Contribution to the knowledge of the caddisfly fauna of Kosovo with first record of the genus Orthotrichia Eaton, 1873 (Trichoptera, Hydroptilidae)

Abstract

Adult caddisflies were collected from the spring area located in the Blinajë Hunting Reserve in Kosovo between May and September 2022. In this study, we identified 21 species belonging to 9 families of caddisflies (Goeridae, Hydropsychidae, Hydroptilidae, Limnephilidae, Philopotamidae, Polycentropodidae, Psychomyiidae, Rhyacophilidae, and Sericostomatidae). The genus Orthotrichia Eaton, 1873 and species Orthotrichia tragetti Mosely, 1930 are reported for the first time from Kosovo. Agraylea sexmaculata Curtis, 1834 is reported from Kosovo again after more than one century. Several other narrowly distributed endemic species were also identified, including Rhyacophila macedonica Karaouzas, Valladolid & Ibrahimi, 2022 and Tinodes janssensi Jacquemart, 1957. This study contributes to the knowledge of the caddisfly fauna of the Blinajë Hunting Reserve in Kosovo and highlights this area for its interesting composition of caddisfly species.

Keywords

• aquatic biodiversity
• balkan peninsula
• microcaddisflies
• new records