Baetis (Baetis)

Gattolliat, Jean-Luc, Samraoui, Boudjema, Benhadji, Nadhira, Kechemir, Lina, Zrelli, Sonia, El Yaagoubi, Sara, El Moutaouakil, Majida El Alami & Sartori, Michel, 2023, Baetidae (Baetidae, Ephemeroptera) in the Maghreb: state of the art, key, and perspectives, ZooKeys 1139, pp. 137-163 : 137

3.1 Baetis (Baetis)

Diagnosis.

1) Canines of the right and left mandibles not fused and not forming a blade-like tooth; 2) costal margin of gills serrated but without spine-like setae; 3) distal margin of tergites with triangular or quadrangular spines but without spatulas.

Remarks.

As for the genus, the nominal subgenus Baetis Baetis is mostly defined by the absence of unique characters (mouthparts and legs not modified). Baetis (Baetis) pavidus Grandi, 1949 (Fig. 3E ), described from Italy, is by far the most common species of Baetidae in lower and middle section of streams and rivers. The Maghreb populations are morphologically extremely close to European ones. Moreover, from a genetic point of view, they belong to the same species as populations from Spain and South of France ( Benhadji et al. 2020). No sequences are, for the moment, available from continental Italy. This species seems to be rare and restricted in Italy and South of France, while it is the most successful species in the Maghreb. It can be recognised by the very short paracercus and the distal margin of the tergites with quadrangular spines. Presence of other species of the subgenus Baetis Baetis is certain at least in Morocco, but the species identification remains problematic. Baetis (Baetis) fuscatus (Linnaeus, 1760), Baetis (Baetis) meridionalis Ikonomov, 1954, and Baetis (Baetis) nigrescens Navás, 1932 were reported from Morocco ( Thomas 1998; El Alami et al. 2000); but it remains unclear if they really occur in this region or if these reports represent in fact either new species or more recently described species.

Figures

Figure 3. Baetidae: larvae in toto in dorsal view (except 3 C lateral view) A Acentrella cf. sinaica B Alainites oukaimeden C Alainites sadati D Baetis (Patites) sp. E Baetis (Baetis) pavidus.