A REVIEW OF STONEFLY (INSECTA; PLECOPTERA) TAXONOMIC RESEARCH IN ALABAMA, WITH NEW STATE RECORDS AND AN UPDATED CHECKLIST
Scott A. Grubbs
Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity Studies Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KY 42101 U.S.A. E-mail: scott.grubbs@wku.edu
ABSTRACT
A brief review of the literature on the taxonomy of Alabama Plecoptera is presented. New state records of Leuctra sibleyi Claassen, Zealeuctra claasseni (Frison), Perlesta decipiens (Walsh), and Isoperla decepta Frison are provided and an updated checklist of 107 Alabama stonefly species is included.
Keywords: Plecoptera, stoneflies, Alabama, new records, checklist
INTRODUCTION
The first stonefly species described from type localities in Alabama did not occur until approximately 40 years ago, with Taeniopteryx lonicera (Ricker & Ross 1968) and Allocapnia polemistis (Ross & Ricker 1971). The first inclusive treatment of the stonefly species of Alabama was completed by Audrey James in 1972 as an unpublished doctoral dissertation. Species-level taxonomic keys were provided for males and females, and distribution maps were included for each of the 52 species recorded from the state at that time. She included six species from Alabama as manuscript names, of which four (Leuctra alabama, L. alta, L. cottaquilla, and Isoperla davisi) were formally described by her in 1974. A fifth manuscript species (L. crossi) was later described in James (1976) based largely on material she had initially referred to as L. alexanderi Hanson in James (1972). Two additional species of Isoperla were proposed as manuscript names in James (1972). One species (manuscript name of I. scotti) has since been described and renamed I. jamesae by Grubbs & Szczytko (2010) and the second species will be included in an upcoming
review of the eastern North America Isoperlinae (Szczytko & Kondratieff, in preparation).
Following James' work, Stark & Szczytko (1976) and Surdick (1981) described Beloneuria jamesae and Alloperla hamata, respectively, from Alabama. Sixteen new state records were listed in Stark & Harris (1986), increasing the then-known total to 71 species, and Young et al. (1989) added the first state record for the nemourid genus Ostrocerca (O. truncata (Claassen)). Harris et al. (1996) updated this total to 76 species based on new state records and taxonomic updates, incorporating new species discoveries by Stark & Lentz (1988; Neoperla harrisi) and Kondratieff & Kirchner (1996; Hansonoperla cheaha). Baumann (1996) described Amphinemura alabama from northern Alabama, Smith & Stark (1998) described N. coosa from central Alabama, and Stark (2004) reported on a tentative new state record of Acroneuria petersi Stark & Gaufin based only on females. Surdick & Stark (2004) described A. prognoides from southern Alabama and provided a new state record for A. caudata Frison, and Harrison & Stark (2010) supplied the first record of Leuctra triloba Claassen. Recent
collecting efforts by the author in the northern portion of the state, and collaborative research with Andrew L. Sheldon in the Talladega National Forest region, has resulted in several new species discoveries and new state records (Grubbs 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010; Grubbs & DeWalt 2008; Grubbs & Sheldon 2008, 2009). At present, 21 species of stoneflies have type localities in Alabama (Table 1).
RESULTS
Four new records, an amended state record, and an updated checklist of the stoneflies reported from Alabama are presented below. Specimens are deposited in the Center for Biodiversity Studies, Western Kentucky University (WKU) and the Stark Collection, Mississippi College, Clinton, Mississippi (BPS).
Table 1. List of stonefly species with Alabama type localities.
Family
Species
County
Reference
Capniidae	Allocapnia menawa Grubbs & Sheldon	Clay
A. muskogee Grubbs & Sheldon	Cleburne
A. polemistis Ross & Ricker	Walker
A. sano Grubbs	Madison
A. tsalagi Grubbs	Jackson
Leuctridae	Leuctra alabama James	Jackson
L. alta James	Calhoun
L. cottaquilla James	Calhoun
L. crossi James	Calhoun
L. pinhoti Grubbs & Sheldon	Cleburne
Zealeuctra talladega Grubbs	Clay
Amphinemura alabama Baumann	Limestone
Taeniopteryx lonicera Ricker & Ross	Blount
Alloperla hamata Surdick	Jackson
A. prognoides Surdick & Stark	Baldwin
Beloneuria jamesae Stark & Szczytko	Clay Hansonoperla cheaha Kondratieff & Kirchner Cleburne
Neoperla coosa Smith & Stark	Chilton
N. harrisi Stark & Lentz	Lauderdale
Perlodidae	Isoperla davisi James	Tallapoosa
I. jamesae Grubbs & Szczytko	Lauderdale
Nemouridae
Taeniopterygidae
Chloroperlidae
Perlidae
Grubbs & Sheldon 2008 Grubbs & Sheldon 2008 Ross & Ricker 1971 Grubbs 2006 Grubbs 2008 James 1974 James 1974 James 1974 James 1976
Grubbs & Sheldon 2009
Grubbs 2005
Baumann 1996
Ricker & Ross 1968
Surdick 1981
Surdick 2004
Stark & Szczytko 1976
Kondratieff & Kirchner 1996
Smith & Stark 1998
Stark & Lentz 1988
James 1974
Grubbs & Szczytko 2010
New state records
Amended state record
Leuctra sibleyi Claassen is distributed broadly across the eastern Nearctic region (DeWalt et al. 2010). This headwater species was collected recently in northwestern Alabama, representing a new state record and a southwestern range extension. Material examined. U.S.A., Alabama, Colbert Co., tributary to Ross Branch, CR 1, 6 km SE Waterloo, 4 May 2008, S.A. Grubbs, (WKU); Lauderdale Co., Second Creek, CR 126 at CR 1, 9 km NE Waterloo, 4 May 2008, S.A. Grubbs, (WKU).
