Chaetopteryx bucari Kucinic , Szivak & Delic

Kucinic, Mladen, Szivak, Ildiko, Pauls, Steffen U., Balint, Miklos, Delic, Antun & Vuckovic, Ivan, 2013, Chaetopteryx bucari sp. n., a new species from the Chaetopteryx rugulosa group from Croatia (Insecta, Trichoptera, Limnephilidae) with molecular, taxonomic and ecological notes on the group, ZooKeys 320, pp. 1-28 : 5-10

Chaetopteryx bucari Kucinic, Szivak & Delic sp. n. Figures 3-16

Type material.

Holotype male: CROATIA, Pecki spring, 45°23'50"N, 16°14'40"E, 161 m a.s.l., 15 December 2009, leg. Bučar, Delić, Kučinić, dry specimen, DNA Barcode ID: HGCAD046-10, deposited in the Croatian Natural History Museum in Zagreb.

Paratype: CROATIA, ♂ and ♀ (n=49): 1 female, Pecki spring, 21 November 2009, leg. Bučar, Delić, Kučinić, dry specimen, DNA Barcode ID: HGCAD087-10; 14 males, Pecki spring, 31 October 2011; 9 females, Pecki spring, 31 October 2010; 20 females, Pecki spring, 30 November 2011; 2 males and 2 females, Hrvatski Čuntić stream, 45°21'28"N, 16°17'04"E, 159 m a.s.l., 22 October 2010; 1 male, Marića točak, 45°21'29"N, 16°17'03"E, 163 m a.s.l., 23 November 2012, leg. Bučar, Delić, Kučinić (all specimens in alcohol).

Diagnosis.

Male of Chaetopteryx bucari is most similar to Chaetopteryx rugulosa mecsekensis and Chaetopteryx rugulosa schmidi but differs in the following features: 1. In lateral view the inferior appendages in Chaetopteryx bucari are always with a pointed apex on the dorsal side, not rounded as in Chaetopteryx rugulosa mecsekensis ; 2. Bristles in Chaetopteryx bucari are set more distally from the membranous part of the aedeagus than in Chaetopteryx rugulosa mecsekensis and Chaetopteryx rugulosa schmidi and never reach (touch) the lateral membranous finger, as in Chaetopteryx rugulosa mecsekensis . Female of Chaetopteryx bucari is clearly different from other species in the Chaetopteryx rugulosa group (e.g., form of the visible finger on lateral side, form of the anal tube, form of the supragenital plate of segment X in lateral and ventral views, form of the median lobe of the vulvar scale in ventral view). We did not find strong morphological variability among the females of the new species (except the median lobe of the vulvar scale). Females of Chaetopteryx bucari have in lateral, ventral and dorsal views very visible finger-shaped proturbances (ventral lobes of tergite IX) on the anal tube which is lacking in Chaetopteryx rugulosa mecsekensis and Chaetopteryx rugulosa schmidi . In lateral view the excision of the anal tube in Chaetopteryx rugulosa rugulosa is more pronounced than in Chaetopteryx bucari . The median lobe of the vulvar scale in Chaetopteryx rugulosa mecsekensis , Chaetopteryx rugulosa rugulosa and Chaetopteryx rugulosa schmidi is longer and more visible than in Chaetopteryx bucari .

Description.

Wings and legs yellow to yellowish-brown; veins darker in both sexes (Figure 3). Antennae long, grey to fuscous. Scapus yellow to yellowish-brown, thorax and abdomen yellow. Spur formula male 0,3,3, female 1,3,3. Ocelli present. Forewing with round apex; length 7.7-9.9 mm in males, 7.2-10.1 mm in females.

