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A total of 29 species of stoneflies (Plecoptera) from 7 families were found in Belarus: Perlodidae—6, Perlidae—1, Chloroperlidae—3, Taeniopterygidae—2, Nemouridae—11, Capniidae—2, and Leuctridae—4 species. The fauna is fairly diverse and includes a number of rare species in Belarus and other European countries: Diura bicaudata, Marthamea vitripennis, Isoptena serricornis, Xanthoperla apicalis, Brachyptera risi, Protonemura intricata, Nemoura cambrica, Nemoura marginata, and Capnia bifrons.

The biology of stoneflies from Apennine mountain system is little known. In the present study, we provide information on the life cycle, secondary production, nymphal feeding and flight period of Capnia bifrons (Newman, 1838) in the Albedosa creek (NW Italy). At this study site, the species has a univoltine life cy- cle, with a relatively short and fast nymphal development period and high annual secondary production. Nymphs feed mainly on detritus but incorporate also other food items in their diet, such as coarse particulate organic matter and fungi. Ontogenetic shift from collector-gatherer to shredder habits is detected. Emer- gence is in February–April, slightly late compared to northern populations.

SYNOPSIS An account is given of the influence of environmental conditions on diapause in different instars of Capnia bifrons.

Capnia bifrons (Newman, 1838) drumming types sensu Rupprecht 1997 In addition to drumming signals of the real Z. bifrons (under the name Capnor) and the type of Z. rupprechti and Z. kovacsi (under the name Capbif), Rupprecht (1997) described further four mating call types from Western Europe that are undoubtedly refer to undescribed species. In the PZC material we find morphologically distinct specimens from the Jura Mts., Dr. Gilles Vinçon informed us about another distinct form found in the French Massif Central. These are possibly referred to by Rupprecht’s drumming types. Further comparative studies will be needed to establish the identity of these forms., Published as part of Murányi, Dávid, Gamboa, Maribet & Orci, Kirill Márk, 2014, Zwicknia gen. n., a new genus for the Capnia bifrons species group, with descriptions of three new species based on morphology, drumming signals and molecular genetics, and a synopsis of the West Palaearctic and Nearctic genera of Capniidae (Plecoptera), pp. 1-82 in Zootaxa 3812 (1) on page 56, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3812.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/4919079, {"references":["Newman, E. (1838) Entomological notes. The Entomological Magazine, 5 (4), 372 - 402.","Rupprecht, R. (1997) An attempt to explain different drumming signals within Capnia bifrons. In: Landolt, P. & Sartori, M. (Eds.), Ephemeroptera & Plecoptera, Biology-Ecology-Systematics. MTL-Mauron + Tinguely & Lachat SA., Fribourg, pp. 93 - 98."]}

In the stonefly Capnia bifrons a first description of relatively long winged, brachypterous instead of micropterous, males is given. Two neighbouring populations, one with brachypterous, the other with normal micropterous males, are compared. It appears that the brachypterous males pass through one more larval instar than the micropterous ones. Male brachypterism of Capnia bifrons in the present population probably results from genetic determination, rather than from modifying environmental factors.

Gravid females of Capnia bifrons (Newman) from Windermere (English Lake District) were almost completely ovoviviparous, the eggs hatching within 15 min after oviposition in the water. When kept in the laboratory at constant temperatures between 3.8 and 19.8°C, few females survived to lay eggs at temperatures above 12.1°C. The relationship between air temperature (T°C) and the egg incubation period (Y days between fertilisation and oviposition) was given by the regression equation: Y = 316.4 T−0.9996 (r2= 0.957, p < 0.001). This equation successfully predicted egg incubation periods for gravid females kept in cages in the field. Comparisons with similar studies on four non-ovoviviparous species of Plecoptera showed that egg development was rarely more rapid in C. bifrons. It was also shown that the hypothesis of ovoviviparity being an adaptation to combat low water temperatures could be rejected for C. bifrons from Windermere.

The drumming signals of 4 species of Plecoptera collected in Denmark are reported. Danish Capnia bifrons drum about 15 times longer and more slowly than specimens from the Taunus Mountains, central Germany (d= 1.4 sec, as compared to 0.09 sec; f=6 and 80 knocks/sec, respectively). The drumming signals of Danish Isoperla grammatica differ only in duration (d = 0.5 sec.) from signals of German specimens (d = 1.0 sec). Drumming of Amphinemura sulcicollis was analyzed for the first time. Its signal is divided into two compounds lasting 0.1 and 0.4 sec, respectively. Frequency decreases from 49 to 31 knocks/sec. At 20°C, Taeniopteryx nebulosa drums for 1.6 sec, with a frequency of 5.5 knocks/sec. However, their drumming pattern varies largely with temperature.

Records for fifteen species of stoneflies (Amphinemura sulcicollis, Nemoura avicularis, Nemoura cinerea, Nemurella pictetii, Protonemura meyeri, Leuctra fusca, Leuctra hippopus, Leuctra inermis, Capnia atra, Capnia bifrons, Diura bicaudata, Isoperla grammatica. Perla bipunctata, Chloroperla tripunctata and Siphonoperla torrentium) from the Comb catchment basin in the west of Ireland are presented. Their distributional patterns are considered in relation to habitat characteristics, including water chemistry, and the general topographical and geological features of the area. Predation by fish on stoneflies in alkaline streams was also investigated.