Zealeuctra claasseni (Frison) has been recorded from Kansas east to West Virginia and south to Texas (Ricker & Ross 1969; DeWalt et al. 2010). This upland stream species has been collected recently from northwestern Alabama, representing a new state record.
Material examined. U.S.A., Alabama, Lauderdale Co., CR 14, Gravelly Springs, ca. 0.5 mi W Natchez Trace Parkway, 15 March 2010, B.P. Stark, (BPS).
Perlesta decipiens (Walsh) is a variable species that is widely distributed across the central and eastern U.S. (Stark 2004; DeWalt et al. 2010). This species is common in large streams and small rivers in the Talladega National Forest region in east-central Alabama, and is likely distributed broadly across the northern and central portions of the state. Material examined. U.S.A., Alabama, Calhoun Co., Terrapin Creek, U.S. 278 at CR 33, 4 km NE Piedmont, 17 May 2008, S.A. Grubbs, 2^, 3? (WKU); Clay Co., Enitachopco Creek, CR 35, 9 km ESE Millersville, 17 May 2008, S.A. Grubbs, 3^, 6? (WKU); Talladega Co., Smelley Creek, CR 234 26 May 2006, A.L. Sheldon, 4^, 8? (WKU).
Isoperla decepta Frison has been reported from southern Ontario south to Kentucky and Missouri (DeWalt et al. 2010). This species has been recently collected in northern Alabama, representing a new state record and a small southern range extension. Material examined. U.S.A., Alabama, Lauderdale Co., Anderson Creek, 6 km NE Rogersville, 21 April 2002, S.A. Grubbs, 1^, 6? (WKU); Limestone Co., Cairo Branch, Elk River, 16 km NE Rogersville, 21 April 2002, S.A. Grubbs, 3^, 5^, 3 nymphs (WKU).
Sweltsa hoffmani Kondratieff & Kirchner
Grubbs & Sheldon (2008) provided the first confirmed Alabama state record of Sweltsa onkos (Ricker) from Talladega National Forest. Kondratieff & Kirchner (2009) has since partitioned this species into a northern and eastern form (S. onkos) known from Atlantic Canada south to Virginia and recently-described second species (S. hoffmani) distributed from western New York south to eastern Tennessee. This specimen has since been reexamined and determined as S. hoffmani. The prior Alabama records (James 1972, Stark & Harris 1986, Surdick 2004) for Sweltsa (as S. mediana (Banks)) were based on females, yet are likely S. hoffmani. Females of S. hoffmani, S. mediana, and S. onkos are very difficult to distinguish and the distribution of S. mediana is in the southern Appalachian Mountains only from southwestern Virginia south to northwestern South Carolina. In addition, a second state record of S. hoffmani is now confirmed from the far northwestern portion of the state.
Material examined. U.S.A., Alabama, Cleburne Co., small stream draining Dugger Mountain, Talladega National Forest, 22 May 2006, A.L. Sheldon, (WKU); Colbert Co., tributary to Ross Branch, CR 1, 6 km SE Waterloo, 4 May 2008, S.A. Grubbs, (WKU).
Checklist of Alabama Plecoptera (order follows DeWalt et al. 2010)
With the additions and the amendments listed above, the total number of species recorded from Alabama currently stands at 107. The Isoperla list, however, should be viewed as incomplete until the eastern North America Isoperlinae (Szczytko & Kondratieff, in preparation) study has been completed. James (1972) also reported I. holochlora (Klapalek) and Hydroperla crosbyi (Needham & Claassen; as Isogenus crosbyi) from Alabama, but neither is listed below. Stark & Harris (1986) skeptically omitted the I. holochlora record, a position that I am similarly and conservatively following here, and the H. crosbyi record was based on a single female that has not been located and reexamined.