Male genitalia (Figures 4-11). In dorsal view, spinulose zone of tergite VIII well developed with yellow setae. Segment IX ventrally broad, dorsally narrow in lateral view (Figures 4-5). Superior appendages with small yellow setae, shape of superior appendages variable (Figures 4 –7b–d), usually in one of two forms (Figures 4-6). In lateral view, 1st form with posterior edge slightly rounded apically, concave at middle (Figure 5); in 2nd form, dorsal side more protuberant with round or irregular apex (Figures 4, 7b). In some specimens triangular or rectangular intermediate forms are found (Figure 7c-d). Inferior appendages in lateral view rectangular, anterior part broad, posterior part narrow (Figures 4-7a). Apical flap of inferior appendage developed, in lateral view with pointed apex (tip) and ventral side slightly rounded; or with apex forked, long setae present on ventral side (Figures 4-7a). Intermediate appendages (paraproctal complex) elongated in lateral view with long, connecting middle section, apical hook narrowing with upward–curving apex (Figures 4-5), basal triangular part of paraproct relatively large in caudal view (Figures 8-9). Phallic organ (phallus) a single tube consisting of phallic apodeme, phallobase, aedeagus and parameres. Aedeagus relatively long, sclerotized, in posterior part with membranous lobes, lateral lobes membranous finger-like proturbances (endophallus) (Figures 10 a–d). Two relatively short parameres set very distant from posterior membranous part of aedeagus (Figures 10 a–b, 10d); parameres with sclerotized, straight, stout, brown bristles (Figures 10 a–b, 10d, 11 a–f). Bristles vary in width and length (Figure 11 a–f); lateral bristles shorter; bristles arranged in 1 fan-like row (Figure 11 a–f); in specimens with more bristles, some form 2nd row; bristles vary from 5-10.

Female genitalia (Figures 12-16). Anal tube (fusion of tergites IX and X) in lateral view broad, relatively elongated with one excision and very distinct finger-shaped proturbance (lobes of tergite IX) on ventral side (Figures 12-13). Apex of proturbance rounded or slightly pointed with small yellow setae (Figures 12-15). In 2/3rds of specimens examined ventral and dorsal lips of anal tube equal in length, in 1/3rd ventral lip longer. In dorsal view anal tube thickened with digitate proturbance on lateral side and small excision (recess) in middle (Figure 14). In ventral view anal tube broad with larger excision (recess) in middle than in dorsal side (Figure 15). Supragenital plate of segment X well-developed, triangular in shape in lateral and ventral views (Figures 12, 15). Lateral segment of vulvar scale relatively short in ventral view, with flat or slightly rounded apex (Figure 16 a–c). Median lobe of vulvar scale (lower vulvar lip) with very small rounded or pointed apex (Figure 16 b–d). In ca. 1/3rd of specimens' median lobe of vulvar scale not visible (Figure 16a).

Etymology.

The species is dedicated to Professor Matija Bučar from the Faculty of Education, Department in Petrinja, University of Zagreb.

Ecological notes and distribution.

During our recent faunal surveys in Croatia and the Western Dinaric Balkan Chaetopteryx bucari was found only at 8 localities in the Banovina region (Table 1). The most distant sampling sites are 40 km apart (Slabinja and Gore). We collected Chaetopteryx bucari from 2 springs, 5 wellsprings and 1 location in the stream (Table 1). In total, we collected more than 580 specimens of Chaetopteryx bucari (85% were collected in pyramid-type emergence traps). The most abundant populations were found at Pecki spring and a headwater stream in Hrvatski Ćuntić. Over 150 specimens of Chaetopteryx bucari were observed on the night of October 14, 2010 on the walls of a small building next to the stream in Hrvatski Čuntić. In Pecki spring more than 50 specimens were observed on the night of October 31, 2010. Chaetopteryx bucari was recorded at low altitudes between 104-185 m a.s.l. (Table 1).

Chaetopteryx bucari was collected in pyramid-type emergence traps from the end of September-December. The highest number of specimens was collected in October and November in both years. The sex ratio in both years was biased toward males, 1:1.37 (♀♀: ♂♂) in 2010, and 1:1.40 (♀♀:♂♂) in 2011. Besides Chaetopteryx bucari , Chaetopteryx gonospina Marinković-Gospodnetić, 1966 and 2 additional caddisfly species ( Limnephilus rhombicus (Linnaeus, 1758), Potamophylax pallidus Klapálek, 1898) were recorded in the emergence traps.

In addition to Chaetopteryx bucari 2 other species of the Chaetopteryx rugulosa group were collected in Croatia during our recent surveys. Chaetopteryx marinkovicae was collected from its type locality on the stream and spring in Kompanj village (Istria region); Chaetopteryx rugulosa rugulosa was caught on Mt. Žumberak and Mt. Medvednica (northeast and central Croatia). Other species of Chaetopteryx found during this investigation were Chaetopteryx bosniaca Marinković-Gospodnetić, 1959 (Lika region), Chaetopteryx gonospina Marinković-Gospodnetić, 1966 (Banovina region), Chaetopteryx fusca (central Croatia, Dalmatia and Lika regions), and Chaetopteryx major (central Croatia).