Mecynostomella flinti, Johanson, 2003

Johanson, Kjell Arne, 2003, Revision of the New Caledonian genus Mecynostomella (Trichoptera, Kokiriidae), Zootaxa 270 (1), pp. 1-24 : 18-21

Mecynostomella flinti sp.n.

( Figs 13­14 , 46­50 , 54 )

Material examined: Male holotype: Mt. Aoupinié, 700 m, 21°11'S, 165°18'E, 6­8.iii.1984 [M. Pogue] ( NMNH, pinned) .

Etymology: flinti , named after Oliver S. Flint, Jr. for his contribution in Trichoptera systematics. To be treated as a noun in genitive case.

Diagnosis: In flinti , the forewings have a dark area densely covered by cone­shaped sensillae as in fusca . The species is easily separated from fusca and congeners by the presence of small spines on the dorsal part of segment X, and by the lateral branches originating distally on segment X. The genitalia are unique in the posterior margin of segment IX holding a triangular lobe over the gonocoxite, a very short segment IX, presence of lateral branches on segment X, and apex of segment X that is divided into two wide lobes.

Male.

Head: Frontal surface grey­brownish, frons covered by short, dark brownish setae; dorsally divided into dark anterior and pale posterior half; few, long, golden brown setae along the eye margin and posterior margin of head. Antennal flagellum with 41 flagellom eres.

Thorax: Pronotum dark yellowish­grey, with few dorsolateral, stout, dark brownish setae on distinct warts. Mesonotum dark brownish with golden setae, setal warts absent.

Wings: Forewing length 10.2 mm (n=1), hind wing length 8.5 mm (n=1). Forewing dark brownish; distinct dark area between Cu and A as a in M. fusca made of dark, curving, cone­shaped sensillae ( Figs 13, 14 ) attached by large, oval tubercles ( Fig. 13 ). Hind wing pale grey. Venation as described for genus, except R1 fading distally, fuses with Sc before wing margin. Approximately 14 long, straight hamuli along anterior margin.

Genitalia ( Figs 46­50 ): Segment IX, lateral view ( Fig. 46 ), about 1.9x higher than long; anterior part sub­straight, anteroventral corner slightly produced anteriorly; dorsal margin rounded, with minute incision; posteroventral margin ( Fig. 48 ) with wide incision being nearly straight anteriorly; posterior margin with large, pointed dorsal marginal process above basal part of gonocoxite. Segment X nearly 5x longer than high, about parallelsided and with obtuse apex being slightly bent ventrally ( Fig. 46 ); setae confined to apex; row of spinous microtrichiae present at mid­length; in dorsal view ( Fig. 47 ), apex bi­lobed, deeply incised centrally. Lateral branch smooth, about one­sixth the length of central branch, originates at mid­length on segment X; pointed, sub­straight ( Fig. 46 ), oriented posteriad ( Fig. 47 ). Median lobe, lateral view ( Fig. 46 ), small, partly hidden inside segment IX; with setae on posterior margin; not visible in dorsal view ( Fig. 47 ); in ventral view ( Fig. 48 ), with U­shaped incision, median corners slightly incised. Gonocoxite, lateral view ( Fig. 46 ), sub­straight, apex curving dorsad; dorsal and ventral margins nearly parallel; widening distally in ventral view ( Fig. 48 ), slightly converging, apex shallowly notched; gonocoxite covered by setae except at proximal part. Phallus simple; phallobase, lateral view ( Fig. 49 ), slightly longer than three­quarts the height of segment IX; endotheca produced dorsally at mid­length, without spines; in ventral view ( Fig. 50 ), lateral incisions at proximal part located anteriorly to anterior margin of phallus opening.

Female unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 6­14. Mecynostomella species, right wings and wing details. 6, Mecynostomella spinosa sp.n. male, right wings and vein terminology; 7, Mecynostomella spinosa sp.n. male, scaloid seta from forewing Cu2, highly magnified; 8, Mecynostomella spinosa sp.n. female, right wings; 9, Mecynostomella brevis sp.n. male, right wings; 10, Mecynostomella hollowayi sp.n. male, right wings, a indicates the position of a pale area in the Cu­ and A­ area of the forewing, and made from minute structures shown in the next figure; 11, details of a single structure forming a pentagon and with a central opening, and which build up a pale area of the forewing as indicated in the previous figure; 12, Mecynostomella fusca Kimmins, 1953, right wings, with area covered by sensillae indicated by a surrounding black line; 13, Mecynostomella flinti sp.n., detail from wing membrane of dark area between forewing Cu and A, showing position of a modified sensilla and sensilla bases (t), dorsal view; 14, same species and sensilla, lateral view.

FIGURES 46­50. Mecynostomella flinti sp.n., male holotype. 46, genitalia, lateral view; 47, genitalia, dorsal view; 48, genitalia, ventral view; 49, phallus, lateral view; 50, phallus, ventral view.

FIGURES 53­54. Distribution maps of New Caledonian Mecynostomella. 53, caledonia (circles), hollowayi (rectangles), and sigma (triangle); 54, spinosa (circles), flinti (rectangle), brevis (triangles), and fusca (diamond).