Superfamily Group Euholognatha
Family Capniidae
Allocapnia aurora Ricker A. granulata (Claassen) A. menawa Grubbs & Sheldon A. muskogee Grubbs & Sheldon A. mystica Frison A. nivicola (Fitch) A. polemistis Ross & Ricker A. recta (Claassen) A. rickeri Frison A. sano Grubbs A. smithi Ross & Ricker A. tennessa Ross & Ricker A. tsalagi Grubbs A. virginiana Frison Nemocapnia carolina Banks
Family Leuctridae
Leuctra alabama James
L. alta James
L. biloba Claassen
L. carolinensis Claassen
L. cottaquilla James
L. crossi James
L. ferruginea (Walker)
L. grandis Banks
L. moha Ricker
L. pinhoti Grubbs & Sheldon
L. rickeri James
L. sibleyi Claassen
L. tenuis (Pictet)
L. triloba Claassen
L. usdi Grubbs
Paraleuctra sara (Claassen)
Zealeuctra claasseni (Frison)
Z. fraxina Ricker & Ross
Z. talladega Grubbs
Family Nemouridae
Amphinemura alabama Baumann A. appalachia Baumann A. delosa (Ricker) A. mockfordi (Ricker) A. nigritta (Provancher) A. wui (Claassen) Ostrocerca truncata (Claassen)
Prostoia completa (Walker) Shipsa rotunda (Claassen) Soyedina alexandria Grubbs
Family Taeniopterygidae
Oemopteryx contorta (Needham & Claassen)
Strophopteryx fasciata (Burmeister)
Taeniopteryx burksi Ricker & Ross
T. lita Frison
T. lonicera Ricker & Ross
T. maura (Pictet)
T. metequi Ricker & Ross
T. ugola Ricker & Ross
Superfamily Group Systellognatha
Family Chloroperlidae
Alloperla atlantica Baumann A. caudata Frison A. chloris Frison A. hamata Surdick A. idei (Ricker)
A. prognoides Surdick & Stark
A. usa Ricker
Haploperla brevis (Banks)
Sweltsa hoffmani Kondratieff & Kirchner
Family Perlidae
Acroneuria abnormis (Newman)
A. arenosa (Pictet)
A. carolinensis (Banks)
A. evoluta Klapalek
A. filicis Frison
A. frisoni Stark & Brown
A. perplexa Frison
A. petersi Stark & Gaufin
Agnetina annulipes (Hagen)
A. flavescens (Walsh)
Attaneuria ruralis (Hagen)
Beloneuria jamesae Stark & Szczytko
Eccoptura xanthenes (Newman)
Hansonoperla cheaha Kondratieff & Kirchner
Neoperla carlsoni Stark & Baumann
N. catharae Stark & Baumann
N. clymene (Newman)
N. coosa Smith & Stark
N. harrisi Stark & Lentz
N. occipitalis (Pictet)
N. stewarti Stark & Baumann
Paragnetina fumosa (Banks) P. kansensis (Banks) Perlesta decipiens (Walsh) P. placida (Hagen) P. shawnee Grubbs P. teaysia Kirchner & Kondratieff Perlinella drymo (Newman) P. ephyre (Newman)
P. zwicki Kondratieff, Kirchner & Stewart
Family Perlodidae
Clioperla clio (Newman) Diploperla duplicata (Banks) D. robusta Stark & Gaufin Helopicus bogaloosa Stark & Ray
H.	subvarians (Banks) Isoperla bilineata (Say)
I.	davisi James
I. decepta Frison I. dicala Frison
I. jamesae Grubbs & Szczytko Remenus bilobatus (Needham & Claassen)
Family Peltoperlidae
Tallaperla cornelia (Needham & Smith)
T. laurie (Ricker)
T. maria (Needham & Smith)
Family Pteronarcyidae
Pteronarcys biloba Newman P. dorsata (Say)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS	species file online. Version 1.1/4.0 [6 August 2010].
Stan Szczytko, University of Wisconsin-Stevens	HTML address, http://Plecoptera.SpeciesFile.org
Point, confirmed the identity of Isoperla decepta. Bill	Grubbs, S.A. 2005. Zealeuctra talladega, a new species
Stark, Mississippi College, kindly supplied the	of Leuctridae (Plecoptera) from Alabama, U.S.A.
Zealeuctra claasseni record. Bill Stark and an	Illiesia, 1:40-42.
anonymous referee provided helpful comments to	Grubbs, S.A. 2006. Allocapnia sano, a new species of
improve this manuscript.	snowfly (Plecoptera: Capniidae) from Alabama,
U.S.A., plus six new state records. Zootaxa,
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Received 30 November 2010, Accepted 26 January 2011, Published 4 February 2011