Zúñiga, Maria del Carmen & B.P. Stark 2007. The first record of Macrogynoplax Enderlein (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from the Colombian Amazonas.                Illiesia, 3(11):102?103. Available online: http://www2.pms?lj.si/illiesia/Illiesia03?11.pdf
THE FIRST RECORD OF MACROGYNOPLAX ENDERLEIN (PLECOPTERA: PERLIDAE) FROM THE COLOMBIAN AMAZONAS
Maria del Carmen Zúñiga1 and Bill P. Stark2
1Universidad del Valle, Departamento de Biologia, Grupo de Investigaciones Entomológicas,
Apartado Aéreo 25360, Cali, Colombia E?mail: maczuniga@gmail.com 2Box 4045, Department of Biology, Mississippi College, Clinton, Mississippi, U.S.A. 39058
E?mail: stark@mc.edu
ABSTRACT
The stonefly genus Macrogynoplax is reported for the first time from Colombia based on a single female specimen collected in the Amazonas region. The specimen is described under an informal designation and compared with similar members of the genus.
Keywords: Macrogynoplax, Plecoptera, Colombia, New record
INTRODUCTION
Macrogynoplax is a small genus of fourteen, relatively uncommon stonefly species known from Brazil, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela (Bispo et al. 2005; Froehlich 1984, 2003; Ribeiro? Ferreira & Froehlich 1999; Ribeiro & Rafael 2005; Stark 1996; Stark & Zwick 1989; Zwick 1973). The group is distinctive by virtue of a greenish yellow adult pigment pattern and a zone of unpigmented ommatidia on the inner margins of the compound eyes; in addition, both males and females have distinctive genitalic features which are useful in recognizing the various species.
Recently, while sorting samples of Colombian Anacroneuria, we discovered a single Macrogynoplax female collected by Alejandra Currea?Dereser in the Amazonas region of Colombia. Although the specimen may be distinct from females of known species, we are reluctant to propose a new species based on the limited data available from a single female. Therefore, we are providing information about this specimen in order to report the presence of this unusual genus in Colombia, and to encourage
others who might have the opportunity to collect specimens from this region to do so. The specimen is deposited in the Museo de Entomología de la Universidad del Valle, Cali (MEUV).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Macrogynoplax sp. CO?1
(Figs. 1?3)
Material examined. Colombia: Caquetá, Amazonia, Parque National Natural Chiribiquete, Quebrada La Piscina, Cuenca Rio Mesay, Estacion Puerto Abeja, 0° 04’ 16” N, 72° 26’ 48” W, 310 m, light trap, December 2001, A. Currea?Dereser, 1 ?(MEUV). Adult habitus. General color pale white in alcohol. Head and pronotum without distinctive dark areas except lappets of head pale brown. Eyes with large area of unpigmented ommatidia on inner margins (Fig. 1). Wing membrane transparent, veins brown. Legs entirely pale, no dark apical band on femora. Female. Forewing length 13 mm. Subgenital plate large and bulging mesally, posterior margin reaches
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Volume 3 – Number 11 – Page 102
Zúñiga, Maria del Carmen & B.P. Stark 2007. The first record of Macrogynoplax Enderlein (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from the Colombian Amazonas.                                                          Illiesia, 3(11):102?103. Available online: http://www2.pms?lj.si/illiesia/Illiesia03?11.pdf
beyond posterior margin of sternum 9; posterior margin almost truncate but with a small mesal notch; marginal area of plate hairless (Fig. 3). Sternum 9 under plate bearing a pair of lightly sclerotized,
Comments. Two currently known Macrogynoplax species have a female subgenital plate which extends beyond the posterior margin of sternum 9. Macrogynoplax pulchra Ribeiro?Ferreira & Froehlich is known from the Brazilian Amazonas, Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke (Ribeiro?Ferreira & Froehlich 1999), whereas M. guyanensis Enderlein is known from Guyana (Zwick 1973). Females of the latter species have a broadly rounded subgenital plate and appear to be distinct from this specimen, but females of the former species have a subgenital plate that is quite similar to this species (see Fig. 12 in Ribeiro?Ferreira & Froehlich 1999). In addition, because there are several species whose females are unknown, male specimens are needed to confirm the status of the Colombian population.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank Alejandra Currea?Dereser for the gift of this specimen.
REFERENCES
Bispo, P.C., C.O. Neves & C.G. Froehlich. 2005. Two new species of Perlidae (Plecoptera) from Mato
hairy, bar?like structures. Sternum 10 with a large anterior membranous zone.
Egg. Outline oval, collar small and nipple like (Fig. 2). Chorion smooth.
Grosso State, western Brazil. Zootaxa, 795:1?6.
Froehlich, C.G. 1984. Brazilian Plecoptera 3. Macrogynoplax veneranda sp. n. (Perlidae: Acroneuriinae). Annales de Limnologie, 20:39?42..
Ribeiro, J.M.F. & J.A. Rafael. 2007. Macrogynoplax Enderlein (Plecoptera, Perlidae) from Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke, Amazonas, with the description of one new species and a key to adults. Zootaxa, 1511:17?28.
Ribeiro?Ferreira, A.C. & C.G. Froehlich. 1999. New species of Macrogynoplax Enderlein 1909 from North Brazil (Plecoptera, Perlidae, Acroneuriinae). Aquatic Insects, 21:133?140.
Stark, B.P. 1996. New species of Macrogynoplax (Insecta: Plecoptera: Perlidae) from Peru and Guyana. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 109:318?325.
Stark, B.P. & P. Zwick. 1989. New species of Macrogynoplaz from Venezuela and Surinam (Plecoptera: Perlidae). Aquatic Insects, 11:247?255.
Zwick, P. 1973. Die Plecopteren?Arten Enderleins (Insecta); Revision der Typen. Annales Zoologici, 30:471?507.
Received 14 August 2007, Accepted 22 August 2007, Published
23 August 2007
1                  2                   3
Figs. 1-3. Macrogynoplax sp. CO-1 structures. 1. Head and pronotum, 2. Egg, 3. Female terminalia.
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