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(1986). Taxonomy and phylogenetic inference. Bollettino di zoologia: Vol. 53, No. sup001, pp. 53-60.

A population of Electrogena from central Apennine (Italy), previously attributed to E. lateralis (Curtis) proved to be a new species after electrophoretic analysis. Imagines of the new species, named E. lunaris sp. n. differ from E. lateralis only by body and wing colouration. Larvae can be identified by numerical methods. Electrophoresis indicated three loci (Aldh, Gdh, Mpi) that are diagnostic between the syntopic populations of E. lunaris and E. lateralis, and the allele frequencies of three other loci (Est-2, Mdh-1, Pgm) were statistically different between the two species.

Genetic variation in larvae and imagines of three species of Heptageniidae from central Italy, Ecdyonurus sp. (venosus group), Electrogena grandiae (Belfiore, 1981), and Electrogenn lateralis (Curtis, 1834) was studied by starch-gel electrophoresis. Thirteen enzyme systems were analysed for a total of 20 loci (Aat, Ada, Adk-1, Adk-2, Ck-1, Ck-2, Est-1, Est-2, alpha-Gpdh, Gpi, La-1, La-2, Mdh-1, Mdh-2, Me-1, Me-2, Mpi, Pap, Pgm-1, Pgm-2), 15 of which were expressed in adults and 16 in the larvae. Only 11 loci (Aat, Ada, Est-2, Gpi, La-2, Mdh-1, Me-2, Mpi, Pap, Pgm-1, Pgm-2) were shared by larvae and adults. Observed heterozygosities were always lower than expected values; higher values were observed in larvae than in adults. Fixation indices and genetic distances were higher in the adults; however, the two genera were better discriminated using the larval samples. In conclusion, comparisons using larvae and adults simultaneously should be avoided, and absolute values of genetic identities and genetic distances to assess systematic levels have to be considered with caution, since they can vary from one developmental stage to another.