A comprehensive DNA barcoding reference database for Plecoptera of Switzerland.

DNA barcoding is an essential tool in modern biodiversity sciences. Despite considerable work to barcode the tree of life, many groups, including insects, remain partially or totally unreferenced, preventing barcoding from reaching its full potential. Aquatic insects, especially the three orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT), are key freshwater quality indicators worldwide. Among them, Plecoptera (stoneflies), which are among the most sensitive aquatic insects to habitat modification, play a central role in river monitoring surveys. Here, we present an update of the Plecoptera reference database for (meta)barcoding in Switzerland, now covering all 118 species known from this country. Fresh specimens, mostly from rare or localized species, were collected, and 151 new CO1 barcodes were generated. These were merged with the 422 previously published sequences, resulting in a dataset of 573 barcoded specimens. Our CO1 dataset was delimited in 115 CO1 clusters based on a priori morphological identifications, of which 17% are newly reported for Switzerland, and 4% are newly reported globally. Among the 115 CO1 clusters, 85% showed complete congruence with morphology. Distance-based analysis indicated local barcoding gaps in 97% of the CO1 clusters. This study significantly improves the Swiss reference database for stoneflies, enhancing future species identification accuracy and biodiversity monitoring. Additionally, this work reveals cryptic diversity and incongruence between morphology and barcodes, both presenting valuable opportunities for future integrative taxonomic studies. Voucher specimens, DNA extractions and reference barcodes are available for future developments, including metabarcoding and environmental DNA surveys.

Notes on the genus Dictyogenus Klaplek, 1904 (Plecoptera, Perlodidae) in the Austrian, Italian, Slovenian and Swiss Alps, with the description of six new species.

Six new species of Dictyogenus Klaplek, 1904, from the Austrian, Italian, Slovenian, and Swiss Alps, are described and illustrated from adults and nymphs. The species Dictyogenus alpinum (Pictet, 1841) and topotypical Dictyogenus fontium (Ris, 1896) are re-described.

Notes on Leuctra signifera Kempny, 1899 and Leuctra austriaca Aubert, 1954 (Plecoptera: Leuctridae), with the description of a new species.

Leuctra signifera Kempny, 1899 and Leuctra austriaca Aubert, 1954 are re-described and their taxonomical status is discussed. New country records are reported for L. austriaca from Hungary and L. signifera from Italy, Slovenia, and Hungary. A new species, Leuctra papukensis sp. n., from Croatia, is described and illustrated. The subspecies Leuctra signifera jahorinensis Kacanski, 1972 is raised to species level.

Two new species of Protonemura Kempny, 1898 (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) from Southern France.

Two new species of Protonemura Kempny, 1898, P. lupina sp. n., from the Castellane Prealps and the southern Mercantour region in the French Maritime Alps, and P. alexidis sp. n., from the southern flank of the Massif Central, are described, illustrated, and compared to their closest relative species P. risi (Jacobson Bianchi, 1905) and P. spinulosa (Navs, 1921). Information on distribution and ecological preferences of these new species is provided.

Two new species of Protonemura Kempny, 1898 (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) from the Italian Alps.

Two new species of Protonemura Kempny, 1898, P. bispina sp. n. and P. pennina sp. n., from the Eastern and Western Italian Alps, respectively, are described and illustrated. Further information on distribution and ecological preferences of these new species is provided. The species Protonemura auberti Illies, 1954 is re-described from topotypical material.

Marthamea bayae, a new species of stonefly from Algeria (Plecoptera: Perlidae).

A new species of the perlid genus Marthamea Klapálek, M. bayae sp. n. from Algeria is described and illustrated based on the morphology of adults and larvae. This is the first known record for the genus from North Africa.

Zwicknia gattolliati, a new species of stonefly from Italy (Plecoptera: Capniidae).

A new species of Zwicknia Murányi, Z. gattolliati, from northern Italy and from the Italian Abruzzo Region is described and illustrated on the basis of the morphology of male and female adults and previous molecular and drumming studies.

Stoneflies of the genus Zwicknia Murányi, 2014 (Plecoptera: Capniidae) from western Switzerland.

Le genre Zwicknia Murányi, de la famille des Capniidae, a récemment été proposé pour inclure Capnia bifrons (Newman), ce qui a rendu nécessaire la révision du matériel collecté en Suisse occidentale et identifié précédemment comme correspondant à cette espèce. Cette révision, qui a depuis abouti à la description d'une espèce nouvelle pour la science, Zwicknia ledoarei Reding et al., est maintenant complétée, permettant de signaler la présence de deux espèces supplémentaires, Z. bifrons et Z. westermanni Boumans Murányi, la dernière nouvelle pour la Suisse. Des informations sur la distribution, les préférences écologiques, la zoogéographie et le statut de conservation de ces espèces en Suisse occidentale sont également apportées. Finalement, une clé d'identification pour les larves et les adultes mâles des espèces précitées est proposée.

A new species of Zwicknia Murányi (Plecoptera, Capniidae) from the French and Swiss Jura Mountains, the French Massif Central, and the French Middle Rhône Region.

A new species of Zwicknia Murányi, Z. ledoarei sp. n., from the Jura Mountains of France and Switzerland, the French Massif Central, and the French Middle Rhône Region, is described on the basis of morphology and molecular methods. Information on the distribution and the ecological preferences of this new species is also provided.