Elmidae

Resumen
Elmidae es una familia de coleópteros acuáticos frecuentes en corrientes de aguas limpias y de amplia utilización en estudios de bioindicación ambiental. Este trabajo se planteó con el fin de reconocer la riqueza de los géneros de Elmidae en el departamento del Valle del Cauca y recopilar la información de distribución a partir de datos de colecciones biológicas. Se revisaron 3305 individuos (larvas y adultos), depositados principalmente en el Museo de Entomología de la Universidad del Valle que corresponden a colectas entre 1991 y 2014 y representan 116 localidades, 19 municipios y 63 corrientes hídricas, pertenecientes a las cuencas de los ríos Anchicayá, Cauca, Dagua y San Juan y las regiones naturales Andina y Pacífica. Se documentaron 16 géneros: 11 de Elminae (Austrolimnius, Cylloepus, Heterelmis, Huleechius, Macrelmis, Microcylloepus, Neoelmis, Notelmis, Onychelmis, Xenelmis y Stenhelmoides, este último sin datos de colecciones locales) y cinco de Larainae (Disersus, Hexanchorus, Phanocerus, Pharceonus y Pseudodisersus), que se distribuyeron entre 110 y 2440 m s.n.m., pero con mayor riqueza genérica entre 1000 y 2000 m s.n.m. Heterelmis y Macrelmis fueron los géneros de mayor distribución y el río Guabas tuvo la mayor representatividad genérica. Se amplía el área de distribución para el Valle del Cauca de Austrolimnius, Huleechius, Notelmis y Xenelmis.
Palabras clave. Insectos acuáticos. Coleóptero. Elmidae. Colombia. Neotrópico.
Abstract
Elmidae is a family of aquatic beetles common in clean water streams and widely used in studies of environmental bioindication. This work was proposed in order to recognize the richness of the Elmidae genera in the department of Valle del Cauca and recopile information about its distribution since biological colection data. A total of 3305 specimens (larvae and adults) were examined, mainly stored in the Museum of Entomology at the University of Valle and associated with field work completed between 1991 and 2014. The samples were collected from 116 locations within 19 municipalities, and are representative of 63 streams, mainly belonging to the Anchicayá, Cauca, Dagua and San Juan rivers basin and the Andean and Pacific natural regions. A total of 16 genera were documented: eleven Elminae (Austrolimnius, Cylloepus, Heterelmis, Huleechius, Macrelmis, Microcylloepus, Neoelmis, Notelmis, Onychelmis, Xenelmis and Stenhelmoides, the last not found in local collection) and five Larainae (Disersus, Hexanchorus, Phanocerus, Pharceonus and Pseudodisersus). These genera were distributed from 110 to 2440 m a.s.l., with greater taxonomic representation between 1000 and 2000 m a.s.l. The two genera most widely distributed were Macrelmis and Heterelmis, while the river with the highest taxonomic representation was Guabas. The distribution area for Austrolimnius, Huleechius, Notelmis and Xenelmis was expanded to the Valle del Cauca region.
Key words: Aquatic insects. Coleoptera. Elmidae, Colombia, Neotropic.

Information on the Elmidae that occur in a country is important for the advancement of ecological knowledge and the use of these organisms in biomonitoring programs. To date, there are checklists of elmids recorded in two regions of Brazilone for the Amazon region, listing 48 species in 14 genera, and another for the state of Rio de Janeiro, listing 13 species in 7 genera. Thus, there is no checklist of the Elmidae for Brazil as a whole, and only inconsistent estimates of the number of species present. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to present a checklist of the Elmidae recorded from Brazil. We based this checklist on literature produced between 1882 and 2011. A total of 148 species named plus 1 unnamed species of Elmidae are cited for Brazil, distributed in 24 genera. Moreover, we include taxonomic notes, such as changes in genus, and information about bibliography and distribution.

The family Elmidae Curtis, 1830 has cosmopolitan distribution and most species inhabit riffles on streams and rivers, hence the name "riffle beetle". In recent years, this family has been featured in papers addressing the assessment and environmental monitoring of water quality. In Brazil, studies on the family remain scarce and the present investigation is a pioneering study in the state of São Paulo. This study aims to propose a taxonomic key for the identification of larvae of Elmidae genera known to occur in the State, as well as to report new records and the distribution of these genera. The material analyzed was collected from various locations in each of 15 drainage basins from 2005 to 2010.