Nyctiophylax (Paranyctiophylax) gracilis Morse, Zhong & Yang

Morse, John C., Zhong, Hua & Yang, Lian-fang, 2012, New species of Plectrocnemia and Nyctiophylax (Trichoptera, Polycentropodidae) from China, ZooKeys 169, pp. 39-59 : 48-50

Nyctiophylax (Paranyctiophylax) gracilis Morse, Zhong & Yang sp. n. Fig. 6

Nyctiophylax (Paranyctiophylax) gracilis Li 1998: 92-93, figs 4.13-4.18, nomen nudum.

Type material.

Holotype male, PRC, Jiang-xi Province, 38 km. from Cong-an City and 2 km from Jiang-xi Provincial border at 80-km marker, 27.78°N, 118.03°E, 550 m elevation, 26-v-1990, collected by Sun Chang-hai; deposited in NAU.

Paratypes.

PRC, Jiang-xi Province: same data as holotype, 11 males (NAU); Mt. Jiu-lian National Nature Preserve, unnamed tributary 0.5 km from Xia-Gong-Tang Stream, 24.5347°N, 114.4689°E, 630 m elevation, 07-vi-2005, Coll. Zhou Xin, Sun Chang-hai, 5 males (NAU).

PRC, Zhe-jiang Province: Mt. Tian-mu, 30.4°N, 119.5°E, San-mu-ping, 780 m elevation, 26-29-vii-1998, black light, coll. Wu Hong, 8 males (NAU); San-mu-ping, 780 m elevation, 23-vi-1998, black light, coll. Zhao Ming-shui, 4 males (NAU); Kai-shan-lao-dian, 1090 m elevation, 14vii-1999, light, coll. Zhao Ming-shui, 2 males (NAU); San-mu-ping, 780 elevation, 15-ix-1998, coll. Zhao Ming-shui, 1 male (NAU); San-mu-ping, 780 m elevation, 01-vii-1998, coll. Wu Hong, 1 male (NAU); An-ji County, 30.6345°N, 119.676°E, Mt. Long-wang, 400 m elevation, 03-vi-1999, Coll. Du Yu-zhou, 2 males (NAU).

PRC, An-hui Province: Qi-men County, 50 m upstream of Shu-ang-he-kou, Tang-yun-li tributary, 29.8°N, 117.7°E, 530 m elevation, 30-v-2002, coll. Shan Lin-na, Hu Ben-jin, 2 males (NAU); Shu-ang-he-kou, Tao-yuan-li tributary, 29-ix-2003; coll. Shan Lin-na, Sun Chang-hai, 2 males (NAU); Shu-ang-he-kou, Tao-yuan-li tributary, 26-viii-2003, coll. Sun Chang-hai, Shan Lin-na, 17 males (NAU).

PRC, Guang-xi Province: Shang-si County, Mt. Shi-wan-da National Forest Park, 1st tributary of Shi-tou Stream, Zhu-jiang-yuan Waterfall, ~4 km SW of main entrance to Park, 485 m elevation, 06-vi-2004, Coll. Zhou Xin, Karl M Kjer, 1 male (NAU).

PRC, Si-chuan Province: Mei-gu County, Mei-gu Da-feng-ding National Nature Preserve, Shu-wo Village, Cha-cha-kou Stream, 9.0 km E of Long-wo, 28.7608°N, 103.2535°E, 1650 m elevation, 06-vii-2005, Coll. CJ Geraci, JC Morse, 4 males (NAU); Mei-gu County, Mei-gu Da-feng-ding National Nature Preserve, Shu-wo Village, Gong-fan-yi Stream, 9.5 km E of Long-wo, 28.7605°N, 103.2581°E, 1653 m elevation, 06-vii-2005, Coll. Zhou Xin, 3 males (NAU); Du-jiang-yan County, Qing-cheng Hou-shan Scenic Area, Tong-ling-gou Stream, 600 m upstream of Qing-quan-yuan Hotel, 8.7 km S main gate, 30.9301°N, 103.4957°E, 985 m elevation, 10-vii-2005, Coll. Sun Chang-hai, 1 male (NAU).

Diagnosis.

The male of this species is similar to that of Nyctiophylax (Paranyctiophylax) sagax Mey, 1995 in the thick base and slender finger-shaped distal part of each inferior appendage and in the shape of the preanal appendages. However, the 2 species differ in that the mesoventral process of each preanal appendage is evenly curved caudoventrad and blunt apically, and there is no internal spine at the apex of the phallus in the new species. In contrast, in Nyctiophylax sagax , the mesoventral process of each preanal appendage is curved ventrad at a right angle in the middle and acute apically, and there is a longitudinal row of internal spines at the apex of the phallus.

Description of adult male.

Head light brown with yellowish antennae, pronotum yellowish, meso- and metanota brown, with warts and thoracic legs yellowish, forewings light brown. Length of body with folded forewings: 5.5-7.0 mm. (n=10).

Male genitalia. Tergum IX ovate in lateral view (Fig. 6A) and subquadrate in dorsal view (Fig. 6C), completely membranous. In lateral view (Fig. 6A), sternum IX (s.IX) quadrate, in ventral view (Fig. 6B), posteromesal margin slightly concave, anteromesal margin with shallow, “V–shaped” excisionTergum X broad, widely divided apically, each process with small lobe apicoventrally, acute in lateral view and blunt in dorsal view. Preanal appendages rectangular in lateral view (Fig. 6A), about 2 times as long as wide, each with broad incision apically; mesoventral processes evenly curved caudoventrad, broad at bases, each gradually reduced to a narrow, blunt apex; in ventral view (Fig. 6B) apices extended mesad beneath phallus. Inferior appendages each with basoventral part much thicker than slender, digitate, incurved distal part; in ventral view (Fig. 6B) basoventral parts each produced in subquadrate lobe with truncate apex. Phallus with phallobase broad and depressed, pair of slender parameres slightly longer than phallicata; phallicata slender, round at apex (Figs 6B, 6A, 6C).

Female and immature stages.

Unknown.

Distribution.

Oriental Biogeographic Region, China (Jiang-xi, Zhe-jiang, An-hui, Si-chuan).

Etymology.

Gracilis, Greek adjective, „slender,“ referring to the slender distal part of each inferior appendage.