Species composition of two communities of Mexican crane flies (Diptera: Tipulomorpha: Tipuloidea) separated by a geographic barrier, with additional notes and new records

Abstract

ABSTRACT The presence or absence of species in a specific area and their distribution in geographic space are consequences of various factors, including geographic barriers. This study analyzes the change in species composition of two crane fly communities separated by a geographic barrier in the state of Veracruz, Mexico. Crane flies were collected using Malaise traps in 10 sites across two transects along the Misantla river (MT) and Actopan river (AT) basins, divided by the Chiconquiaco mountain range, through quarterly samplings over three years. A total of 559 specimens belonging to 60 species were collected, with 45 in MT (23 exclusive) and 37 species in AT (15 exclusive). The species composition differed by more than 60% between transects, primarily due to turnover; with higher values and a similar pattern among the sites along the transects, it is suggested that geographic barrier could be a factor in the change in composition. Additionally, three new and 41 potential new records for Mexico and 10 new records for Veracruz are reported, increasing the species records in Veracruz to 90 and in the country to 376. This study represents the first assessment of crane flies species composition at a specific site in Mexico.