A new species of the genus Andiperla (Plecoptera Gripopterygidae) from the glaciers of Southern Patagonia and observations on its biology and genome.

PABLO PESSACQ; JAVIER MUZÓN ; ROLANDO RIVERAS POMAR

Denver

Congreso; Entomology 2017; 2017

Entomological Society of America

Andiperla willinki Aubert is a unique species, it is the only known insect that completes its life cycle in glaciers. Its larva lives in the small streams in the ice surface, while he adults crawl on the ice looking for mating and food. This monotypic genus It was first described by Aubert (1956) based on larva and adults of both sexes from Upsala glacier, in Argentinean Patagonia. Later on, the genus was reported in several glaciers in Southern Chile, but its presence in other sites in Argentina was not confirmed, although suspected based on oral reports from rangers in Los Glaciares National Park.In February 2017 we visited in the Perito Moreno glacier in Argentina, finding several adults and larva of the genus. Based on the original description and photographs of type material, as well as molecular data, we conclude that the specimens collected represents a new species. Morphologically, both species can be easily differentiated by the male abdominal segment X, which is conical on its distal part and ending in a well-developed, ventrally curved spine in the new species, while in A. willinki it is truncated, with posterior margin straight. Further comparisons of larva may reveal additional morphological differences.