Aquatic beetle diversity from Volcán Tacaná, Mexico: altitudinal distribution pattern and biogeographical affinity of the fauna

By

Luna-Luna, Alba Magali
Califre Martins, Caleb
López-Pérez, Ramón Andrés
Ramírez-Ponce, Andrés
Contreras-Ramos, Atilano

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2022

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1111

Pages

301--338

Subjects

aquatic Coleoptera , Central American Nucleus , Chiapas , Faunistics , PAE

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1111.68665

 

Abstract

Results of an aquatic beetle survey at Volcán Tacaná, Mexico, are presented with five altitudinal levels in a monthly sampling regime, aiming to estimate both diversity and altitudinal distribution patterns of the aquatic beetle fauna. The first list of aquatic beetle species from this mountain is presented, comprising 40 species in 32 genera and nine families, with four species recorded for the first time from Mexico and six recorded for the first time from Chiapas. The aquatic beetle fauna is characterized by Elmidae with 20 species, Dytiscidae with eleven species, Dryopidae with three, and Epimetopidae, Hydraenidae, Hydrophilidae, Gyrinidae, Lutrochidae, and Noteridae with one species each. The species composition through the sampled altitudinal gradient (670–1,776 m) was not homogeneous, with the elmid generaMacrelmis,Heterelmis,Microcylloepus, andAustrolimniuspresent at all levels, whileHexanchorus,Neoelmis, andOnychelmiswere present at levels 1–3 (673–1,214 m); dytiscids were mostly present at levels 4 and 5 (1,619–1,776 m), and dryopids were present only at levels 1–3. A Parsimony Analysis of Endemicity supports a general partition between altitudinal levels 1–3 and levels 4 + 5.