Epeorus (Caucasiron) turcicus Hrivniak, Tuerkmen & Kazanci , 2019

Hrivniak, Ľubos, Sroka, Pavel, Bojkova, Jindriska & Godunko, Roman J., 2020, Identification guide to larvae of Caucasian Epeorus (Caucasiron) (Ephemeroptera, Heptageniidae), ZooKeys 986, pp. 1-53 : 1

Epeorus (Caucasiron) turcicus Hrivniak, Tuerkmen & Kazanci, 2019 Figs 36 , 37 , 38

Type locality.

Turkey, Artvin Province, Camili Village, Merata Plateau, unnamed mountain stream; 41°26'30"N / 42°04'41"E; 2190 m a.s.l.

Distribution.

North-eastern Turkey, Georgia (Fig. 36 ). Known only from few sites in the Camili (Machakheli) District in Turkey and central Georgia.

Habitat.

Larvae inhabit small streams at middle and high altitudes. Altitudinal range of sampling sites 928-2388 m a.s.l. (Fig. 36 ).

Main morphological diagnostics of larvae.

(i) femora with medial hypodermal spot (Fig. 37F ); (ii) abdominal terga V-VII with stripe-like medial macula with lateral stripes extended dorso-posteriorly (Fig. 37G , arrows); (iii) abdominal sterna without coloration pattern, nerve ganglia often coloured (Fig. 37B, H ); (iv) gill plates VII (in natural position from ventral view) narrow (Figs 37I , 38H-K ); (v) setae on abdominal terga hair-like like (Fig. 38E ); (vi) tergum X without postero-lateral projections (Fig. 38L ); (vii) gill plates III with well-developed projection (Fig. 38G ).

Remarks.

Taxonomy. This species described based on larvae collected from Pontic Mts. ( Hrivniak et al. 2019). Imagines not described. The type series is currently deposited in IECA and collection of N. Kazancı and G. Türkmen (Hacettepe University, Department of Biology, Biomonitoring Laboratory, Turkey).

Figures

Figure 36. Geographical (left) and vertical (right) distribution of Epeorus (Caucasiron) turcicus.

Figure 37. Epeorus (Caucasiron) turcicus, larva: A habitus in dorsal view B habitus in ventral view C habitus in lateral view D head of male in dorsal view E head of female in dorsal view F middle leg in dorsal view G abdominal terga (arrows point on dorso-posteriorly extended lateral stripes) H abdominal sterna II-VI I gill VII (in natural position from ventral view).

Figure 38. Epeorus (Caucasiron) turcicus, larva: A labrum (left half in dorsal view right half in ventral view) B incisors of left mandible C incisors of right mandible D setae on dorsal surface of femora E surface and posterior margin of abdominal tergum VII F gill I G gill III H gill VII (flattened on slide) I-K gill VII (in natural position from ventral view) variability in shape L abdominal segments VIII-X in lateral view M sternum IX of female.