Description of the larvae of Drusus radovanovici septentrionis Marinkovic-Gospodnetic, 1976 and Drusus croaticus Marinkovic-Gospodnetic, 1971 (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae) from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia

Abstract

A description of the hitherto unknown larvae of Drusus radovanovici septentrionis Marinković-Gospodnetić, 1976 and Drusus croaticus Marinković-Gospodnetić, 1971 is given. The most important diagnostic features enabling separation from larvae of the other Drusinae are listed and illustrated. Larvae of D. croaticus are distinguished by the combination of specific morphological features (e.g. shape of head and pronotum, the absence of mandible teeth, the absence of prominent, black median setae on frontal margin of pronotum etc.). Besides the above mentioned, larvae of D. radovanovici septentrionis are primarily distinguished by distinct spinules on the head capsule. Some ecological notes are given and the life cycle of both species is discussed. Regarding the feeding behaviour, both analyzed species seem to be predominantly grazers. Both species were recorded in different spring types in the Dinarides. D. radovanovici septentrionis is known only from three springs in Bosnia and Herzegovina (springs of the Rivers Pliva, Bistrica and Sturba), while D. croaticus was recorded in 19 different springs in Croatia. Additionally, all Trichopteran species recorded from the sampled springs are listed.

Morphological features of larvae of Drusus plicatus Radovanović (Insecta, Trichoptera) from the Republic of Macedonia with molecular, ecological, ethological, and distributional notes

“…A similar mass emergence of adults has been previously recorded in Drusus septentrionis at two localities in Bosnia and Herzegovina (springs of the rivers Bistrica and Sturba, Kučinić et al 2008, M. Kučinić, unpublished data) and in Drusus krusniki at Alipaša’s springs in Montenegro (A. Previšić unpublished data). We observed two peaks in the emergence of Drusus plicatus at the spring of the River Galička reka, the first one in spring (May - June) and the second one in autumn (September).…”

“…Larval morphology of all widely distributed species (e.g., Drusus biguttatus , Drusus chrysotus . Drusus discolor ) of this genus recorded in southeast Europe is well known (Lepneva 1966, Waringer and Graf 1997, Previšić et al 2012, Vitecek et al 2015a); this is also valid for 16 of the southeast Europe endemic species (Kučinić et al 2008, 2010, 2011a, 2011b, 2015, Vitecek et al 2015a, 2015c, Waringer et al 2015, 2016). …”

“…From the total of 49 Drusinae species recorded in southeast Europe, larval descriptions and taxonomic tools exist for the following 25 species: Drusus balcanicus Kumanski, Drusus biguttatus , Drusus botosaneanui , Drusus bosnicus Klapálek, Drusus chrysotus Rambur, Drusus crenophylax Graf & Vitecek, Drusus croaticus , Drusus discolor , Drusus klapaleki Marinković-Gospodnetić, Drusus krpachi Kučinić, Graf & Vitecek, Drusus krusniki , Drusus macedonicus Schmid, Drusus medianus Marinković-Gospodnetić, Drusus meridionalis Kumanski, Drusus radovanovici Marinković-Gospodnetić, Drusus ramae Marinković-Gospodnetić, Drusus septentrionis Marinković-Gospodnetić, Drusus serbicus Marinković-Gospodnetić, Drusus siveci Malicky, Drusus tenellus , Drusus vernonensis Malicky, Drusus vespertinus Marinković-Gospodnetić, Ecclisopteryx dalecarlica Kolenati, Ecclisopteryx ivkae Previšić, Graf & Vitecek and Ecclisopteryx keroveci (Kučinić et al 2008, 2010, 2011a, 2011b, 2015, Previšić et al 2014a, Vitecek et al 2015a, 2015c, Waringer et al 2010, 2015, 2016). …”

“…Generally, all are endemics or micro-endemics with small distribution areas and known only one or a few populations per species (Marinković-Gospodnetić 1979, Kučinić et al 2008, Oláh 2010, 2011, Oláh and Kovács 2013, Vitecek et al 2015c). Drusus krusniki is an exception, as more populations of this species are known (Previšić et al 2014b).…”

“…Additionally, taxonomic interest in the group was demonstrated by a number of studies focussing on the delineation of new species (Sipahiler 1992, Urbanič et al 2002, Oláh 2010, 2011, Oláh and Kovács 2013, Previšić et al 2014a, Ibrahimi et al 2015, 2016, Vitecek et al 2015b, 2015c) and larval taxonomy (e.g., Waringer et al 2007, 2011, 2015, 2016, Kučinić et al 2008, 2015, Vitecek et al 2015a, 2015c). Larval morphology of all widely distributed species (e.g., Drusus biguttatus , Drusus chrysotus .…”