Leuctra carolinensis Claassen 1923

Carolina Needlefly

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Plecoptera .specie sfile.org:TaxonName:462471

(Figs. 1–9)

Leuctra carolinensis Claassen 1923:258 . Holotype ♂ (CUIC), Black Mountains, North Carolina.

Leuctra carolinensis: Needham and Claassen 1925:226 Leuctra carolinensis: Illies 1966:84

Male. The 7th abdominal dorsal process is large and broadly rounded posteriorly; subtle lateral lobes are evident on central Appalachian populations and further north into New England (Figs. 1‒2) but essentially absent from northwestern Alabama near the southwestern edge of this species range (Fig. 3). The specilla varies from triangular with a broad base (Fig. 8) to ca. parallel-sided (Fig. 6); distally the specillum is subtriangular with tubercles present and also along the distal outer margin (Figs. 4‒9). The subanal lobes extend nearly to tip of the specilla, recurved anteriorly in posterior half (Figs. 4, 6‒9).

Material examined. USA, Alabama, Colbert Co., tributary to Ross Branch, 6 km SE Waterloo, 34.8781, -88.0102, 4 May 2008, S.A. Grubbs, 17♂ (WKUC) ; Lauderdale Co., South Fork Panther Creek, 7.5 km NW Waterloo, Lauderdale Wildlife Management Area, 34.9633, -88.1241, 4 May 2008, S.A. Grubbs, 1♂ (WKUC) ; Second Creek, 9 km NE Waterloo, 34.9745, -87.9942, 4 May 2008, S.A. Grubbs, 1♂ (WKUC) . Connecticut, New London Co., tributary to Beaver Brook, 4 km W Chesterfield, Nehantic State Forest, 41.4244, - 72.2685, 16 June 2007, S.A. Grubbs, 10♂ (WKUC) ; tributary to Green Fall River, 7.5 km SE Voluntown, Pachaug State Forest, 41.5228, -71.8091, 17 June 2007, S.A. Grubbs, 1♂ (WKUC) . Maryland, Garrett Co., spring into Little Laurel Run, Savage River State Forest, 39.6314, -79.1484, 21 June 1996, S.A. Grubbs, 9♂, 8♀ (WKUC) ; Bull Glade Run, Garrett State Forest, 39.4912, -79.4584, 25 May 1996, S.A. Grubbs, 4♂ (WKUC) ; Alexander Run, 39.6597, -79.2254, 12 July 1996, S.A. Grubbs, 6♂, 5♀ (WKUC) ; Pennsylvania, Westmoreland Co., spring into Linn Camp Creek, 40.1675, -79.2307, 1 August 1991, S.A. Grubbs, 1♂ (WKUC) .

Distribution. USA: MD, MS, NC, NJ, TN, VA (DeWalt et al. 2015), AL (Grubbs 2010), CT (new state record), PA (Masteller 1996).

Remarks. Leuctra carolinensi s and L. tenella appear to be sister species based on overall similarity in structure of the paraproct and the 7th abdominal dorsal process. The abdominal process resembles only L. tenella, a species with a similar distribution and spring‒summer emergence in the southern and central Appalachian Mountains. The two records of L. carolinensis from low elevation streams in southeastern Connecticut represent a northeastern range extension and suggest that the distribution of this species is still poorly understood. The dorsal process of L. carolinensis is broadly-rounded posteriorly (Figs. 1‒3) whereas the process of L. tenella is subtriangular (Fig. 19). Although the specilla of L. carolinensis vary slightly in overall shape (Figs. 6, 8), the location of tubercles and the shape of the distal portion are similar among the material examined (Figs. 4‒9) and distinct from L. tenella (Figs. 21‒22).