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Lists of the insect types in the Zoological Museum, University of Helsinki – Ephemeroptera

Hans Silfverberg

Based on:
Silfverberg, H. 1989: Lists of the insect types in the Zoological Museum, University of Helsinki. 10. Ephemeroptera. - Acta Entomol. Fennica 55:1-2.

The types of 8 taxa in the species group within Ephemeroptera are listed. References to original descriptions are given and, when the taxon is presently known under a different name, to an explanatory work. Additional information is given concerning J. A. Aro, and the loss of some of his types.

This paper lists 7 species and 1 subspecies of Ephemeroptera, the types of which are deposited in the Helsinki Museum. Unless otherwise indicated, the specimens are dry, pinned adults. Some of the species were described by Johan Emil Aro (1874-1928), a school teacher in Viipuri/ Viborg (today Vyborg in Russia), who described his species in Finnish; in his earlier work (Aro 1910) he did not mention anything about the material he had used. It has been possible to find from later works (Aro 1928, Tiensuu 1939) information concerning possible type specimens, but it was decided to restrict this category to specimens that Aro himself has collected. In the Helsinki Museum there are older materials, which Aro at least had seen insomuch as be listed his species from such provinces from which he had not himself collected; none of them has any label in Aro's handwriting.

Aro was killed in a traffic accident on 5.2.1928 (before his later work was finished), and no information could be found concerning the fate of his material. It seems either to have been disposed of immediately, or if preserved in the school where he had worked, or in the Viipuri Natural History Museum, then it was undoubtedly destroyed during the Second World War. For two species thus no type material seems to exist. However, it seems useful to give some information concerning these two species, too, especially since Aro's papers are not easily available.

Baetidae

saliens Tiensuu 1939:112; Baetis. Syntype from Russia (Karelian Rep.): Sortavala, Tiensuu, 2.9.34. Listed as synonym of Baetis subalpinus Bengtsson, 1917 (Müller-Liebenau 1969).

Heptageniidae

convergens Aro 1910:31; Echdyurus. 3 syntypes (in alcohol) from Finland: Pori, joen varrelta [by the river], 24.V.03, Aro; same except 1.VI.03; Liperi, pappilan ranta [vicarage shore], 16.VI.05. Listed as synonym of Heptagenia fuscogrisea (Retzius, 1783) (Tiensuu 1939).

mirabilis Aro 1910:30; Cinygma. 27 syntypes (all in alcohol) from Finland: Vihti, lätäkköjä Kirjavan rannassa [ponds on the shore of Kirjava], 21/5 1903, J. E. Aro (6 larvae in one tube, 2 in another); Kokemäki, joelta [by the river], 29.VII.04, Aro (1 larva); Sysmä, maantieltä Nuoramoisjärven kohdalla [on the road at Lake Nuoramoisjärvi], 14.VI.06, Aro (1 male); Kuopio, Tuovilanlahti, 6.VII.01, J. E. Aro (1 male, 1 larva); Kuopio, Tuovilanlahti, 2.VII.01, J. E. Aro (2 larvae); Tuovilanlahti, joesta puitten alta [from the river under trees], 8/VII 01, Aro (9 larvae); Tuovilanlahti, 14/VII 01 (4 larvae). Listed as synonym of Arthroplea congener Bengtsson, 1908 (Tiensuu 1939).

Ephemerellidae

brunnescens Tiensuu 1935:16; Melanameletus. Holotype from Russia (Karelian Rep): Sortavala, Tiensuu, 18.VI.1931. Listed as synonym of Eurylophella karelica Tiensuu, 1935 (Puthz 1978).

karelica Tiensuu 1935:21; Eurylophella. 10 syntypes (nymphs, in alcohol) from Russia (Karelian Rep.): Kurkijoki, kirkon kylän läpi virtaavasta savisesta ojasta [from a clayey ditch running through the church village], 30/7 1934. Leg. L. Tiensuu.

