New species and notes on Microveliinae from northern South America (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae).

Euvelia mazzucconiae sp. nov., from northern Colombia is described, illustrated, and included in an updated identification key to the species of the genus. A map with the known geographical distribution of the species of Euvelia is presented. Additionally, two species from Colombia previously placed in the genus Paravelia are transferred to Microvelia and a species of the latter genus is synonymized, such that Paravelia acantha Padilla-Gil, 2013 = Microvelia acantha (Padilla-Gil, 2013) comb. nov., Paravelia fanera Padilla-Gil, 2013 = Microvelia fanera (Padilla-Gil, 2013) comb. nov., and Microvelia amrishi Makhan 2014 = Microvelia mimula White 1879 syn. nov.

A new species and notes on Perlidae (Plecoptera) from Paraná and Santa Catarina States, southern Brazil.

Specimens of Perlidae (Plecoptera) deposited in the Entomological Collection "Padre Jesus S. Moure" of the Universidade Federal do Paraná and additional material recently collected in Paraná and Santa Catarina states, Brazil were studied. Six previously described species were identified, Anacroneuria debilis (Pictet, 1841), A. cathia Froehlich, 2002, A. polita (Burmeister, 1839), A. trimacula Jewett, 1959, Kempnyia neotropica (Jacoson and Bianchi, 1905) and K. colossica (Navás, 1934). Additionally, a new species, Anacroneuria iguazu n. sp is described.

Perlidae (plecoptera) from southeastern Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil.

Seven species of Perlidae (Plecoptera) from southeastern Santa Catarina State, (Brazil) were studied: Anacroneuria fiorentini De Ribeiro & Froehlich, A. ofaye Froehlich, A. trimacula Jewett, Kempnyia mirim Froehlich, K. neotropica (Jacobson & Bianchi), and K. tenebrosa Klapálek. A new species, A. xokleng is also described.  

Two new species and a new record of Anacroneuria (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from Central Brazil.

We studied specimens of Anacroneuria (Plecoptera: Perlidae) collected from the region of Goiás City, Goiás State, Brazil. Two new species of Anacroneuria, A. meloi Bispo & Novaes and A. corae Bispo & Novaes are described and A. debilis (Pictet) is recorded for the first time from Goiás State.

A synopsis of the genus Cylindrostethus Fieber 1861 (Insecta: Hemiptera: Gerridae).

Cylindrostethus Fieber, 1861 is one of the most striking genera of water striders (Insecta: Hemiptera: Gerridae) and has Pantropical distribution. Members of this group can be recognized by the very long, cylindrical body; the short antennomere IV; the short labium not reaching the mesosternum; and by characteristics of the abdomen of males and females. Although Neotropical representatives of the genus have been revised, there are pending taxonomic issues related to this fauna, and that of the Eastern Hemisphere has been barely studied in recent years. Here, we present a short note about the authorship of Cylindrostethus, an updated key to all species of the genus, a new synonymy, and the description of a previously unknown macropterous male of C. hungerfordi Drake and Harris.

New species and records of Anacroneuria (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.

Six species of Anacroneuria are recorded from Parque Nacional do Itatiaia and Bacia do Rio Macaé, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil including the description of a new species, A. itatiaiensis. Anacroneuria debilis (Pictet) is redescribed from newly collected specimens. Comments on other Anacroneuria species from Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil are also presented.

Revision of Potamobates Champion, 1898 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gerridae) and description of a new genus for P. thomasi Hungerford, 1937.

Potamobates Champion, 1898 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gerridae) heretofore included 18 species distributed from southern Mexico to Peru. They display a distinct morphology, especially regarding the projections of abdominal segment VIII. Specific identification and delimitation are difficult, and the genus lacks a thorough revision and evaluation of inter- and intraspecific variation. Here, we revise Potamobates, redescribe and/or illustrate known species, and describe P. molanoi Floriano and Moreira, sp. nov. and Brailovskybates Floriano and Moreira, gen. nov. The new genus is erected for P. thomasi Hungerford, 1937 and is characterized by the following features: (1) abdomen elongated, longer than the mesothorax; (2) abdominal spiracles positioned at the center of the segments; (3) male abdominal segment VIII without projections; (4) male pygophore and proctiger not rotated in relation to the longitudinal axis of the body; (5) female abdominal tergum VIII subequal in length and width; (6) and posterior margin of female abdominal sternum VII not produced medially, with a pair of lateral projections.

Taxonomic Revision, Morphology and Natural History of the Stick Insect Genus Xerosoma Serville, 1831 (Insecta: Phasmatodea).

