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| Potamophylax humoinsapiens Ibrahimi & Bilalli, in Ibrahimi, Bilalli, Gashi, Kotori, Stamenkovič & Geci, 2023. |
Abstract
Background:
The Sharr Mountains are one of the most important hotspots of terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity in the Balkan Peninsula, with many endemic and rare species. The caddisfly studies in this area increased during the past years, although insufficiently investigated areas still remain.
New information:
In this paper, we describe a new species, Potamophylax humoinsapiens sp. n. from the Sharr Mountains in the Republic of Kosovo, which is morphologically closest to Potamophylax idliri Ibrahimi, Bilalli & Kučinić, 2022 and Potamophylax juliani Kumanski, 1999. The males of the new species differ from all known species of the Potamophylax winneguthi Species Group by their uniquely-shaped parameres, which are long, bulbous in their basal half and thin in the remaining length, with a bunch of very thin and long, hair-like spines, grouped uniformly at the apex. The new species further differs from its most similar congeners by its very wide distance between the dorsal and ventral edges of the apical part of inferior appendages in lateral view. The new species was found at three localities from 1416 to 1505 m a.s.l.
Similar to the other species of the Potamophylax winneguthi Species Group, which have very narrow distribution areas, we posit that Potamophylax humoinsapiens sp. n. is a microendemic of the Sharr Mountains. The new species is the second known caddisfly species occurring only in the Kosovan part of the Sharr Mountains.
Keywords: endemic species, Western Balkans, Potamophylax winneguthi Species Group, microscale distribution
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| Male adult of Potamophylax humoinsapiens sp. n. |
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| Male genitalia of Potamophylax humoinsapiens sp. n.: A. left lateral view; B. dorsal view. |
Potamophylax humoinsapiens Ibrahimi & Bilalli, sp. n.
Etymology: The species epithet is a combination of two Latin words, ‘humo’, which in English means ‘to cover with soil, to bury’ and ‘insapiens’ meaning ‘unwise’ and refers to the unwise and careless treatment of habitats of the new species, degraded greatly during the past years by hydropower plants and other activities. In some segments, the whole parts of the Lepenc River are ‘buried’ in large pipes.
Ecology: Potamophylax humoinsapiens sp. n. was found at three localities during 2021 in the Sharr Mountains, in the tributaries of the Lepenc River. All sampling sites are located inside a forested area. The substrates of streams close to the sampling sites were dominated by meso- to macrolithal substrate, surrounded by dense riparian vegetation. The species was captured only by ultraviolet light traps. The species was collected during October and November, implying it has an autumn flying period. All sampling sites are located in upstream sections of streams and rivers.
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| Type locality of Potamophylax humoinsapiens sp. n.: a tributary of the Lepenc River along the Brezovicë - Prevallë road. |
Halil Ibrahimi, Astrit Bilalli, Agim Gashi, Linda Grapci Kotori, Valentina Slavevska Stamenkovič and Donard Geci. 2023. Potamophylax humoinsapiens sp. n. (Trichoptera, Limnephilidae), A New Species from the Sharr Mountains, Republic of Kosovo. Biodiversity Data Journal. 11: e97969. DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.11.e97969