Polymitarcidae

ladogensis Tiensuu 1935:8; Polymitarcys. 61 syntypes from Russia (Karelian Rep.): Salmi, Tiensuu, 1776, Type 6539 (1 ex., dry); Salmi, Tiensuu, Lunkulansaari, 11.8.1934 (1 ex., dry); Salmi, Tiensuu, Lunkulansaari, 12.8.1934 (1 ex., dry); Salmi, Tiensuu, Lunkulansaari, 13.8.1934 (1 ex., dry); Salmi, Tiensuu, 14.8.1934 (2 exx., dry); Salmi, Tiensuu (15 exx, dry); Salmi, Karkku, 16.8.1934, leg. L. Tiensuu, Type 6538 (15 exx. in alcohol in one tube); Salmi, Lunkulansaari, 2.8.1934, leg. L. Tiensuu, Type 6540 (4 larvae and 2 adults in alcohol in one tube); Salmi, Tiensuu (3 larvae, 7 subimagines and 5 adults in alcohol in one tube); Kl: Salmi, leg. L. Tiensuu, prep. no 1 (1 ex., in alcohol and some parts on slide); Kl: Salmi, leg. L. Tiensuu, prep. no 2 (same as the former). Tiensuu wrote: "Types 6538-6540 in Mus.Zool.Helsinki" but gave no additional information on the type specimens, and therefore I consider his entire original material syntypic. Listed as synonym of Ephoron nigridorsum (Tshernova, 1934) (Illies 1967).

Caenidae

dimidiata var. fennica Aro 1928:29; Caenis. - see fennica.

fennica Aro 1928:29; Caenis dimidiata var. 6 syntypes from Russia (Leningrad obl.): Jääski, J. E. Aro; Antrea, Kuorekoski, J. E. Aro (3 exx., numbered 377, 557 and 952); Muola, Hotakka, J. E. Aro, 24.VII.1921; Muola, Äyräpää, J. E. Aro, 29.VII.1921. (Jääski is nowadays known as Lesogorskij, Antrea as Kamennogorsk and Muolaa as Kirillovskoe.) Listed as simple synonym of Caenis horaria (Linnaeus, 1758) (Saaristo 1966).

undosa Tiensuu 1939:122; Caenis. 6 syntypes from Russia (Karelian Rep.): Salmi, Tiensuu, Lunkulans., 13.8.34 (1 ex.) and Salmi, Tiensuu (5 exx.). Listed as synonym of Caenis nocturna Bengtsson, 1917 (Saaristo 1966), which again nowadays is considered a synonym of Caenis lactea (Burmeister, 1839) (Puthz 1978).

Types not found

Siphlonuridae

fennica Aro 1910:3 1; Palmenia. Described from a few specimens collected in Finland near Oulu on 20.5.1906 and 25.5.1906. Types apparently lost. Listed as synonym of Parameletus chelifer Bengtsson, 1908 (Tiensuu 1939).

Heptageniidae

flavomaculatus Aro 1928:54; Ecdyurus. Described from three specimens collected in Finland at Sysmä: Suopelto in 6.8.1902. Types apparently lost. Listed as synonym of Ecdyonurus joernensis Bengtsson, 1909 (Illies 1967), which is nowadays known as Nixe joernensis (Bengtsson) (Flowers 1986).

References

  • Aro, J. E. 1910: Piirteitä päiväkorennoisten (Ephemeridae) elämäntavoista ja kehityksestä. - Viipurin suomalaisen realilyseon vuosikertomus, p. 1-32.
  • Aro, J. E. 1928: Suomen päivänkorennoiset (Ephemerida). - Otavan hyönteiskirjasia 3 / Vanamon kirjoja 27:1-68.
  • Flowers, R. W. 1986: Holarctic distribution of three taxa of Heptageniidae (Ephemeroptera). - Entomol. News 97:193-197.
  • Illies, J. 1967: Ephemeroptera. - In Illies (ed.), Limnofauna Europaea. Stuttgart, pp. 212-219.
  • Müller-Liebenau, I. 1969: Revision der europäischen Arten der Gattung Baetis Leach, 1815 (Insecta, Ephemeroptera). - Gewässer und Abwässer 48/49:1-214.
  • Puthz, V. 1978: Ephemeroptera. - In Illies (ed.), Limnofauna Europaea. 2. edition. Stuttgart, pp. 256-263.
  • Saaristo, M. 1966: Revision of the Finnish species of the genus Caenis Steph. (Ephemeroptera). - Ann. Entomol. Fennici 32:68-87.
  • Tiensuu, L. 1935: On the Ephemeroptera-fauna of Laatokan Karjala (Karelia Ladogensis). - Ann. Entomol. Fennici 1:3-23.
  • Tiensuu, L. 1939: A Survey of the Distribution of Mayflics (Ephemerida) in Finland. - Ann. Entomol. Fennici 5:97-124.