Spatio-temporal diversity of the Elmidae family (Insecta:Coleoptera) of the Las Perlas stream (Ibagué, Colombia)
The results of this study correspond to the distribution records for the genera and species of this family in the Neotropics, so they are concurrent for making comparisons with other research on this family in Colombia at the same taxonomic level.
The Las Perlas micro-basin is an ecosystem with a low degree of intervention and this condition favored the diversity and distribution of elmidae throughout the study.
Thus, the reported taxa showed great affinity for the leaf litter and rock substrate, which are abundant in stations on the ravine that present abundant plant cover.
The aquatic coleopterans are abundant and diverse in forested micro-catchments in headwater Andean areas. A relevant group within the Order Coleoptera is the Elmidae family (riffle beetles); the study in Colombian Andean basins, had revealed that their richness and diversity are determined by both their biology and, hydrological and ecological aspects. Therefore, their composition and structure tend to be particular for each catchment. In agree
with above, in the present study the composition and structure of the Elmidae family were determined in different substrates, and possible relationships with environmental and physicochemical conditions were evaluated in the Las Perlas stream; a key tributary of the Combeima river basin (Ibagué, Tolima, Colombia). Sampling campaigns were realized each three months in three localities of the micro-catchment (PE1 – PE3) during an annual hydro-
logical cycle (2015 – 2016). Benthic collections per sampling point were complete using a Surber sampler (0.09 m2, 250 μm) evaluating four microhabitats (sand, gravel, rock and leaflitter). In the laboratory the organisms were sorted to the lowest practical taxonomic level using Neotropical keys and descriptions. A total of 13 genera were registered, which Heterelmis obtained the highest representation (> 55% of the total abundance), followed by
Neoelmis (30%). The sampling point PE3 showed the highest generic richness over study (13 genera). Considering substrates, leaf litter and gravel had comparatively a higher relative abundance. By testing canonical correspondence analysis and ANOSIM, it was evidenced that the elmids has a greater relationship with the ecological characteristics of the basin more than the physicochemical conditions of the water.
Keywords: Heterelmis, Neoelmis, leaf litter
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