Diversity and distribution of Epeorus (Caucasiron) (Ephemeroptera, Heptageniidae) in Iran, with descriptions of three new species

By

Hrivniak, Ľuboš
Sroka, Pavel
Bojkova, Jindriska
Godunko, Roman J.
Imanpour Namin, Javid
Bagheri, Samereh
Nejat, Farshad
Abdoli, Ashgar
Staniczek, Arnold H.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2020

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

947

Pages

71--102

Subjects

Barcoding , Caucasus , diversity , Mayflies , Middle East , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.947.51259

 

Abstract

Combining morphological and molecular data in an integrative approach, three new mayfly species of Epeorus (Caucasiron) are described. These include Epeorus (Caucasiron) alborzicus Hrivniak & Sroka, sp. nov. and Epeorus (Caucasiron) shargi Hrivniak & Sroka, sp. nov. from northern Iran, and Epeorus (Caucasiron) zagrosicus Hrivniak & Sroka, sp. nov. from central Iran. They are unambiguously delimited using both distance-based and likelihood-based approaches in the analyses of barcode COI sequences. Each new species is compared with other species of the subgenus and morphological diagnostic characters are provided. Based on extensive sampling of streams throughout the country, the distribution and habitat preferences of all Caucasiron species in Iran are assessed. Altogether, there are now six species recorded, among them also E. (C.) nigripilosus Sinitshenkova, 1976 is reported for the first time in Iran. Five species are distributed in the Alborz Mts. in northern Iran, one species was found in the Zagros Mts. in central Iran.