Extant representatives of the mayfly family Ameletopsidae Edmunds, 1957 as well as other three small families (Nesameletidae Riek, 1973, Oniscigastridae Lameere, 1917 and Rallidentidae Penniket, 1966) traditionally have been classified within the paraphyletic superfamily Siphlonuroidea. Except for Rallidentidae, which are endemic to New Zealand, they have an amphinotic distribution. Ameletopsidae are present with two genera in South America, one genus in Australia, and one genus in New Zealand. The fossil record of Ameletopsidae is scarce. The Mesozoic monospecific genus Promirara Jell & Duncan, 1986 was described from a larva of the Early Cretaceous Koonwarra Fossil Bed in Australia. Also associated with Ameletopsidae is the Cenozoic genus Balticophlebia Demoulin, 1968, which was recorded from Eocene Baltic amber based on a female adult. While the systematic position of the Eocene Balticophlebia seems to be still unclear and in need of clarification, we are able to confirm the presence of Ameletopsidae in the Eocene of Europe by describing Nebesna sotnia gen. & sp. nov. based on a relatively well-preserved male imago from Baltic amber. The fossil record thus indeed supports an ancient Pangean history of this family.

• Keywords
• Cenozoic, Laurasia, Mayflies, Mesozoic, Pangea, Siphlonuroidea, amphinotic distribution,
• MeSH
• Ephemeroptera * classification   anatomy & histology   MeSH
• Phylogeny MeSH
• Amber * chemistry   MeSH
• Fossils * MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Australia MeSH
• New Zealand MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Amber * MeSH

As part of our detailed study of the Caucasian mayfly fauna, we describe Epeorus (Caucasiron) abditussp. nov., a new species of the genus EpeorusEaton, 1881,subgenusCaucasiron Kluge, 1997, based on larvae collected in Türkiye, Georgia, and Russia. We use several methodological approaches to delimit the new species by analysing COI sequence data and larval morphology. We provide a comparison with related taxa and diagnostic characters allowing determination of the larvae. We also update the identification key for the Caucasian species of E. (Caucasiron) with E. (C.) abditussp. nov. and two recently described species, E. (C.) hyrcanicus Hrivniak & Sroka, 2021 and E. (C.) tripertitus Hrivniak & Sroka, 2022.

• Keywords
• Aquatic insects, species delimitation, taxonomy,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

A new species, Epeorus (Caucasiron) hyrcanicussp. nov., is described based on larval morphology and molecular data (COI) containing sequences from all Caucasian Caucasiron species described to date. The species is distributed in the Hyrcanian forest of southeastern Azerbaijan and northwestern Iran. Based on our wide-range sampling, the new species is likely endemic to this area. The most pronounced larval morphological diagnostic characters are the coloration pattern of abdominal sterna (a pair of oblique stripes and stripe-like medio-lateral maculae) and terga (triangular medial maculae), poorly developed projection of the costal margin of gill plates III, presence of hair-like setae on the surface of abdominal terga, and relatively wide shape of gill plates VII (in natural position from ventral view). The diagnostic characters are compared to related species, and primary information to habitat is provided.

• Keywords
• Caucasus, mayflies, molecular species delimitation, taxonomy,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Records of 46 Psychodidae (Sycoracinae 1, Trichomyiinae 1, Psychodinae 44) species/subspecies are presented in this paper based on specimens collected by sweep-netting in Azerbaijan and Georgia in 2019. Nine species are recorded for the first time since their original description; 12 species are new for Transcaucasia; 22 species are new for Azerbaijan; and 17 species are new for Georgia. Saraiella ressli montana Ježek, 1990 is proposed as a synonym of S. ressli Wagner, 1983, syn. nov. Knowledge of some aspects of the ecology and biogeography of selected (especially rare) species has been expanded and a clear pattern was found in species richness, rare species, and new records in relation to land use, habitat diversity, and preservation of the environment surrounding the sampling site.

• Keywords
• Biodiversity, Caucasus, faunistics, moth flies, new records, new synonymy, taxonomy, zoogeography,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

The Caucasus and adjacent areas are inhabited by fifteen species of mayflies of the genus Epeorus, subgenus Caucasiron Kluge, 1997 (Heptageniidae). This identification guide aims to facilitate an accurate species identification of their larvae and sum up all available information on their taxonomy and distribution. An identification key is provided, and the important diagnostic characters of all species are described and illustrated. The larva of E. (C.) insularis (Braasch, 1983) is described for the first time. This study enables the routine identification of Caucasiron larvae necessary for biomonitoring and hydrobiological research in the Caucasus region.

• Keywords
• aquatic insects, identification key, mayflies, morphology,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Combining morphological and molecular data in an integrative approach, three new mayfly species of Epeorus (Caucasiron) are described. These include Epeorus (Caucasiron) alborzicus Hrivniak & Sroka, sp. nov. and Epeorus (Caucasiron) shargi Hrivniak & Sroka, sp. nov. from northern Iran, and Epeorus (Caucasiron) zagrosicus Hrivniak & Sroka, sp. nov. from central Iran. They are unambiguously delimited using both distance-based and likelihood-based approaches in the analyses of barcode COI sequences. Each new species is compared with other species of the subgenus and morphological diagnostic characters are provided. Based on extensive sampling of streams throughout the country, the distribution and habitat preferences of all Caucasiron species in Iran are assessed. Altogether, there are now six species recorded, among them also E. (C.) nigripilosus Sinitshenkova, 1976 is reported for the first time in Iran. Five species are distributed in the Alborz Mts. in northern Iran, one species was found in the Zagros Mts. in central Iran.

• Keywords
• Caucasus, Middle East, barcoding, diversity, mayflies, taxonomy,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH