The two new species of Oligoneuriidae described herein highlight the importance of the Middle East as a centre of diversity of this mayfly family within the Palaearctic.

Initial commented checklist of Iranian mayflies, with new area records and description of Procloeon caspicum sp. n. (Insecta, Ephemeroptera, Baetidae).

An initial checklist of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) of Iran is compiled based on critical review of available literature data, complemented with new data from 38 localities of Gilan and Ardabil provinces. At present, altogether only 46 species and 25 genera are known from Iran, 18 species are reported as new to Iran in this study. Some previously published data are critically evaluated and doubtful taxa are excluded from the list. Basic analysis of the distribution and biogeography of recorded species is given. Procloeon (Pseudocentroptilum) caspicum Sroka, sp. n. is described based on mature larva and egg. Critical differential diagnostic characters distinguishing the species from related taxa are discussed in detail.

Baetis (Baetis) cypronyx sp. n., a new species of the Baetis alpinus species-group (Insecta, Ephemeroptera, Baetidae) from Cyprus, with annotated checklist of Baetidae in the Mediterranean islands.

A detailed description of the larvae of Baetis (Baetis) cypronyx sp. n., a representative of the Baetis alpinus species-group within the mayfly family Baetidae, is provided, including a differential diagnosis with regard to closely related species of the group, especially Baetis melanonyx (Pictet, 1843) and Baetis baroukianus Thomas & Dia, 1984. The new species is mainly distinguished by mouthparts (i.e. the shape and setation of labrum, maxillary and labial palps, details of paraglossae and mandibular incisors), setation of legs and abdominal terga, and length of paracercus. All available data on the biology of this putative endemic species of Cyprus are summarized. Annotated distributional data of the 33 species of Baetidae so far recorded from the Mediterranean islands are given, including new records and also including first data from Malta.

Two new species of the genus Prosopistoma (Ephemeroptera: Prosopistomatidae) from Iraq and Algeria.

In addition to the three so far known species of Prosopistoma Latreille, 1833 from West Palaearctic region, P. pennigerum (Müller, 1785), P. oronti Alouf, 1977 and P. orhanelicum Dalkiran, 2009, two new species are described based on larvae. Prosopistoma helenae sp. n. has been found in Iraq (Tigris River in Mosul) and Prosopistoma alaini sp. n. in Algeria (Oued Isser, Sidi Abdelli). Critical distinguishing characters of all West-Palaearctic species of Prosopistoma are discussed in detail.

New species of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) from Cape Verde.

To date, no mayflies have been described from Cape Verde, an archipelago of volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Based on the material collected on two islands, Santo Antão and Santiago, two species of the genus Cloeon Leach, 1815 (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) are described based on larvae and imagines. Cloeon morna sp. n., collected in Santo Antão, and C. sidadi sp. n., collected in Santiago, have 3-segmented maxillary palps and tapered labial palps of larvae. The new species can be distinguished from each other and from other West-African species of the genus mainly according to details of the lateral spines on larval abdominal segments and characteristic colourations of vitta and terga in female imagines and colours of male turbinate eyes. Affinities to the West African species of the genus are discussed.

Redescription of Ecdyonurus (Ecdyonurus) russevi Braasch & Soldán, 1985 (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae).

This study is focussed on the redescription of Ecdyonurus (Ecdyonurus) russevi Braasch & Soldán on the basis of the type material (holotype and paratypes) and topotypes collected in the Strandzha Mts. (Bulgaria). Female imago and subimago, larva and egg of the species are described for the first time and the male imago is redescribed in detail. The features distinguishing the species from other representatives of the genus Ecdyonurus are presented. Ecdyonurus russevi differs by the combination of several characters in the colour pattern of abdominal terga and wings, colour of lateral portion of male eyes and male genitalia structure in adults; some overlap has been observed in the number of groups of setae, bristles and hair-like setae on maxillae and labial palps, shape of pronotal projection and colour of tarsi in larvae; and insignificant number of knob-terminated coiled threads on exochorion, with only a few such attachment elements on one pole in eggs. Biology and present distribution of the species are discussed. 

New species of the genus Oligoneuriella Ulmer, 1924 (Ephemeroptera: Oligoneuriidae) from Turkey.

Three new species of the genus Oligoneuriella Ulmer, 1924 from Turkey are described, namely Oligoneuriella magna sp. nov., Oligoneuriella paulopilosa sp. nov. and Oligoneuriella pectinata sp. nov. Differential diagnostic characters are given with regard to the previously known Oligoneuriella species. Data on the affinities, biology, and distribution of the new species are also provided. New morphological characters (setation of mouthparts and gill plates) potentially useful for the taxonomy of the genus are introduced.

The fecundity and long-term variability in abundance of noctuid moths (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae).

The relationship between fecundity and long-term adult fluctuations of 29 temperate noctuid moths was investigated and is explained in terms of the r- and K-selection strategies. The potential population growth rate per year (PGR) and the "rate of return to equilibrium" (sensu Pimm 1982) have been calculated and correlated with generation-to-generation fluctuations. A highly significant correlation was found between PGR and the coefficient of generation-to-generation variation. The r-strategy species possess the highest PGR, the highest generation-to-generation coefficient of variation and their larvae are polyphagous. Species with typical features of K-strategists exhibit the lowest PGR values and the lowest generation-to-generation coefficients of variation. Their larvae seem to be exclusively oligophagous.

Long-term studies (1871-2000) on acidification and recovery of lakes in the Bohemian Forest (central Europe).

This paper evaluates long-term changes in the atmospheric depositions of S and N compounds, lake water quality, and biodiversity at eight glacial lakes in the Bohemian Forest over the past 130 years. This time interval covers (i) the 'background' pre-acidification status of the lakes, (ii) a period of changes in the communities that can be partly explained by introduction of fish, (iii) a period of strong lake acidification with its adverse impacts on the communities, (iv) the lake reversal from acidity, which includes the recent status of the lakes. The lake water chemistry has followed-with a characteristic hysteresis-both the sharp increase and decline in the deposition trends of strong anions. Remarkable changes in biota have mirrored the changing water quality. Fish became extinct and most species of zooplankton (Crustacea) and benthos (Ephemeroptera and Plecoptera) retreated due to the lake water acidification. Independent of ongoing chemical reversal, microorganisms remain dominant in the recent plankton biomass as well as in controlling the pelagic food webs. The first signs of the forthcoming biological recovery have already been evidenced in some lakes, such as the population of Ceriodaphnia quadrangula (Cladocera) returning into the pelagial of one lake or the increase in both phytoplankton biomass and rotifer numbers in another lake.