Larvas de Trichoptera en un gradiente altitudinal en un río neotropical

We evaluated the diversity of Trichoptera larvae at four sites along an altitudinal gradient in the Gaira River, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. We examined the diversity and abundance of the assemblages, as well as the environmental characteristics and their relationship with the distribution of taxa. Organisms were collected using a Surber network and manual capture for a total of 443 organisms from 10 families and 21 genera, 11 of which are first records for the Gaira River and one of them is a new record of distribution for Colombia. The genera identified in high-altitude sites (San Lorenzo and La Cascada) corresponded to cf Amazonatolica, Cyrnellus, Nectopsyche, and Polycentropus (97 in San Lorenzo and 112 in La Cascada). In La Victoria, the middle part of the river (lower abundance with 69 individuals), we found Ochotrichia, Cerasmatrichia  and Metricihia. Finally, in the lower part of the river, we found Protoptila, Mortoniella, Oecetis, and Chimarra with the highest abundance (165 individuals) and diversity of genera (13). Regarding the altitudinal distribution gradient, the genera that show the widest ranges were Smicridea, Leptonema,and Xiphocentron. We recorded 51,1 % of the genera of Trichoptera described in different rivers and altitudinal gradients in the country.