Rhithrocloeon Gillies 1985

Kluge, Nikita J., 2015, First description of winged stages of Thraulobaetodes Elouard & Hideux 1991 and reclassification of Rhithrocloeoninae (Ephemeroptera, Baetidae), Zootaxa 3949 (4), pp. 491-514 : 511-512

Rhithrocloeon Gillies 1985 (s.l.)

( Figs 65–70)

Rank-free hierarchical name: Rhithrocloeon /fg 3 (sine Bugilliesia , Mutelocloeon ; incl. Kivuiops ). Type species: Cloeon permirum Kopelke 1980 .

References: Kluge 2012: larva, imago.

Composition and classification. Lugo-Ortiz and McCafferty ( 1996, 2007) described the genus Kivuiops Lugo- Ortiz & McCafferty 2007 (= Kivua Lugo-Ortiz & McCafferty 1996 , nom. praeocc. = Novokivua Ozdikmen 2008) based on literature data on male imagoes of two species, without examination of any material. They separated the new genus Kivuiops from the genus Rhithrocloeon (in which these two species were originally placed) based on a wrong interpretation of features of male imaginal gonostyli ( Kluge 2012). Recently, the genus-group name Kivuiops (with type species Cloeon insuetum Kopelke 1980 ) was used for a subgenus within the genus Rhithrocloeon , which differs from the subgenus Rhithrocloeon s.str. based on some fine characters in larval structure ( Kluge 2012).

The subgenus Rhithrocloeon s.str. (or rank-free taxon Rhithrocloeon /fg 4) includes 2 described species: permirum Kopelke 1980 [ Cloeon ] and indicator Gillies 1985 [ Rhithrocloeon ].

The subgenus Kivuiops includes 4 species: insuetum Kopelke 1980 [ Cloeon ], elouardi Gillies 1989 [ Rhithrocloeon ], munyagae Kluge 2012 [ Rhithrocloeon ] and elgonensis Kluge 2012 [ Rhithrocloeon ].

Material examined. Rhithrocloeon ( Rhithrocloeon ) sp. ( Rhithrocloeon /fg 3 sp. 1: Kluge 2012): TANZANIA, River Sigi, Amani, 4.III. 1985, coll. M.T. Gillies: larval mouthparts on slide (No. B 409).

Rhithrocloeon ( Rhithrocloeon ) sp. ( Rhithrocloeon /fg 3 sp. 2: Kluge 2012): UGANDA, Kasese District, Rwenzori mountains, stream in forest—tributary of River Mubuku above Ruboni, 8.VIII. 2007, N. Kluge: 1 immature larva.

Rhithrocloeon ( Kivuiops) insuetum : UGANDA, Kasese District, Rwenzori mountains: basin of River Mubuku, Ruboni, 28.VII– 6.VIII. 2007, coll. N. Kluge: 2 L-S-I♂, 1 L-S-I♀, 3 larvae; Kilembe, 14-20.VIII. 2007, coll. N. Kluge: 2 L-S-I♂, 1 L-S♂, 4 L-S-I♀, 24 larvae.

Rhithrocloeon ( Kivuiops) munyagae : UGANDA, Kanungu District, River Munyaga below Bwindi national park, 21–25.VII. 2007, coll. N. Kluge: L-S/I♂ ( holotype), 2 L/S♂, 2 L/S♀ with eggs, 12 larvae.

Rhithrocloeon ( Kivuiops) elgonensis : UGANDA, Kapchorwa District, Mount Elgon, Sipi Falls, 25– 31.VIII. 2007: L-S-I♂ ( holotype), 2 L/S♂, 3 L/S♀, 8 larvae.

Characters of larva, subimago and imago. Described by Kluge ( 2012).

Egg structure. Chorion with fine structure in form of roundish convexities closely adjacent one to another ( Figs 65–70). In the previous publication I stated that egg surface is "without regular relief" ( Kluge 2012). This conclusion was based on observation with light microscope, but scanning electron microscope reveals that welldeveloped eggs can have fine regular structure. Eggs of Rh. ( K.) insuetum taken from a female imago, have welldeveloped chorion relief ( Figs 65, 66). Eggs of Rh. ( K.) munyagae were taken from mature female larva; most of them are covered by a coat, but on one egg the coat is partly broken, and poorly developed chorion relief is visible ( Figs 67, 68). Eggs of Rh. ( K.) elgonensis taken from one of female larvae, are all covered by a coat, while eggs from another mature female larva have well-developed chorion relief ( Figs 69, 70). It is unclear if this egg characteristic is due to all Rhithrocloeon /fg 3, or only to Kivuiops , because chorion relief of Rhithrocloeon /fg 4 is unknown. Kopelke ( 1980 b) gave description and figures of poorly developed egg of Rh. permirum entirely covered by a coat, so that its chorion structure remains to be unknown.