Stick insects (Phasmatodea) are quite diverse in the Neotropical region. Among them, Xerosoma Serville belongs to Pseudophasmatidae and comprises winged, roughly brownish phasmids that resemble bark or dry branches and inhabit the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. In this study, we present a redescription and revision of the genus that include three valid species, Xerosoma canaliculatum, Xerosoma michaelis, and Xerosoma nannospinus sp. nov. Xerosoma senticosum syn. nov. was found to be a junior synonym of X. canaliculatum. We also provide an identification key and geographic records for these three species. Additionally, we present a detailed study on the morphology and natural history of X. canaliculatum with the description of its nymphal stages, egg, male genitalia, ontogeny, oviposition method, life habits, defense mechanisms, mating behavior, and other aspects regarding its biology. The study also highlights the shortcomings related to the classification of Xerosomatinae, since its tribes find themselves without proper characterization and contain heterogeneous genera. We expect to provide a basis for a proper diagnosis of Xerosomatinae and encourage future studies on this group, as there is still much to be discovered about this lineage of Neotropical stick insects.

Systematic revision and phylogeny of Paragripopteryx Enderlein, 1909 (Plecoptera: Gripopterygidae).

Among the Neotropical gripopterygids, the genus Paragripopteryx occurs along the Brazilian Atlantic coast to Uruguay. Since its first recognition by Enderlein in 1909, the genus underwent a confusing taxonomic history with some combinations. In this study, we aim to revise Paragripopteryx and present the first morphology-based phylogeny for the genus. The analysis comprised 38 morphological characters and their respective states in 30 terminal taxa, including 13 Paragripopteryx species, two new species identified as belonging to Paragripopteryx, and 15 outgroup species, among which we can highlight 12 different South American genera and one Australian genus of Gripopterygidae. The cladistic analysis yielded a parsimonious tree for k = 3 (137 steps, consistency index = 0.445, and retention index = 0.591) where most Paragripopteryx are nested, except for Uruguayan Paragripopteryx munoai. We can then infer that in its current circumscription Paragripopteryx is polyphyletic. The following two species are described: Paragripopteryx dasalmas sp. nov. and Paragripopteryx ogum sp. nov. Paragripopteryx baratinii is designated as a nomen dubium. Additionally, we provide a key for species identification, updated geographical records, and illustrations for all species. As a corollary, our study gathers relevant morphological information that can help to better understand this genus and create foundations for the next steps.

Perlidae (Plecoptera) from the Paranapiacaba Mountains, Atlantic Forest, Brazil: Diversity and implications of the integrative approach and teneral specimens on taxonomy.

The study of complementary sources of biological variation (e.g. morphological, molecular) has allowed a better understanding of biodiversity through the construction of an integrative taxonomy. Using this approach, specimens from the Paranapiacaba Mountains, southeastern Brazil, were studied to update the knowledge on the stonefly family Perlidae from the region, characterize the species, and make associations between nymphs and adults using a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. The study also discusses the implications of integrative taxonomy and teneral specimens for the study of South American Perlidae. The molecular data were analyzed using Bayesian inference, Neighbor-joining, and delimiting species methods. Our results revealed that, in general, there was a morphological and molecular congruence between species. In the Paranapiacaba Mountains, three genera and 15 species were recorded: Anacroneuria boraceiensis Froehlich 2004, A. debilis (Pictet 1841) (new record), A. fiorentini De Ribeiro and Froehlich 2007 (new record), A. flintorum Froehlich 2002, A. iporanga Bispo and Froehlich 2004, A. itajaimirim Bispo and Froehlich 2004, A. polita (Burmeister 1913), A. subcostalis Klapálek 1921, A. tupi Bispo and Froehlich 2004 (with a description of the nymph), Kempnyia auberti Froehlich 1996, K. colossica (Navás 1934), K. flava Klapálek 1916, K. neotropica (Jacobson and Bianchi 1905) (including its new junior synonym K. petersorum Froehlich 1996), Kempnyia sp., and Macrogynoplax veneranda Froehlich 1984. COI sequences were obtained for 11 species, five of which had nymphs associated with adults. Among the five associated nymphs, the nymph of A. tupi is described here. The results of this study indicate that the color of adult teneral specimens differs from that of mature specimens. Given this, the synonym of K. neotropica and K. petersorum was proposed since these species have high morphological and molecular similarities and differ only in color patterns. In addition, the previous record of A. petersi Froehlich 2002 from the Paranapiacaba Mountains was invalidated since it was considered a teneral specimen of A. flintorum. These results suggest that the development of an integrative taxonomy is essential to continue advancing the study of Perlidae diversity in South America.

