Epeorus (Caucasiron) iranicus (Braasch & Soldan , 1979)

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) iranicus (Braasch & Soldan, 1979) Figs 21 , 22 , 23

Iron caucasicus iranicus Braasch & Soldán, 1979

Epeorus (Caucasiron) caucasicus iranicus (Braasch & Soldán, 1979); in Bojková et al. (2018)

Epeorus (Caucasiron) iranicus (Braasch & Soldán, 1979); in Hrivniak et al. (2020b)

Type locality.

Iran, Tehran Province, river in the Darban-Tal (Darban Valley), 2100 m a.s.l.

Distribution.

Northern Iran. Species endemic to the Alborz Mountains (Fig. 21 ).

Habitat.

Larvae inhabit streams at altitudes above 2000 m a.s.l. in the western and central Alborz. Altitudinal range of sampling sites 2020-2440 m a.s.l. (Fig. 21 ). Often syntopic with E. (C.) alborzicus .

Main morphological diagnostics of larvae.

(i) abdominal sterna II-VI with a pair of oblique stripes; nerve ganglia often with stripes or spots (Fig. 22B, I, J ); (ii) abdominal terga V-VII with stripe-like medial macula and a pair of distinct antero-lateral stripes (Fig. 22G , arrows); (iii) femora with rounded medial hypodermal spot (Fig. 22F ); (iv) gill III with well-developed projection (Fig. 23G ); (v) setae on abdominal terga hair-like (Fig. 23E ); (vi) tergum X with poorly developed postero-lateral projections (Fig. 23K , arrow) or without postero-lateral projections (Fig. 23L ).

Remarks.

Morphology. Coloration pattern on abdominal sterna as in E. (C.) caucasicus (Fig. 4J ), similar pattern in E. (C.) zagrosicus (Fig. 46I ).

Taxonomy. This species was described as a subspecies of E. (C.) caucasicus based on larvae collected in the Alborz Mts. ( Braasch and Soldán 1979). Elevated to species level by Hrivniak et al. (2020b) based on a phylogenetic analysis of all Caucasian Epeorus (Caucasiron) species. The holotype probably lost. Paratypes are currently deposited in SMNS and Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic (IECA). Imagines and subimagines not described.

Figures

Figure 4. Epeorus (Caucasiron) caucasicus, 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-H middle leg in dorsal view I abdominal terga (arrow points on medial macula) J abdominal sterna II-VI K, L gills VII (in natural position from ventral view).

Figure 21. Geographical (left) and vertical (right) distribution of Epeorus (Caucasiron) iranicus.

Figure 22. Epeorus (Caucasiron) iranicus, 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, H abdominal terga (arrows point antero-lateral stripes of medial macula) I, J abdominal sterna II-VI K gills VII (in natural position from ventral view).

Figure 23. Epeorus (Caucasiron) iranicus, 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 gill VII (in natural position from ventral view) J sternum IX of female K, L abdominal segments VIII-X in lateral view (arrow points on postero-lateral projection).

Figure 46. Epeorus (Caucasiron) zagrosicus, 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, H abdominal terga (arrows point on dorso-posteriorly extended lateral stripes) I abdominal sterna II-VI J, K gills VII (in natural position from ventral view).