Aquatic insects are indicators of habitat quality and the best bioindicators of the ecosystem. The objective of this research was to determine the diversity of the aquatic insect community associated with leaf litter and to analyze whether physical parameters such as temperature, pH, ppm, and uScm-1 of the river favor the establishment of these organisms. This study was conducted in the Marica Abajo River, located in the community of Los Uveros, in the township of Tulú, Penonomé district, province of Coclé, Republic of Panama, between January and June 2023. Six stations were established in the river's middle basin, and two leaf litter samples were collected at each station once a month. Also, physical parameters were measured using a multiparameter at each station. Margalef, Simpson, and Shannon-Wiener indices were used to calculate community diversity. 5,359 individuals were collected and distributed across six orders, 19 families, and 25 genera. The most abundant orders in decreasing order were: Diptera, Ephemeroptera, and Coleoptera. The most representative familie were: Chironomidae. The genera with the widest spatial distribution were: Macrelmis, Probezzia, and Ulmeritoides. Diversity indices showed that January was the month with the highest richness and diversity of aquatic insects. It is concluded that the Marica Abajo River in Los Uveros has a great richness and diversity of aquatic insects associated with leaf litter. In addition, the evaluated physical parameters determine that the river has good physical characteristics for the establishment of organisms.
