Wellsomina stuarti, Cartwright, David I., 2010

Cartwright, David I., 2010, Descriptions of 2 new genera and 13 new species of caddisflies from Australia (Trichoptera: Ecnomidae), Zootaxa 2415, pp. 1-21 : 15-16

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.194387
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6202162
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/AA598020-1863-FF98-9DE8-3C63FCBD19F6
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Wellsomina stuarti
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Wellsomina stuarti sp. nov.

Figs 7, 8 View FIGURES 7 – 11 , 33–35 View FIGURES 27 – 35 , 50 View FIGURES 45 – 53

Diagnosis. Wellsomina stuarti can be distinguished from congeners by the large flask-shaped, fused inferior appendages with a pair of relatively short digitiform projections distally.

Description. Head, body and wings light brown; wings typical for the genus ( Fig. 7 View FIGURES 7 – 11 ), length of forewing: male 2.6–2.9 mm, female 3.0 mm. Wing venation: forewing length about 3.7 times width, each with forks 2, 3, 4 and 5 present; fork 2 relatively short, fork 2 footstalk relatively long, length about 1.7–3.0 times length of cross-vein r -m, length of fork 2 about 1.6–2.1 times length of fork 3; fork 3 very short, length of fork 3 about 0.5–1.0 times length of footstalk, footstalk of fork 3 very long, length about 3.4–4.9 times length of cross-vein m. Hind wing length about 4–4.5 times width, each with forks 2, 3 and 5 present, all short; fork 2 footstalk relatively long, length about 2.1–2.9 times length of cross-vein r -m.

Male. Tergum X membranous, with membrane reaching inferior appendages ( Figs 33, 35 View FIGURES 27 – 35 ). Superior appendages in dorsal view each with broad, truncate mesal lobe with short, curved apical spine, distal lobe with 2 long spines apically ( Fig. 35 View FIGURES 27 – 35 ); in lateral view, broad basally, tapered distally. Phallus simple, tube-like, beak-like apically ( Fig. 33 View FIGURES 27 – 35 ). Inferior appendages strongly depressed, in ventral view with large fused flasklike shape, rounded laterally, with pair of relatively small digitiform processes apically, separated narrowly by notch ( Fig. 34 View FIGURES 27 – 35 ); in lateral view, slender, narrowed slightly in distal 1/4th ( Fig. 33 View FIGURES 27 – 35 ).

Female. Genitalia with abdominal sternite VIII relatively broad, basally with slender digitiform mesal process; segment IX relatively short, broad-based, tapered slightly in distal 1/4th, segment X relatively long, slender with 1 pair of small cerci ( Figs 50, 50 View FIGURES 45 – 53 a).

Holotype male: Northern Territory, Alligator R., Two Mile Hole, 12°42'S, 132°09'E, 5 Aug 1996, I. Edwards ( NMV, T- 20815).

Paratypes: Northern Territory. 1 male (specimen PT-1085 figured), Katherine R. Gorge Nat. Pk, 13 Aug 1979, JB; 1 female (specimen CT-539 figured), collected with holotype; 2 males, S. Alligator R., UDP Falls, 7 Sep 1979, JB. Western Australia. 5 males, Drysdale R. at Kalumburu Rd crossing, Kimberley, 28 Sep 1979, JB; 3 males, Camp Ck at crusher, Mitchell Plateau, UV lt, 15 Feb 1979, JEB.; 1 male, same site and collector, 18 Feb 1979; 4 males, Camp Ck, Mitchell Plateau, lt tr., 31 Jan 1978, JEB ( NMV).

Other material examined. 1 female, Camp Ck at crusher, Mitchell Plateau, UV lt, 18 Feb 1979, JEB ( NMV).

Etymology. Stuarti – named after McDougall Stuart, the European explorer who first discovered and named Katherine Gorge (one of the paratype localities).

Remarks. Wellsomina stuarti has been collected from the Northern Territory, and the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia (latitudinal range 12°42'– 15°42'S).