the stonefly (plecoptera) of ireland · 2015. 3. 10. · the stonefly (plecoptera) of ireland a...
TRANSCRIPT
The Stonefly (Plecoptera)
of Ireland
A comprehensive review of their
distribution and ecology
Hugh B. Feeley*
Jan-Robert Baars, Liam Lysaght &
Mary Kelly-Quinn
@HBFeeley
Annual Meeting of Irish Freshwater Biologists 6th March 2015
Class: Insecta
Found worldwide (excluding Antarctica)
>3,500 species
426 in Europe (2006)
One of the oldest groups of Neoptera
Ancestors present in Carboniferous (and
Lower Permian periods
350 to 300 million years ago
Modern day diversity of Plecoptera
present as early as the Mesozoic Era
250 – 66 million years ago
First records – 1880s , King and Halbert (1910)
~17 extant species, incl. Perlodes microcephala (PICTET, 1833)
Review by Costello (1988) 19 species recorded, incl. P. microcephala, but excl. Leuctra nigra (Olivier, 1811)
Distributions compiled by Baars & Kelly-Quinn (2006) 19 species recorded, incl. L. nigra, but excl. P. microcephala
This publication brings the records up to date (2012), with 10
km2 maps & reviews the current knowledge of Plecoptera
ecology
19 extant species (recorded in the last ~20 years)
7 families
Generally, found in fast flowing streams and rivers, or in small shallow lakes with stony
shores
Plecoptera elsewhere in Irish waters are rare but can occur
e.g. Nemouridae recorded in canals
Leuctra nigra distributions are not as limited as once thought
Protonemura praecox records no later than early 1990s
Copyright – Hugh Feeley (UCD)
Proposed ‘Irish Freshwater Life’ (2010/11)
>4 years work
Began to compile records
Costello 1988
Baars & Kelly-Quinn 2006
Additional UCD records 1970s - 2012
Other published material with taxon lists & site locations (previously excluded)
Total records – 10,000 covering 32 counties
UCD held records – >8,800
>20 studies incl. theses, reports, etc.
Published records – >1,000
18 Irish publications 1910 to 2013
99% nymph records
Includes the entire island of
Ireland
Colour coding
For where we’ve recorded each species
For number of records for each species
List the total number of records
included
Also highlights the number of 10
km2 squares each species has been
recorded in
Include extensive ‘Introduction’
section covering….
Importance of Plecoptera
Life cycle strategies
Nymph size, growth & morphological
development
Adult emergence & size
Adult development & feeding
Adult behaviour
Drumming & sexual reproduction
Plecoptera
Ecosystem function & feeding strategies
Behaviour & competition
Zoogeography & phylogeny
Bioindicators
Plus…..
Knowledge of Irish distributions & ecology
Copyright – Hugh Feeley (UCD)
All Recorders
Funding bodies
Staff at the National Biodiversity
Data Centre