Leuctra carolinensis Claassen 1923, 1925

Grubbs, Scott A., 2015, Leuctra Schusteri, A New Stonefly Species (Plecoptera: Leuctridae) Of The L. Tenuis (Pictet) Group From The Southeastern Usa, Illiesia 11 (12), pp. 147-166 : 149-152

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 ).

Figures

Figs. 1–3. Leuctra carolinensis. 1, 7th abdominal process, dorsal view, 300X, Connecticut, tributary to Beaver Brook; 2, 7th abdominal process, dorsal view, 350X, Maryland, spring into Little Laurel Run; 3, 7th abdominal process, dorsal view, 350X, Alabama, tributary to Ross Branch.

Figs 4–9. Leuctra carolinensis. 4, paraprocts, lateral view, 900X, Connecticut, tributary to Beaver Brook; 5, paraprocts, dorsal view, 1000X, Alabama, tributary to Ross Branch; 6, paraprocts, lateral view, 350X, Maryland, Bull Glade Run; 7, paraprocts, lateral view, 1000X, Maryland, Bull Glade Run; 8, paraprocts, lateral view, 350X, Alabama, tributary to Ross Branch; 9, paraprocts, lateral view, 1000X, Alabama, tributary to Ross Branch. sp = specillum, sa = subanal lobe.

Figs. 19–22. Leuctra tenella, Pennsylvania, spring into Powdermill Run. 19, 7th abdominal process, dorsal view, 350X; 20, paraprocts, caudal view, 1000X; 21, L. tenella, paraprocts, lateral view, 350X; 22, L. tenella, paraprocts, lateral view, 1500X. sp = specillum, sa = subanal lobe.