Distribution patterns of Ohio stoneflies, with an emphasis on rare and uncommon species.

Presently, 102 stonefly species (Plecoptera) have been reported from Ohio. All 9 Nearctic families are represented. Over 90% of the fauna exhibit a combination of broad Nearctic-widespread, eastern Nearctic-widespread, Appalachian, and eastern Nearctic-unglaciated distributions. In contrast, only 2 species display a central Nearctic-Prairie distribution. Seven species of Perlidae are likely no longer present (Acroneuria evoluta Klapálek, A. perplexa Frison, Attaneuria ruralis (Hagen), and Neoperla mainensis Banks) or have experienced marked range reductions (Acroneuria abnormis (Newman), A. frisoni Stark and Brown, and A. filicis Frison). Another nearly 31% of the fauna (32 species) are rare, uncommon, or have highly-limited distributions within the state. Twelve of these species have Appalachian distributions, and an additional 8 have eastern Nearctic-unglaciated distributions. The distributional status for each of the 32 rare/uncommon species is discussed.

The Nemourinae (Insecta, Nemouridae) of the eastern Nearctic.

Morphology-based concepts of the 26 eastern Nearctic species of the subfamily Nemourinae (Insecta, Nemouridae) Billberg, 1820 are reviewed. Nemourinae is represented in this region by Nemoura Latrielle, 1796, Ostrocerca Ricker, 1952, Paranemoura Needham & Claassen, 1925, Podmosta Ricker, 1952, Prostoia Ricker, 1952, Shipsa Ricker, 1952, Soyedina Ricker, 1952, and Zapada Ricker, 1952. Wing venation and patterns of mottling are depicted with standard light microscopy. Diagnostic external reproductive structures are emphasized with line drawings, scanning electron microscopy, and standard light microscopy. A genus-level key to male and female adults is included. Species-level keys for Ostrocerca, Paranemoura, Prostoia, Soyedina, and Zapada are also provided.

Systematics of eastern Nearctic Leuctra moha Ricker, 1952 with notes on L. hicksi Harrison amp; Stark, 2010 (Plecoptera: Leuctridae).

The female of eastern Nearctic Leuctra moha Ricker, 1952 is formally described for the first time. The identity of the female was confirmed with tree- and genetic distance-based phylogenetic methods. An emended description is also provided for the male. Digital images for both sexes are provided with scanning electronic and standard light microscopy. The female once tentatively associated with the male of L. moha is illustrated using standard light microscopy and refers to L. hicksi Harrison Stark, 2010. An updated distribution map is provided for both species.

Alloperla clarki sp. nov. (Plecoptera: Chloroperlidae), a new species from the eastern Nearctic with discussion of a new species group.

Alloperla Banks, 1906 (Plecoptera: Chloroperlidae) is a speciose genus of spring- and summer-emergent stoneflies known from the Oriental, eastern Palearctic, and Nearctic realms. Over 50 species are currently recognized. Alloperla clarki sp. nov. is described herein from the adult male stage from a small geographic area in the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia and West Virginia, USA. Diagnostic characters are presented with scanning electron microscope (SEM) photomicrographs. Alloperla clarki sp. nov. most closely resembles A. biserrata Nelson Kondratieff, 1980, A. nanina Banks, 1911, and A. stipitata Surdick, 2004. These four species share similar characteristics of the male epiproct and appear to comprise a species group. The Alloperla nanina Group is formally proposed. Comparative SEM images are also provided for A. biserrata, A. nanina, and A. stipitata to assist with differentiating between these four species.

Soyedina Ricker, 1952 (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) in the eastern Nearctic: review of species concepts, proposed morphology-based species groups, and description of a new species from North Carolina.

The eastern Nearctic species of the genus Soyedina Ricker, 1952 (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) are reviewed. Two morphology-based species groups are proposed based on epiproct characteristics. Soyedina sheldoni sp. nov. is described from the southern Appalachian Highland region of western North Carolina. A distribution map and a dichotomous key to all nine Nearctic species are provided.

Perlesta armitagei n. sp. (Plecoptera: Perlidae): More cryptic diversity in darkly pigmented Perlesta from the eastern Nearctic.

