Abstract

GONZALEZ-CORDOBA, Marcela; ZUNIGA, María del Carmen  and  MANZO, Verónica. The Elmidae family (Insecta: Coleoptera: Byrrhoidea) in Colombia: Taxonomic richness and distribution. Rev. acad. colomb. cienc. exact. fis. nat. [online]. 2020, vol.44, n.171, pp.522-553.  Epub June 11, 2021. ISSN 0370-3908.  https://doi.org/10.18257/raccefyn.1062.

Riffle beetles are a family of beetles commonly found in aquatic environments widely used as bio-indicators of water quality. In an effort to establish the biodiversity and distribution of the Elmidae family in Colombia, we reviewed and identified 22,150 specimens (larvae and adults) from the material maintained in various entomological collections throughout the country, primarily in the Museo de Entomología de la Universidad del Valle. The individuals are associated with fieldwork completed between 1976 and 2017. The samples were collected in 154 municipalities of 29 departments from approximately 420 streams of different sizes and magnitudes located between 10 to 3,947 meters above sea level. The study incorporated the five natural regions of Colombia and the principal macro-basins in the country. A total of 29 Elmidae genera were reported including 23 of the Elminae subfamily: Austrelmis, Austrolimnius, Cylloepus, Epodelmis, Gyrelmis, Heterelmis, Hexacylloepus, Hintonelmis, Holcelmis, Huleechius, Macrelmis, Microcylloepus, Neocylloepus, Neoelmis, Neolimnius, Notelmis, Onychelmis, Pilielmis, Portelmis, Stegoelmis, Stenhelmoides, Tyletelmis, and Xenelmis. The other six corresponded to the Larainae subfamily: Disersus, Hexanchorus, Phanoceroides, Phanocerus, Pharceonus, and Pseudodisersus. We provide a taxonomic synopsis with geographic data, distribution maps, and photographic records for each genus. The national list was updated for 59 species and the distribution ranges of known genera were expanded. We included data regarding Gyrelmis, Notelmis, Onychelmis, and Stenhelmoides larvae whose association with the adult specimens was previously unknown. The records summarized in this work represent 60.4% of the genera known in the Neotropics and 67.4% in South America placing Colombia as the Neotropical country with the highest number of Elmidae generic records.

Keywords : Aquatic insects; Neotropic; Lotic; Riffle beetles; Biodiversity.

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