The Trichoptera of Panama XXVII. The third benchmark—a waypoint to the future

Abstract

The flora and fauna of Panama is species-rich due to its location and topography, and the resulting diversity of microclimates and habitats. The last two summaries (benchmarks) of information about the caddisfly fauna (Insecta, Trichoptera) Panama were published in1992 and 2015. From 1861 to 2015, researchers from outside of Panama recorded 13 families, 45 genera, and 257 species of caddisflies. From 2015 through 2023, a series of publications by the Aquatic Invertebrate Research Group at the Universidad Autónoma de Chiriquí in David, Panamá have recorded an additional 2 families,11 genera, and 278 species. Thus, a total of 535 species of caddisflies, now recorded from the Republic of Panama, are distributed among 15 families and 56 genera. Panama’s Trichoptera fauna shows greatest affinity to other Central American countries, and to Costa Rica in particular. Indeed, 289 Costa Rican species are shared with Panama, including 91 former Costa Rican endemics now known from both countries. The Hydroptilidae is the most species rich family in Panama. Although the number of new species and new country records of macro-Trichoptera has diminished somewhat over this third benchmark period, no similar fall-off has yet been detected in the micro-Trichoptera. The caddisfly fauna of Panama is now better known, but much more work remains to define the fauna and, just as importantly, to map the surficial and altitudinal distribution of each genus and species.