Mortoniella asymmetris, Blahnik & Holzenthal, 2011

Blahnik, Roger J. & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2011, Revision of the austral South American species of Mortoniella (Trichoptera: Glossosomatidae: Protoptilinae) 2851, Zootaxa 2851 (1), pp. 1-75 : 12-14

Mortoniella asymmetris , new species

Fig. 4

Mortoniella asymmetris is most similar to, and undoubtedly most closely related to M. truncata , n. sp. Both species are characterized by having paramere appendages asymmetrically developed and differing in length, the left one shorter than the right. Other character similarities include upright processes bordering the paramere appendages that emerge from the ventral margin of the phallicata, and mesal pocket-like structures of the inferior appendages with very elongate, sinuous, spine-like apical processes. The latter structures appear to be fused or semi-fused mesally. Mortoniella asymmetris is diagnostically distinguished from M. truncata by having a tergum X, as viewed dorsally, with acute, rather than truncate, apicolateral projections, and also by having the ventral spine of the endophallic membrane modified into a structure with minute apical spines. Both of these species seem to be closely related to the group of species discussed under M. unota , agreeing in having a dorsal phallic spine sharply upturned apically, with a ventral deflection at the point of inflection, and with the spine, in dorsal view, distinctly widened at the point of inflection and very narrow basally and apically. In M. asymmetris the lateral margins of the dorsal phallic spine are distinctively upturned at the inflection point for the spine.

Adult. Length of forewing: male 2.5–2.7 mm, female 2.6–3.4 mm. Forewing with forks I, II, and III present, hind wing with fork II only. Spur formula 0:3:4. Overall color, in alcohol, light brown. Tibial spurs somewhat darker than legs, contrasting in color. Wing bar at anastamosis not evident (in alcohol).

Male genitalia. Ventral process of segment VI laterally compressed, ventrally projecting, subtriangular, wide basally, acute apically. Segment IX nearly evenly rounded anterolaterally, length greatest midlaterally, posterolateral margin weakly, convexly rounded dorsally, narrowing ventrally; segment deeply excised dorsomesally and ventromesally, forming lateral lobes, lobes separated dorsomesally by much less than 1/2 width of segment. Tergum X with U-shaped mesal excision, extending less than 1/2 length of segment, and projecting lateral lobes; lateral lobes with apices acute to subacute, as viewed both laterally and dorsally. Inferior appendages without ventromesal projection; laterally, on each side, with setose, tapering, dorsally-directed lobes, lobes very narrowed dorsally. Mesal pockets of fused inferior appendages with apical processes elongate, sinuous, more or less fused mesally. Paramere appendages uniformly narrow, asymmetrically developed in length and orientation, the left short and upturned, the right long and downturned. Dorsal phallic spine, as viewed laterally, with lateral margins broadened and somewhat upturned, apical 1/3rd sharply upturned, with distinct sinuous deflection on ventral margin before point of upturn; in dorsal view, very distinctly widened in middle, apical part abruptly narrowed, apex bluntly rounded, subacute. Phallicata with sclerotized, posteriorly-directed dorsomesal process articulating with dorsal phallic spine, and paired, upturned, lightly sclerotized processes arising from basoventral margin; dorsolateral processes only suggestively developed, apparently absent. Endophallic membrane with membranous apical lobe bearing minute spines and modified ventral spine; ventral spine of endophallic membrane somewhat rod-like, lightly sclerotized basally, apically slightly curved and with minute spines; phallotremal spines absent.

Holotype male: PARAGUAY: Amambay: Cerro Cora, Río Aquidaban, 29.xi.1973, Flint , O S ( UMSP000124876 ) (alcohol) ( NMNH).

Paratypes: PARAGUAY: Amambay: same locality and date as holotype — 6 males, 13 females (alcohol) ( NMNH, UMSP) ; Concepción: Concepción, 23°25'00"S, 057°17'00"W, 26.viii.1989, Kochalka , J — 1 male (alcohol) ( NMNH) .

Etymology. This species is named M. asymmetris for the asymmetrically developed paramere appendages of the male.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Mortoniella asymmetris, new species, male genitalia: A—lateral; B—segment IX and tergum X, dorsal; C—phallic ensemble, ventral; D—dorsal phallic spine, dorsal.