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La Española es la isla de mayor riqueza hidrológica de las Antillas Mayores y segunda en tamaño luego de Cuba. Dos naciones la ocupan, República Dominicana y Haití. En este trabajo se presenta el estado del conocimiento de los macroinvertebrados acuáticos de la isla La Española, resultando la primera lista de familias que unifica información dispersa y sirve de referente para futuros trabajos sobre la biota dulceacuícola. La metodología empleada incluyó la revisión de literatura y la inspección de aproximadamente 4.300 ejemplares de una colección de referencia. Los resultados muestran una rica biota compuesta por 107 familias de macroinvertebrados acuáticos, con los insectos como mayor componente (69 familias, 64,5% de los especímenes de la colección o 86,2% si se calcula con base en las 80 familias de insectos registradas para las Antillas Mayores), seguidos por los crustáceos (27) y los moluscos (11). Hay poca información sobre anélidos y platelmintos. Los órdenes de insectos con mayor riqueza de familias fueron Diptera (17), Coleoptera (15) y Trichoptera (12). El orden Megaloptera no está registrado para la isla y Plecoptera solo se conoce del registro fósil. Con base en el conocimiento de expertos se adicionaron Xiphocarididae (Decapoda), Hydrochidae (Coleoptera) y Blephariceridae (Diptera) y se sustituyó Tricorythidae por Leptohyphidae (Ephemeroptera). Se sugiere: a) mejorar las colecciones de referencia y su accesibilidad, b) realizar estudios taxonómicos enfatizando los grupos menos conocidos, c) realizar inventarios faunísticos, d) incorporar los macroinvertebrados en los programas de bioindicación y e) la formación de especialistas a nivel local.

There are few studies of the ecology of waterfalls despite their being prominent landscape features and of ecological interest because of their physical characteristics. We compared invertebrate assemblages of 5 waterfalls in the Australian Wet Tropics over 12–18 mo. Waterfall assemblages were distinct from those of riffles and bedrock, with some taxa particularly abundant on waterfalls (e.g. Simuliidae, Hydropsychidae) and others restricted to them (e.g. Blephariceridae, Pyralidae), and supported more species than bedrock but fewer than riffles. Differences among waterfalls related to differences in discharge, shade and habitat complexity. Waterfalls comprised a complex of microhabitat patches, with high-flow smooth, high-flow rough, vertical and spray zones most prevalent and distinguishable by gradient, roughness, water velocity, depth and invertebrate assemblages. In high-flow microhabitats rheophilic taxa (e.g. Simuliidae) were prevalent, while in the spray zone a range of madicolous taxa (e.g. various Coleoptera) occurred. Within microhabitats, temporal change was moderate, with stable composition over 12 months. Flood disturbance had limited effect on assemblages, as large flows overshot steep surfaces; drought may be more of a threat because recovery is hindered by isolation and lack of hyporheic refugia. Given their isolation, limited extent and distinctive fauna, waterfalls merit special conservation attention.

Adult head structures of Deuterophlebia coloradensis were examined, 3-dimensionally reconstructed and described. The results are compared to those of other representatives of basal dipteran lineages, primarily Nymphomyia dolichopeza (Nymphomyiidae) and Edwardsina gracilis (Blephariceridae). The head structures are extremely simplified. The labrum, mandibles, maxillae and labium are completely reduced. Only eight pairs of muscles are present. These modifications are possibly linked with the extremely short life span and non-feeding of adults. Possible synapomorphies of Deuterophlebiidae + Nymphomyiidae are the loss of all mouthparts, the elongation of the terminal antennal segment, and the loss of M. tentoriobuccalis anterior. An alternative placement of Deuterophlebiidae as sister group of Blephariceridae is only suggested by the origin of M. tentorioscapalis posterior on the vertex. Blephariceromorpha (Deuterophlebiidae, Nymphomyiidae, Blephariceridae) is only weakly supported by features of the adult head. The missing frontoclypeal and clypeolabral suture and the origin of M. tentorioscapalis on the head capsule are potential autapomorphies. Our results do not support a sister group relationship between Deuterophlebiidae and the remaining Diptera. A reliable reconstruction of basal dipteran relationships is impeded by missing morphological data for many potential key taxa.

The Torrent Duck (Merganetta armata) is a little-known species that feeds on benthic invertebrates in fast-flowing mountain rivers and streams from Venezuela to Tierra del Fuego. In Argentina the species is classified as Threatened but basic studies of its resource requirements are necessary for conservation. Prey selection by adult Torrent Ducks was investigated by comparing the proportion of prey species in duck faeces with the proportion available in the benthos. Faeces and benthos were sampled seasonally over one year, from four territories in the Manso River Basin, Nahuel Huapi National Park, northwestern Argentine Patagonia. Filter feeding Simuliidae larvae (Diptera, 41–76% number of total prey) were consumed in greater proportion than their abundance. In Arroyo Blanco, an oligotrophic stream, Simuliidae were absent and the most important prey were Gripopterygidae larvae (Plecoptera, 53%) and Blephariceridae larvae (Diptera, 23%). Simuliidae may be easy prey because, like other filter feed...