Five new species of Tupiperla Froehlich, 1969 (Plecoptera: Gripopterygidae).

The stoneflies of the family Gripopterygidae have a Gondwanan distribution (Australian, Neotropical, and Andean regions) and include about 300 species in five recognized subfamilies. The subfamily Gripopteryginae is restricted to the Neotropics and the Andean regions of South America, including 15 genera and about 80 species. Tupiperla Froehlich, with 20 species, is the largest genus among the South American Gripopteryginae. The genus has been recorded from Brazil, Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina. In Brazil, Tupiperla has been recorded from southern, southeastern, and the mountainous areas of central and northeastern, primarily from streams of the Atlantic Forest. We studied specimens of Tupiperla collected from the Atlantic Forest of southern Brazil. Herein, five new species of Tupiperla are described: T. pinhoi sp. nov., T. serrulata sp. nov., T. pessacqi sp. nov., T. ubuntu sp. nov., and T. zwicki sp. nov.

Anacroneuria iporanga (Plecoptera: Perlidae): description of the nymph and biological notes.

The Neotropical stonefly genus Anacroneuria (Perlidae) is represented by approximately 80 species in Brazil, but the nymphs of only 11 of these species have been associated and described. In this paper, we describe the previously unknown nymph of A. iporanga from Intervales State Park, São Paulo State, Brazil and present biological observations for this species.

Anacroneuria flintorum Froehlich 2002 (Plecoptera: Perlidae): Notes, distribution, and life stages association using molecular tools.

Specimens of the perlid stonefly Anacroneuria flintorum from different regions of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest along the Atlantic coast of Brazil were studied. In this paper, the nymph of A. flintorum is described based on reared specimens and molecular associations. Additionally, we provide new locality records and comments about variation of the species.

LEAq - Laboratório de Entomologia Aquática "Prof. Claudio Gilberto Froehlich" and the task of facing the biodiversity knowledge deficits on Caddisflies (Trichoptera), Bahia, Brazil

ABSTRACT Insects are fundamental to biodiversity conservation in almost all ecosystems, and their population decline, and extinction directly result from environmental impacts. These facts are aggravated by the lack of knowledge of insect biodiversity, the so-called biodiversity deficits, especially the Linnean and Wallacean shortfalls. In freshwater ecosystems, biodiversity loss is higher among aquatic insects, and caddisflies comprise one of the most vulnerable orders. In this way, research focusing on describing new caddisfly species and understanding their distribution ranges will increase knowledge of caddisfly biodiversity. In the past 14 years, the team from the Laboratório de Entomologia Aquática "Prof. Dr. Claudio Gilberto Froehlich" (LEAq, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Brazil) and collaborators have been addressing these issues, resulting in 55 described species of caddisflies. Taxa in other insect orders have also received attention and an additional 16 species have been described (eight mayflies, four stoneflies, four neuropteran spongillaflies, and antlions). Here, eight caddisfly species are described and illustrated (Atopsyche froehlichi sp. nov., Austrotinodes zeferina sp. nov., Cernotina kariri sp. nov., Neoathripsodes froehlichi sp. nov., Notalina claudiofroehlichi sp. nov., Oecetis marcus sp. nov., Phylloicus froehlichi sp. nov., and Polycentropus claudioi sp. nov.), five of them in honor of LEAq's patron. In addition, new distributional data are presented for 10 known species. A checklist of the caddisfly fauna of Bahia state is also presented, with 138 species, around 75% and 30% of them recorded and described by the LEAq team, respectively. Currently, for caddisflies, Bahia is the fifth most species-rich state in Brazil, and the first in the Brazilian Northeast region.

Drivers of metacommunity structure diverge for common and rare Amazonian tree species.

