Enigma needle fly (Leuctra enigma), Golija needle fly (Leuctra golija), Puskás needle fly (Leuctra puskasi) and Visitor needle fly (Leuctra visitor)

NEWS - Enigma needle fly (Leuctra enigma sp. nov.) from Albania, Golija Mountains needle fly (Leuctra golija sp. nov.) from Serbia, Gellért Puskás needle fly (Leuctra puskasi sp. nov.) from Bosnia & Herzegovina and Visitor Mountains needle fly (Leuctra visitor sp. nov.) from Montenegro are suspected microendemics in the western Balkan mountains.

The Balkan Peninsula is one of the hotspots of Western Palaearctic Plecoptera diversity with more than 200 species to date. However, the exploration of the region is far from complete and the knowledge of the fauna in the different countries is rather uneven.

Over the last 20 years, researchers have made several collecting trips to all Balkan countries. Some results, mostly descriptions of new species, are published separately but most faunal data and some undescribed and unpublished species.

Leuctra enigma Kovács & Murányi, sp. nov. is an animal species in the Leuctridae with macropterous in both sexes. Male tergite VII with large membranous portion; tergite VIII with large, triangular posteromedial process, terminating in bi- or trilobed tip; tergite IX with large, lobed posteromedial sclerite supported by anterior sclerotised spots; tergite X posterior margin with deep and wide notch; sternite IX bears a vesicle shorter than 1/5 segment length; paraproct tip pointed, specillum slightly longer than paraproct, tip blunt.

Female terga I–VIII with medial sclerite; subgenital plate with large lobes terminating in swollen and raised apex, central plate with anterolateral swellings and pale medial portion, posterior portion trapezoid in ventral view and nose-shaped in lateral view, well past by the lobes. Larva stout and with long setation, eyes small, clypeus lacks pointed corners.

This species was collected at a single highland site in the Çermenikë Mountains, central Albania and has not been found at other sites, despite intensive collecting efforts over the last 20 years in central Albania.

The habitat is disturbed by partial deforestation, with most of the two converging rivers flowing open or in young beech thickets. The rivers are fast-flowing, 0.5–1 m wide and no more than 20 cm deep. The substrate is rocky, mixed with small patches of sand, some patches of dead wood and partially submerged vegetation.

Leuctra golija sp. nov. is a species of animal in the Leuctridae with macropterous in both sexes. Male tergite VII mostly membranous, with bicoloured antecosta; tergite VIII with converging pair of slender, pale brown processes, medial membranous area rounded between the processes, triangular between the processes and the lateral sclerotised portions; tergite IX with small posteromedial sclerite, divided into leaf-like portions; tergite X posterior margin with wide and deep notch; epiproct sclerotised only at its sides, stalk nearly as long as the rounded apex; sternite IX bears a vesicle 1/2 as long as segment length; specillum slightly longer than paraproct, tip of paraproct acute, tip of specillum blunt.

Female subgenital plate large and bicoloured, lobes large, triangular, and not converging, slightly raised in lateral view and the notch between them is triangular; spermathecal sclerite ring-shaped, with large and converging posterior teeth.

This species was collected at two high elevation sites in the Golija Mountains in southwestern Serbia. The Golija are a range of the Dinarid Mountains in the southeast, a largely volcanic area with a large plateau, the highest peaks being over 1800 meters. Most of the specimens were found in the Moravica Stream, 1-2 meters wide, 50 cm deep, flowing in an alder forest.

Another habitat is a small stream belonging to the Ibar River basin, which is rather steep and only 50 cm wide with a few centimeters deep, flowing at the edge of a beech forest. Both streams have a rocky substrate mixed with gravel and small sandy patches.

Leuctra puskasi Murányi & Kovács, sp. nov. is a species of animal in the Leuctridae with brachypterous in both sexes. Male tergite VII with small membranous portion; tergite VIII with strong posteromedial process that is not erect in side view and bears rounded lobes, membranous area usually shorter than 1/2 of segment length, the posterior margin is almost straight between the posteromedial process and segment sides; tergite IX with short but wide posteromedial sclerite; tergite X posterior margin with deep but narrow notch; sternite IX bears a vesicle shorter than 1/2 segment length; specillum longer than paraproct, tip subterminally constricted.

Female subgenital plate large and trapezoid, incision between the long lobes widening towards the median bulge but not forming a triangular field, median bulge is narrow in ventral view and distinctly raised in lateral view, lacking distinct setation; spermathecal sclerite ring-shaped, with large converging posterior teeth.

This species was collected in a single forest stream in the Kozara Mountains in northwestern Bosnia & Herzegovina. Kozara is located in the lowlands, the northern foothills of the Dinarids, somewhat separated from the higher mountains and also standing far from the Slavonian mountains, separated by the Sava River plain.

Habitat is small, slowly flowing streams in mixed forests dominated by spruce and beech, which may often be dry in summer. The substrate is rocky mixed with mud, much dead wood and fallen leaves.

Leuctra visitor sp. nov. is a species of animal in the Leuctridae with brachypterous in both sexes. Male tergite VII with small membranous portion; tergite VIII with strong posteromedial process that is not erect in side view and bears angular teeth, membranous area longer than 1/2 segment length with a crossband, the posterior margin indented in a rounded membranous field between the posteromedial process and segment sides; tergite IX with short but wide posteromedial sclerite; tergite X posterior margin with a wide V-shaped notch; sternite IX bears a vesicle much shorter than 1/2 segment length; specillum slightly longer than paraproct, tip blunt behind subterminal constriction.

Female subgenital plate large, trapezoid, with an incision between the long lobes slightly widening towards the median bulge but not forming a triangular field; median bulge is wide in ventral view and distinctly raised in lateral view, with distinct, erect setation; spermathecal sclerite ring-shaped, with large and converging posterior teeth.

This species was collected in three highland rivers and spring estuaries in the Visitor Mountains in eastern Montenegro. Visitor is mostly a volcanic range with a small area, with the highest peak over 2200 meters, surrounded by the higher Prokletije limestone chain.

Visitor receives high rainfall and is covered with dense forest, resulting in a diverse water flow pattern. The stream in which the new species was found flows in mixed forest or partly open grassland, the lentic parts are usually overgrown with dense Caltha. The stream has a variable flow rate but is a permanent stream, the substrate is rocky mixed with mud and lots of dead wood.

Original research

Murányi D, Kovács T (2024). Four new species of Leuctra Stephens, 1836 from the Balkans (Plecoptera, Leuctridae). ZooKeys 1218: 49-79, DOI:10.3897/zookeys.1218.120744

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