Perlesta Banks, 1906 (Plecoptera: Perlidae) is a genus of small, summer-emergent stoneflies known primarily from the eastern Nearctic. Thirty-two species are currently recognized, including two from China and nymphs have been reported from Costa Rica. We report here on some cryptic diversity within a small group of Perlesta with dark wings and bodies. Perlesta armitagei sp. nov. is described from the adult male, adult female, and egg. Diagnostic characters are presented with light microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) photomicrographs. Perlesta armitagei sp. nov. most closely resembles P. browni Stark, 1989 and P. cinctipes (Banks, 1905), two species distributed mainly within the Interior Highland Region. Perlesta armitagei sp. nov. is known currently within the Ohio River drainage from Indiana eastward to western Pennsylvania and southward into central Kentucky. Comparative light microscope and SEM images are also provided for P. adena Stark, 1989, P. browni, P. cinctipes, and P. xube Stark and Rhodes, 1997 in an effort to better define the morphological concepts of these dark colored species.

The stoneflies (Insecta, Plecoptera) of the Talladega Mountain region, Alabama, USA: distribution, elevation, endemism, and rarity patterns.

Background The Talladega Mountain region of eastern Alabama is the southernmost outlier of the ancient Appalachian Mountains, including the highest peaks and ranges in the state. Collections of stoneflies (Plecoptera) previously here have been sporadic yet has led to several new species descriptions in modern times (James 1974, James 1976, Stark and Szczytko 1976, Kondratieff and Kirchner 1996, Szczytko and Kondratieff 2015) and expanded our understanding of southeastern US stoneflies. During the period 2003-2012 we conducted an intensive inventory of the stonefly fauna of the Talladega Mountain region. We collected across all months from 192 unique localities, covering a broad range of stream sizes and elevation gradients present in the region. New information A total of 57 confirmed species across eight of the nine Nearctic families were collected as adults (Table 4), including four species described as new during the study period (Table 2). Leuctra crossi James, 1974 was easily the most common species collected. Median elevations per species ranged from 174 m (Clioperla clio (Newman, 1839)) to 410 m (Leuctra triloba Claassen, 1923 (Fig. 3). Dot distribution maps were included for all 57 species plus one for undetermined nymphs of Pteronarcys Newman, 1838 (Figs. 4-19). As many as seven species may be endemic to the region but sampling efforts northeastward into Georgia, plus additional focused sampling in Alabama and a comprehensive examination of all available material held in museums and personal collections, are needed for confirmation.

Atlas of Ohio Aquatic Insects: Volume II, Plecoptera.

BACKGROUND: We provide volume II of a distributional atlas of aquatic insects for the eastern USA state of Ohio. This treatment of stoneflies (Plecoptera) is companion to Armitage et al. (2011) on caddisflies (Trichoptera). We build on a recent analysis of Ohio stonefly diversity patterns based on large drainages (DeWalt et al. 2012), but add 3717 new records to the data set. We base most analyses on the United States Geological Survey Hierarchical Unit Code eight (HUC8) drainage scale. In addition to distributional maps for each species, we provide analyses of species richness versus HUC8 drainage area and the number of unique locations in a HUC8 drainage, species richness versus Ohio counties, analyze adult presence phenology throughout the year, and demonstrate stream size range affiliation for each species. NEW INFORMATION: This work is based on a total of 7797 specimen records gathered from 21 regional museums, agency data, personal collections, and from the literature Table 1. To our knowledge this is the largest stonefly data set available for a similarly sized geopolitical area anywhere in the world. These data are made available as a Darwin Core Archive supported by the Pensoft Integrated Publishing Toolkit (DeWalt et al. 2016b). All known published papers reporting stoneflies from Ohio are detailed in Suppl. material 1. We recovered 102 species from Ohio, including all nine Nearctic families Table 2​. Two species were removed from the DeWalt et al. (2012) list and two new state records added. Perlidae (32 spp.) was most speciose, compared to the low diversity Pteronarcyidae (2 spp.) and Peltoperlidae (1 sp.). The richest HUC8 drainages occurred in northeastern, south-central, and southern regions of the state where drainages were heavily forested, had the highest slopes, and were contained within or adjacent to the unglaciated Allegheny and Appalachian Plateaus. Species poor drainages occurred mainly in the northwestern region where Wisconsinan aged lake plains climaxed to an expansive wooded wetland, the Black Swamp. The unglaciated Lower Scioto drainage (72 spp.) in south-central Ohio supported the greatest species richness. There was no relationship between species richness and HUC8 drainage size, but the number of unique locations in a drainage strongly related to species richness. All Ohio counties were represented in the data set with Hocking County (59 spp.) of the Lower Scioto drainage being the richest and most heavily sampled. Adult presence phenology was influenced by phylogenetic relationships such that the superfamily Nemouroidea (Capniidae, Leuctridae, Nemouridae, and Taeniopterygidae) generally emerged in winter and spring while the superfamilies Pteronarcyoidea (Pteronarcyidae, Peltoperlidae) and Perloidea (Chloroperlidae, Perlidae, Perlodidae) emerged later, some species continuing emergence through summer months. Species often occupied specific stream size ranges, while others were generalists. Two species once histrorically abundant in the western Lake Erie Bass Islands no longer reside there. Each of the 102 species is discussed in detail, including several that require additional collecting efforts to confirm their identities, presence, and distribution in Ohio.

