Caracterização taxonômica e biologia de uma espécie de Kempnyia Klapálek (Plecoptera, Perlidae) em um riacho da Floresta da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro (RJ)

Abstract

The adults and nymphs of Kempnyia tijucana are herein described, being differentiated from the other species of the genus by distinct morphological characters. ln the nymphs the absence of the intersegmental gills III is remarkable, not occurring in any other species of the genus. The comparison between the nymphs of K. tijucana and others from the same genus provided thirteen reliable morphological characters to distinguish them. These characters were employed to make a diagnostic key of the morphotypes of the genus. The comparison of these nymphs with those from Macrogynoplax and Anacroneuria provided nine new morphological characters to distinguish these genera. The study of the ontogeny of K. tijucana showed that in younger nymphs the epicranial suture has a similar feature to that found in Anacroneuria. The majority of the nymphs (97%) were collected in areas of fast flow, being associated to less fragmented litter deposits. K. tijucana has a peculiar association with a midge of the genus Nanocladius.