Caddisflies (Trichoptera) of the Buffalo National River, Arkansas

Resumen

We report 106 species of caddisflies (Trichoptera) representing 44 genera and 16 families that were collected across 50 sampling sites in the Buffalo River watershed. The species collected represent about 45% of the known Interior Highlands caddisfly fauna. The most speciose families collected were the Hydroptilidae (30), Leptoceridae (21), and Hydropsychidae (17). Two species found during this study, Paduniella nearctica and Ochrotrichia contorta, are listed as species of special concern in the state of Arkansas due to their relative rarity. Similarity analysis values among collection sites ranged from 9% to 77%. Seriation analysis of caddisfly genera and species showed that most are distributed throughout the entire Buffalo National River but some are restricted to either the upper or lower river or its tributaries. This represents the first comprehensive survey of caddisflies completed for the Buffalo National River.