Biology:Capnia lacustra

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Short description: Species of insect

Lake Tahoe benthic stonefly
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Plecoptera
Family: Capniidae
Genus: Capnia
Species:
C. lacustra
Binomial name
Capnia lacustra
Jewett, 1965

Capnia lacustra, also known as the Lake Tahoe benthic stonefly, is a species of insect in the family Capniidae. It was first described by S.G. Jewett in 1965 and is the only stonefly known to spend its entire adult life underwater.[1][2]

Description

Capnia lacustra is a yellow-ish stonefly up to 5.5mm long that lacks both wings and external gills.[3] It has long, filamentous antennae, paired abdominal cerci, and large compound eyes.[citation needed]

Natural history

Life cycle and behavior

Unlike other stoneflies, Capnia lacustra adults do not leave the water to lay eggs.[1] They have a univoltine life cycle and have been shown to exhibit facultative viviparity. Researchers have observed two distinct cohorts of Capnia lacustra: one with viviparous females that develop eggs in the fall and one with oviparous females that develop eggs in the spring. Genetic testing has shown that neither cohort is its own distinct species. In viviparous individuals, eggs have been observed in many parts of the body, including the head.[4]

Habitat and distribution

Capnia lacustra is endemic to Lake Tahoe, which spans the border of Nevada and California. Specimens have been collected in both states at depths of 200-899 feet but are most commonly found in plant beds up to 350 feet below the lake's surface.[2][3]

Conservation status

Since the 1960's, Capnia lacustra density has decreased at multiple known sites. This could be related to declines in algae in the genus Chara, which makes up a significant part of their habitat.[4]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Jewett, S.G (1965). "Four new stoneflies from California and Oregon (Plecoptera)". The Pan–Pacific Entomologist 41:5: 9. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 Nelson, C R; Baumann (1989). "Systematics and distribution of the winter stonefly genus Capnia (Plecoptera: Capniidae) in North America". The Great Basin Naturalist 49: 289–363. doi:10.5962/bhl.part.22645. ISSN 0017-3614. http://dx.doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.22645. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 Frantz and Cordone (1996). "Observations on the Macrobenthos of Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada". California Fish and Game 82 (1): 1–41. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 Caires, Andrea M.; Chandra, Sudeep; Nelson, C. Riley (2016-12-01). "Unique reproductive characteristics of Lake Tahoe's Capnia lacustra (Plecoptera:Capniidae), a stonefly in decline". Freshwater Science 35 (4): 1291–1299. doi:10.1086/688485. ISSN 2161-9549. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/688485. 

Wikidata ☰ Q10442093 entry