New taxa and previously unavailable life stages of known species of Diptera: Blephariceridae from New Caledonia are described. Curupirina comosipes sp. n. differs distinctly from the three named species in the genus. However, separating larvae of the other species was not possible. Descriptions of the male and first instar larva of Nesocurupira curtirostris Stuckenberg are added. All life stages of Stuckenbergina hystrix gen. et sp. n. are described. A single larva of it had in the past been reported as possible Paltostomatinae (today classified as a tribe, Paltostomatini). However, all New Caledonian net-winged midges belong to Apistomyiini. All are endemic, and three of them even of restricted distribution on the main island.

Limonicola hoguei sp. n. is named from Argentina, province Jujuy, and all life stages are described. A lectotype is designated for Paltostoma saltana Edwards and the previously unknown male, pupa and first instar larva are described from new specimens from Tucuman province.

Two fossil specimens of female net-winged midges from the Daohugou biota, Inner Mongolia, China are described. One new genus and two new species are established: Brianina longitibialis gen. et sp. nov. and Megathon brodskyi sp. nov. They are the oldest known representatives of the family Blephariceridae.

Based partly on recent collections from Nepal and northern Thailand, new data are added to the knowledge of Horaia Tonnoir. Pupal and larval stages of H. montana Tonnoir are re-described, larval descriptions for H. manaliella (Kaul) are provided, and two new species, H. diminutiva and H. namtoki, and a new subspecies, H. montana piedmonti, are described. Dichotomous keys to adults, pupae and instar IV larvae of blepharicerid genera from south-east Asia and of all known species of the genus Horaia are provided. Phylogenetic analysis of the tribe Apistomyiini suggests that Horaia is a monophyletic genus closely related to a clade containing Apistomyia Bigot and Parapistomyia Zwick. This clade is, in turn, sister to a weakly supported clade comprising Theischingeria Zwick +Austrocurupira Dumbleton. The New Zealand endemics Peritheates Lamb +Neocurupira Lamb are proposed as sister group to other apistomyiines, within which Nothohoraia Craig + (Curupirina Stuckenberg +Nesocurupira Stuckenberg) is sister group to the remaining genera. The proposed phylogeny supports Zwick’s Antarctic origin hypothesis for the biogeography of the Apistomyiini in Asia and Australasia.

The characteristic tibial spur structure is proposed as new synapomorphy of subfamily Edwardsininae and of tribe Blepharicerinae: Apistomyiini, respectively. Edwardsina bison (Victoria) and E. fimbriata (New South Wales) are new species described. Supplementary descriptions of several incompletely known species are presented and missing sexes and/or life stages described for Edwardsina bubalus, E. confusa, and Parapistomyia mueller. A second locality for Parapistomyia tropica is reported. Several trends of pupal gill transformation among Australian Edwardsina are viewed in a functional context, and the phylogenetic relations of the species concerned are reconsidered.

1. The net-winged midges (Diptera: Blephariceridae) are a highly specialized group whose morphological characteristics and specific habitat requirements suggest a limited potential for dispersal. Levels of genetic variation were examined within streams, between streams in the same range and between mountain ranges in larval populations of Elporia barnardi in the south-western Cape of South Africa. The aim was to examine the hypothesis that population structure would reflect the poor potential for dispersal. 2. Significant deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in 17 of the 57 individual comparisons indicate a non-random mating population. Given the swarming behaviour and life history traits, larvae sampled may reflect the product of limited matings. 3. Analysis of population substructuring revealed significant levels of differentiation among geographically proximate populations. Large differences between streams within Table Mountain, similar in magnitude to those between mountain ranges, suggest that movement of individuals out of the stream catchment is rare. Observed FST values are more similar to those of fully aquatic species than other lotic insects with winged adult stages. 4. Results suggest that mountain ridges provided effective physical barriers to the dispersal of E. barnardi, with the catchment representing the effective population unit.

J. W. Campbell's Neocurupira chiltoni and some Peritheates harrisi (Diptera: Blephariceridae) material has been located in AMNZ, CMNZ, LMNH, NZAC and USNM. None of the material was designated as types by Campbell (1921), so lectotypes and paralectotypes for Neocurupira chiltoni (Campbell) and Peritheates harrisi (Campbell) have been chosen from it.

