Oxyethira palisada, Wells & De Moor, 2020

Wells, Alice & De Moor, Ferdinand C., 2020, Hydroptilidae (Trichoptera) of Angola, a new genus, seven new species, and five new records, Zootaxa 4868 (4), pp. 495-514 : 503

Oxyethira palisada sp. nov.

( Figs 22–25 )

Material examined. Holotype male [CAW 756 T, slide], ANGOLA, Moxico Province, Cuanavale River, Site 3— Cuanavale source lake (at Mokoro), Light trap. -13.0898, 18.89395, 31/x/2016, I.S. Ferreira.

Diagnosis. Distinguished among African species of Oxyethira by the palisade of long, even-length setae posteroventrally on abdominal segment IX, the conical inferior appendages, and the broad, curved strap-like process on the phallus; the latter feature places this species in subgenus Argyrobothrus with Ox. sechellensis .

Description. Male. Length of each forewing 1.7 mm (n = 1). Antennae damaged. Genitalia: Abdominal segment IX rounded anteroventrally, apical margin bordered by robust-looking setae with apices downturned; tergite X fused with IX, in lateral view conical; ventral plate bifid, paired conical lobes dorsal of ventral plate; inferior appendages cone-shaped, length slightly exceeding ventral plate and tergite X; phallus stout basally, strap-like stout process arising at close to half length.

Etymology. The Latin ‘ palisada’ describes the ventral palisade of strong setae on the male abdominal segment IX.

Distribution. Known from only the type locality in Moxico Province of Angola.

Remarks. With the palisade of strong setae on the apical margin of segment IX, this species resembles the Northern Australian species Oxyethira artuvillosus Wells 1981 , in Oxyethira subgenus Dampfitrichia . A single female of a species of Oxyethira was collected with the type, but since females of Oxyethira are all so similar, such associations can only be tentative.

Figures

FIGURES 20–25. Oxyethira spp., male genitalia. 20, 21, Oxyethira sechellensis Malicky 1993 [CAW 804AA]: 20, ventral, 21, left lateral. 22–25, Oxyethira palisada sp. nov. [CAW 756T]: 22, ventral; 23, left lateral; 24, phallus, ventral; 25, inferior appendages and ventral plate, ventral. Abbreviations: IX, X = abdominal segment IX and tergite X; inf. app. = inferior appendage (paired); ph. = phallus; st. = strap on phallus; v. pl. = ventral plate.