A review of the Nearctic genus Prostoia (Ricker) (Plecoptera, Nemouridae), with the description of a new species and a surprising range extension for P. hallasi Kondratieff & Kirchner.

The Nearctic genus Prostoia (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) is reviewed. Prostoia ozarkensis sp. n. is described from the male and female adult stages mainly from the Interior Highland region encompassing portions of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Prostoia ozarkensis sp. n. appears most closely related to two species, one distributed broadly across the western Nearctic region, P. besametsa (Ricker), and one found widely throughout the central and eastern Nearctic regions, P. completa (Walker). A surprising range extension is noted for P. hallasi Kondratieff & Kirchner, a species once known only from the Great Dismal Swamp, from small upland streams in southern Illinois. Additional new state records are documented for P. besametsa, P. completa, P. hallasi and P. similis (Hagen). Taxonomic keys to Prostoia males and females are provided, and scanning electron micrographs of adult genitalia of all species are given.

A review of the Nearctic genus Zealeuctra Ricker (Plecoptera, Leuctridae), with the description of a new species from the Cumberland Plateau region of eastern North America.

The stonefly genus Zealeuctra (Plecoptera: Leuctridae) is endemic to the central and eastern Nearctic regions and is presently comprised of 10 species. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine and redescribe two important diagnostic features typically used to identify and define the adult male stage: the large, anteriorly-recurved epiproct and the medial cleft of the ninth abdominal tergite. SEM was also employed to depict the posteromedial portion of female 7(th) sternum. A new species, Z. ukayodi sp. n., is described from the Cumberland Plateau region of northeastern Alabama and Tennessee. The new species appears superficially similar to Z. talladega Grubbs, but is easily differentiated by characteristics of the male medial cleft. An updated taxonomic key to the males of Zealeuctra is provided.

Perlesta ephelida, a new Nearctic stonefly species (Plecoptera, Perlidae).

A new Nearctic species of Perlidae (Insecta, Plecoptera), Perlesta ephelidasp. n., is described from the male, female, and egg stages. This species has been previously reported as, or confused with, Perlesta shubuta Stark from several central and eastern U.S. states. Perlesta ephelida is distinctive from Perlesta shubuta and other regional Nearctic congeners mainly according to male genitalic and egg characteristics. Perlesta ephelida is a widely-distributed eastern Nearctic species, whereas Perlesta shubuta appears to be restricted to a narrow latitudinal belt in the Gulf Coast region from Louisiana east conservatively to the Florida panhandle. The egg of Perlesta shubuta is depicted with scanning electron microscopy for the first time.

Ohio USA stoneflies (Insecta, Plecoptera): species richness estimation, distribution of functional niche traits, drainage affiliations, and relationships to other states.

Ohio is an eastern USA state that historically was >70% covered in upland and mixed coniferous forest; about 60% of it glaciated by the Wisconsinan glacial episode. Its stonefly fauna has been studied in piecemeal fashion until now. The assemblage of Ohio stoneflies was assessed from over 4,000 records accumulated from 18 institutions, new collections, and trusted literature sources. Species richness totaled 102 with estimators Chao2 and ICE Mean predicting 105.6 and 106.4, respectively. Singletons and doubletons totaled 18 species. All North American families were represented with Perlidae accounted for the highest number of species at 34. The family Peltoperlidae contributed a single species. Most species had univoltine-fast life cycles with the vast majority emerging in summer, although there was a significant component of winter stoneflies. Nine United States Geological Survey hierarchical drainage units level 6 (HUC6) were used to stratify specimen data. Species richness was significantly related to the number of unique HUC6 locations, but there was no relationship with HUC6 drainage area. A nonparametric multidimensional scaling analysis found that larger HUC6s in the western part of the state had similar assemblages with lower species richness that were found to align with more savanna and wetland habitat. Other drainages having richer assemblages were aligned with upland deciduous and mixed coniferous forests of the east and south where slopes were higher. The Ohio assemblage was most similar to the well-studied fauna of Indiana (88 spp.) and Kentucky (108 spp.), two neighboring states. Many rare species and several high quality stream reaches should be considered for greater protection.