The ecology of the Corixidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) in the Corrib catchment, Ireland

Abstract

Two surveys were carried out in the Corrib catchment (Ireland) to determine the physical and chemical factors that govern the distribution of Corixidae. Of the twenty one species recorded, five species, Sigara scotti (Fieber), S. distincta (Fieber), S. &sat-urn (Leach), S. fallenoidea (Hungerford) and Cymatia bonsdot$$i (Sablberg) comprised 82% of the numerical total. Although individual species occurred in chemically diverse sites species assemblages and changes in the relative abundance of the majority of species and in species richness and diversity were evident in the progression from hard to soft water. High altitude soft water sites had a much lower number of species compared with chemically similar low altitude sites. In Lough Corrib, the main body of water in the catchment, most species were abundant only in sheltered areas with mud substrates and high percentage vegetation cover. Species diversity was high in these areas and either C. bonsdorj$i, S. fossarum, S. fallenoidea or Callicorixa praeusta (Fieber) dominated numerically. However, S. scotti, S. dorsalis (Leach) and Arctocorisa germari (Fieber) were more abundant in exposed areas with sand, gravel or mearl substrates. In temporary ponds and in lotic water species diversity was also high but species composition (mainly C. praeusta, Sigura nigrolineata (Fieber), Corixapunctata (Illiger), C. panzeri (Fieber), C. bonsdorjj%) was different to that of temporally stable lentic habitats.

Abundance, diversity and succession of aquatic Coleoptera and Heteroptera in a cluster of artificial ponds in the North German Lowlands

“…Some species preferred water bodies with a high percentage of open water and emigrated in the course of succession or were displaced by other species, while other species mainly inhabited water bodies with rich vegetation. Many species of Corixidae, in particular, showed a preference for a certain amount of vegetation, which accords with results of other studies (Macan and Macfadyen 1941;Macan 1954a;Tully et al 1991). …”

“…However, a number of publications indicate that some species of Corixidae seem to have clearly defined habitat demands. For example, the distribution of corixids has been found to correlate with the percentage of organic material in the sediment (Macan 1938(Macan , 1954a, electrical conductivity and shape of the water body (Savage 1982), water hardness (Tully et al 1991) and vegetation (Tully et al 1991, Macan 1954a. Nonetheless, aquatic Heteroptera are considered less suitable indicator species than aquatic beetles because of their lower species diversity, and the broad ecological amplitude of some species.…”

Adaptation, phenology and disturbance of macroinvertebrates in temporary water bodies

“…During turlough flooding heteropterans are in their adult phase (capable of flight and generally very ready dispersers), but the fully aquatic eggs and nymphs occur during turlough dry phases (Savage, 1989;Tully et al, 1991). In this study, considerable abundances of heteropterans were only detected in the long hydroperiod turlough in June 2008, a turlough which contains some permanent water all year round.…”

A test of the association between Lake Habitat Quality Assessment and macroinvertebrate community structure

“…Littoral Hemiptera, comprising mainly Corixidae, were positively correlated with number of wetland habitats and overall HabQA, and positively associated with macrophyte PVI. Many Irish corixid species have been found to be associated with sheltered, vegetation rich, mud substrates (Tully et al, 1991), although the mechanism behind the correlation with number of wetland habitats is not clear.…”