Lednia borealis, Baumann & Kondratieff, 2010

Baumann, Richard W. & Kondratieff, Boris C., 2010, The Stonefly Genus Lednia In North America (Plecoptera: Nemouridae), Illiesia 6 (25), pp. 315-327 : 319-322

Lednia borealis sp. n.

( Figs.13 -22)

Material examined. Holotype ♂, USA: Washington: Whatcom County, Redoubt Lake, 1,615 m, North Cascades National Park , 48.97380 N, 121.31214 W, 29 August 1989, E. Deimling . Paratypes: Washington: Lewis Co., spring source Snow Lake , Snow Lake Basin , Mount Rainier National Park , 46.75631 N, 121.70052 W, 23 August 2010, J. Kubo, 4♀, 9 larvae ( BYUC, CSUC); same but 25 August 2010, 2♂ 5♀ ( CSUC) , same but 8 Sept. 2010, 3♂ ( BYUC, CSUC). Pierce Co., Fryingpan Creek , Sunrise Road Bridge, Mount Rainier National Park , 16 July 2000, B.C. Kondratieff, 1♂ ( CSUC). Whatcom Co. , Upper Bagley Lake , 4,400’, Mount Baker National Forest , 30 July 1987, M.M. Ellsbury, 1♀ ( BYUC); Nert Lake, 1,389 m, North Cascades National Park , 48.70487 N, 121.50160 W, 11 Sept. 1989, R. Hoffman, 1♀ ( BYUC); No Name Lake, 1,171m , North Cascades National Park , 48.85027 N, 121.11291 W, 24 August 1989, R. Hoffman, 3♀ ( BYUC) ; Price Lake , 1,192 m, North Cascades National Park, 48.85365 N, 121.60296 W, 6 Sept. 1989, E. Deimling, 1♂ ( BYUC) ; Middle Tapto Lake , 1,747 m, Red Face Mountain Basin, North Cascades National Park, 48.88256 N, 121.36928 W, 8 Sept. 1989, G. Lomnicky, 1♂ ( BYUC) . The holotype is deposited at the USNM.

Male. Macropterous, wings hyaline, with darker veins near cord. Length of body 5.0-6.0 mm, color dark brown, anterior abdominal segments lightly sclerotized. Epiproct bilaterally symmetrical, with median dorsal groove; ventral sclerite flat, thin and darkly sclerotized, bearing few tiny spines ventrally near tip, apex of sclerite extending forward beyond anterior margin of dorsal sclerite, tip grooved dorsally, terminating in sharp arrowhead-like point; dorsal sclerite with broad, bare triangular-shaped lobes laterally at base, narrowing gradually towards apex, anterior dorsal surface bearing lateral patches of long hairs, located on heavily grooved lobes, 2-4 very large sclerotized spines located at base of lobes, several smaller spines on lateral margins near epiproct base ( Figs. 13 , 15-18 ). Hypoproct sclerotized, broad at base and becoming narrower towards apex, vesicle absent ( Fig. 19 ). Paraprocts with two lobes, inner lobe long, thin and darkly sclerotized, tip sharply pointed, outer lobe short, broadly rounded, lightly sclerotized, bearing numerous hairs ( Fig. 20 ). Tergum ten divided anteriorly with median groove, bordered by paired mace-like prongs that approach apex of epiproct ( Figs. 16, 21 ).

Female. General color of body and wings similar to male. Length 6.0-7.5 mm. Sternum seven with broadly rounded, lightly sclerotized lobe located posteromedially. Subgenital plate covering most of sternum eight, darkly sclerotized, bearing sparse long hairs, base broad, tapering gradually to narrowly rounded apex that approaches junction of sternum nine, sometimes with small indentation at tip, lateral posterior margins of sternum eight bearing small, nearly rounded sclerotized lobes on either side of subgenital plate apex ( Figs. 14 , 22).

Larva. Gills absent. Length of mature male 4.5-5.5 mm, mature female 5.5-6.5 mm. Pronotum elongate, with narrow lateral discs. Dorsal surface of larva with few small spines, except for sparse patches of short dark spines present on anterior margins of thoracic and anterior abdominal segments. Legs bearing numerous tiny light colored spines, 4-5 larger spines present on dorsal margin of femora. Male larva with large triangle-shaped process over developing hypoproct. Female larva bearing truncate plate-like lobe on sternum eight above developing subgenital plate. Cerci with sparse whorls of small spines at posterior margins of segments and tiny intercalary spinules present on all segments.

Etymology. Borealis = (north) and refers to the northern Cascade Range where it has been found in North Cascades National Park, Mount Rainier National Park and Mount Baker National Forest. It is used as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. The male of L. borealis can be distinguished from L. tumana and L. sierra by the details of the male epiproct. The epiproct of L. borealis bears patches of long hairs on the dorsal surface that cover numerous grooves and bears 2-4 large black spines on each side of the posterior margin of the dorsal sclerite and also has a few short spines along the basal margins of the epiproct ( Figs. 13 , 15-18 ). The dorsal sclerite of L. tumana bears oblong patches of small spines that are of equal size and is essentially bare of hairs and grooves ( Figs. 1, 2 , 5,6). In L. sierra the dorsal sclerite is deeply grooved but is essentially naked of hairs and bears several thin medium sized spines at the posterior margin of the dorsal sclerite and in addition has many large spines on the lateral basal margins of the epiproct ( Figs. 23 , 25-28 ). The female cannot be distinguished from the females of the other two species at this time. Larvae of the three species are very similar.

Figures

Figs. 13-14. Lednia borealis. 13. Male epiproct, dorsal. 14. female terminalia, ventral.

Figs. 15-21.Lednia borealis male genitalia: 15. terminalia, dorsal. 16. epiproct, dorsal. 17. epiproct, dorsal.18. epiproct, lateral. 19. terminalia, ventral. 20. right paraproct. 21. prong on tergum 10. 22. female terminalia, ventral.

Figs. 1-3. Lednia tumana male genitalia: 1. Dorsal. 2. epiproct, dorsal. 3. lateral. Fig. 4. Lednia tumana female terminalia, ventral.

Figs. 23-24. Lednia sierra. 23. male epiproct, dorsal. 24. female terminalia, ventral.

Figs.25-30.Lednia sierra male genitalia: 25. terminalia, dorsal.26. epiproct, dorsal.27.epiproct apex, dorsal.28.epiproct, lateral.29. terminalia, ventral. 30. prong on tergum 10. 31.female terminalia, ventral.32. female subgenital plate, ventral.