Net-winged midges (Diptera: Blephariceridae) are recorded for the first time from Palawan, Republic of the Philippines. The types of the only previously known Philippine species of the family, Blepharicera apoensis (Alexander, 1952) from Mindanao, were examined; B. apoensis remains incompletely known but is distinct from the Palawan species. B. microps sp.n., B. intermedia sp.n. and B. holoptica sp.n. are described from all life stages. The Philippine Blepharicera belong to the Oriental pusilla-group whose definition is expanded. The pusilla-group is an isolated primitive group in the genus, resemblances in genitalia with eastern Nearctic Blepharicera (of the tenuipes-group) are symplesiomorphic. All life stages of three new species of Apistomyia (A. latiforceps sp.n., A. cinnamomea sp.n., A. truncata sp.n.) from Palawan are described. A single male of an additional Apistomyia species is reported from Mt. Apo, Mindanao but is not identified or named.

Neohapalothrix acanthonympha (Brodsky, 1954) (from the Altai and the Russian Far East) and N. shirozui Saigusa, 1973 (from Hokkaido) are placed in the synonymy of N. manschukuensis (Mannheims, 1938) (from Manchuria). The genus Neohapalothrix Kitakami seems indeed to be a close relative of the European genus Hapalothrix Loew. The tribal assignment of both genera is discussed.

Types of four species of Indian Blephariceridae named by B.K. Kaul were retrieved and examined. Synonymy with Blepharicera asiatica (Brodsky, 1930) is established or confirmed, respectively, for Blepharocera autumnalis Kaul, 1971 and B. tertia Kaul, 1971. The distinctness of Philorus thorus Kaul, 1971 from P. horai (Tonnoir, 1931) and P. asiaticus Brodsky, 1972 needs to be established. It is suggested that Philorus novem Kaul, 1971 and P. dubeyi Kaul, 1971 are the two sexes of a single species.

SUMMARY (1) Grazing larvae of the net-veined midge, Blepharicera micheneri, and filter-feeding larvae of blackflies, primarily Simulium virgatum, occupy rock surfaces in fast-flowing water in -Rattlesnake Creek, California, U.S.A. Based on observations of aggressive behaviour by Simulium toward Blepharicera, we conducted a series of field experiments to determine the presence, mechanisms and consequences of competition for attachment space between these two dipteran insects. (2) There was an inverse relationship between abundances of the two taxa, and when Simulium was removed from natural substrates, blepharicerid densities increased. Despite blackfly aggression, co-occurrence was common. To estimate the cost of co-occurrence, we measured behavioural, feeding and fitness responses of blepharicerid larvae to manipulated simuliid abundances. (3) Simulium caused Blepharicera to spend 5 x more time in avoidance responses than when alone, resulting in a 20% reduction in time spent feeding. Distance travelled was also increased by simuliid interference. The interactions were strongly asymmetrical in favour of Simulium, being reversed only when Simulium was much smaller than Blepharicera. (4) Diatom ingestion by Blepharicera was reduced 60% by the presence of Simulium. In mesocosms adjacent to the stream, blackflies inhibited the growth of blepharicerids and increased mortality and time to pupation, resulting in decreased blepharicerid production. (5) Baetis mayflies and higher Blepharicera density also tended to inhibit blepharicerid growth, probably via exploitative competition, but these effects were secondary to interference competition with Simulium. (6) The importance of interspecific competition varies within and between years, because Blepharicera and Simulium co-occur for a longer period in years of high rainfall, but may not overlap in dry years. Both taxa depend upon flood disturbance to open space and reduce competition from other taxa (macroalgae and the caddis Hydropsyche oslari Banks). Contrary to prevalent conceptions, competition in streams may be a common and important factor structuring populations and communities, while disturbance determines the form of interspecific competition rather than eliminating it.

Edwardsina (Tonnoirina) confusa sp. n. is described from New South Wales. Previous records of E. (T.) spinosa Zwick from Barrington Tops were erroneous. The presumedly extinct E. (T.) lasmaniensis Tonnoir has been rediscovered in SW Tasmania.

A synopsis of Italian and Corsican Blephariceridae is provided. Approximately 9,000 specimens have been studied, most from the Apennines and Sicily. 18 species of all 5 European genera are known from this region, their distribution is shown on maps. Several faunal elements are distinguished. Of the 5 Alpine species, 3 are also recent immigrants to the northern Apennines. Liponeura cinerascens is widespread in Europe and seems to be long established in Corsica and in the Apennines. In Central and South Italy and Sicily, there are 5 endemic species, one of the widespread cinerascens‐group of Liponeura the other of the decipiens‐group with relatives in Corsica, Sardinia, North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. Except L. cinerascens all species in Corsica and Sardinia are endemic and most are Tyrrhenian elements. However, additional species of Dioptopsis and of Apislomyia occur only in the eastern Mediterranean Region. Notes on life cycles and on habitat preferences are included. A stenothermous mont...

Curupirina papuana sp. n. and an unnamed species of a probably new genus of Apistomyiini (Diptera : Blephariceridae) are described from the Ok Tedi, a tributary of the Fly River, Papua New Guinea. This is the first report of the family from the island; its zoogeographical significance is discussed with reference to the long-presumed role of the island in the evolution and dispersal of the tribe Apistomyiini.