Brachyptera putata

Northern February red
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Plecoptera
Family: Taeniopterygidae
Genus: Brachyptera
Species: B. putata
Binomial name
Brachyptera putata
(Newman, 1838)
Synonyms[1]
  • Nemoura putata Newman, 1838

Brachyptera putata, the northern February red,[2] is a species of stonefly in the family Taeniopterygidae.

Description

Adult males are poorer fliers than females, due to their short wings. They tend to be very aggressive during mating.

Distribution

The species used to live in England and Wales, but now it considered to be an endemic of Scotland. Its main habitat used to be River Usk in Wales, and Wye, England.[3] Currently it can also be found in Ukraine.[1]

Ecology

The larva of the species is feeding on algae. The species prefers cold water.[4]

Threat level

The species is considered to be locally extinct in England and Wales due to sheep cattling and farming. Since 2001 the Countryside Council for Wales had not recorded any comeback of the species in Wales or England. However, the species were found in rivers of Scotland, including in the ones that never had them before.[5]

References


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