We analysed the flora of 46 forest inventory plots (25 m x 100 m) in old growth forests from the Amazonian region to identify the role of environmental (topographic) and spatial variables (obtained using PCNM, Principal Coordinates of Neighbourhood Matrix analysis) for common and rare species. For the analyses, we used multiple partial regression to partition the specific effects of the topographic and spatial variables on the univariate data (standardised richness, total abundance and total biomass) and partial RDA (Redundancy Analysis) to partition these effects on composition (multivariate data) based on incidence, abundance and biomass. The different attributes (richness, abundance, biomass and composition based on incidence, abundance and biomass) used to study this metacommunity responded differently to environmental and spatial processes. Considering standardised richness, total abundance (univariate) and composition based on biomass, the results for common species differed from those obtained for all species. On the other hand, for total biomass (univariate) and for compositions based on incidence and abundance, there was a correspondence between the data obtained for the total community and for common species. Our data also show that in general, environmental and/or spatial components are important to explain the variability in tree communities for total and common species. However, with the exception of the total abundance, the environmental and spatial variables measured were insufficient to explain the attributes of the communities of rare species. These results indicate that predicting the attributes of rare tree species communities based on environmental and spatial variables is a substantial challenge. As the spatial component was relevant for several community attributes, our results demonstrate the importance of using a metacommunities approach when attempting to understand the main ecological processes underlying the diversity of tropical forest communities.

A new species of Anacroneuria Klapálek 1909 (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from Espírito Santo State, southeastern Brazil and comments on additional species.

Specimens of Perlidae (Plecoptera) from Espírito Santo State in southeastern Brazil were studied. A new species, Anacroneuria ruschii n. sp. is described. Brief remarks on A. debilis (Pictet) and Kempnyia neotropica (Jacobson & Bianchi) are also presented.

A new species of Mesovelia (Heteroptera: Gerromorpha: Mesoveliidae) from South America, with identification key and notes on Colombian species.

Mesovelia tuberculata sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on material from the Pacific Region of Colombia. It can be recognized by the following characters of the male: mesofemur without a row of spinules; posterior margin of abdominal tergum VIII with a weak notch; abdominal pleuron VIII with an anterodorsal tubercle; abdominal sternum VI with the posteromedian projection rounded and fringed with black spinules; and paramere with margins converging and apex single. In addition, we present data concerning M. zeteki Harris & Drake and M. mulsanti White, and an identification key to species of Mesoveliidae from Colombia.

Predictive Models of Primary Tropical Forest Structure from Geomorphometric Variables Based on SRTM in the Tapajós Region, Brazilian Amazon.

Surveying primary tropical forest over large regions is challenging. Indirect methods of relating terrain information or other external spatial datasets to forest biophysical parameters can provide forest structural maps at large scales but the inherent uncertainties need to be evaluated fully. The goal of the present study was to evaluate relief characteristics, measured through geomorphometric variables, as predictors of forest structural characteristics such as average tree basal area (BA) and height (H) and average percentage canopy openness (CO). Our hypothesis is that geomorphometric variables are good predictors of the structure of primary tropical forest, even in areas, with low altitude variation. The study was performed at the Tapajós National Forest, located in the Western State of Pará, Brazil. Forty-three plots were sampled. Predictive models for BA, H and CO were parameterized based on geomorphometric variables using multiple linear regression. Validation of the models with nine independent sample plots revealed a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 3.73 m2/ha (20%) for BA, 1.70 m (12%) for H, and 1.78% (21%) for CO. The coefficient of determination between observed and predicted values were r2 = 0.32 for CO, r2 = 0.26 for H and r2 = 0.52 for BA. The models obtained were able to adequately estimate BA and CO. In summary, it can be concluded that relief variables are good predictors of vegetation structure and enable the creation of forest structure maps in primary tropical rainforest with an acceptable uncertainty.

Description of the nymph of Anacroneuria singularis Righi-Cavallaro & Lecci (Plecoptera: Perlidae) and a new locality record for northern Brazil.

The last instar nymph of Anacroneuria singularis Righi-Cavallaro & Lecci is described and figured from reared specimens collected in Pará State, Brazil, a new locality record for Brazil. The nymphs of this species differ from other known species by the uniformly dark brown anterior of the head and the ochraceous spots of the pronotum.

Plecoptera from Minas Gerais State, southeastern Brazil.

Specimens of Plecoptera collected in Minas Gerais State, Brazil were studied. Twelve previously described species were identified, Anacroneuria boraceiensis Froehlich, 2004, A. debilis (Pictet, 1841), A. itatiaiensis Baldin et al., 2013, A. polita (Burmeister, 1839), A. singularis Righi-Cavallaro & Lecci, 2010, A. stanjewetti Froehlich, 2002, A. terere Righi-Cavallaro & Lecci, 2010, A. vanini Froehlich, 2004, Kempnyia neotropica (Jacobson and Bianchi, 1905), K. obtusa Klapálek, 1916, Tupiperla gracilis (Burmeister, 1839) and T. robusta Froehlich, 1998. Additionally, two new species of Anacroneuria are described, A. paprockii n. sp. and A. mineira n. sp., and a list of species from Minas Gerais State is presented.