Chimarra crescentis, Blahnik & Andersen, 2022

Blahnik, Roger & Andersen, Trond, 2022, New species of the genus Chimarra Stephens from Africa (Trichoptera, Philopotamidae) and characterization of the African groups and subgroups of the genus, ZooKeys 1111, pp. 43-198 : 43

Chimarra crescentis sp. nov.

Fig. 39A-F

Type material.

Holotype. Tanzania - Tanga Reg. ● ♂ (in alcohol); West Usambara Mts, Dule; 4°51'S, 38°26'E; 26 Nov. 1990; T Andersen leg.; sweep net; UMSP 000550035. Paratypes. Tanzania - Tanga Reg. ● 1♂; same data as for holotype; ZMBN ● 1♂; INHS.

Diagnosis.

Chimarra crescentis is related to the other new species of this subgroup from Tanzania, resembling them in the general structure of the phallus. It is easily distinguished from any other species by the shape of its inferior appendages, which, in lateral view, have acute dorsal and ventral apices separated by a broadly crescentic invagination.

Description.

Adult. Overall color (in alcohol) medium brown to yellowish brown, setal warts of head slightly paler, weakly contrasting. Head short (postocular parietal sclerite relatively short, shorter than eye). Palps elongate; maxillary palp with 1st segment very short (approximately as long as wide), 2nd segment short (~ 2 × 1st), apex with cluster of ~ 8-10 stiff setae, 3rd segment very elongate (> 2 × 2nd), 4th segment short (shorter than 2nd), 5th segment elongate and narrow (slightly longer than 3rd). Forewing length: male, 4.7-5.0 mm. Fore- and hind wings with forks I, II, III, and V present. Forewing with R1 straight, stem of Rs straight, or nearly so, basal fork of discoidal cell slightly enlarged, evenly forked, length of cell ~ 2 × width, fork I sessile, fork II slightly subsessile, r crossvein diagonal, intersecting discoidal cell before apical fork, s, r-m, and m crossveins linear and hyaline (m crossvein somewhat diagonal), both 2A and 3A looped to 1A (2A without apical fork). Hind wing with R1 evident basally, obsolete (or fused to subcosta) apically, forks I and II slightly subsessile, fork III distal and relatively wide, anal loop small. Forelegs with apical tibial spur short; male with tarsal claws not enlarged, claws symmetrical, tarsal segments narrow.

Male genitalia. Segment VIII very short, tergum longer than sternum, dorsal margin slightly projecting, sternum without posteroventral projection. Segment IX, in lateral view, short, anteroventral margin only slightly expanded, dorsal margin without apodemes, sternum with very short, rounded ventral process from posterior margin, inferior appendages inserted near ventral margin; as viewed dorsally, with tergum very narrow, but continuous, sternum short, subtruncate. Tergum X with mesal lobe short and membranous, lateral lobes short and strongly sclerotized, each with rounded basal part and mesally curved, spine-like dorsal projection; sensilla of lobes absent (or not evident). Preanal appendages very short and rounded, slightly flattened, inserted membranously (not fused to segments IX or X). Inferior appendage not or only weakly inflected basally, appendage narrow basally, expanded apically to produce widely forked, subequal, acute, dorsal and ventral lobes; mesal surface with irregular sclerotized cusp in basal half, probably articulating with sclerotized ventral projection of phallobase. Phallic apparatus with phallobase very short and strongly sclerotized, with usual basodorsal expansion, securely anchored within segment by sclerotized periphallic membrane (and apparently fused to it); apicoventral margin of phallobase (or possibly projections from periphallic membrane) very distinctly sclerotized and produced, down-turned, apex divided mesally, apparently articulating with cusped projections of mesal surface of inferior appendages; phallic apparatus distal to sclerotized ventral projection (possibly modified endotheca), with lightly sclerotized membranous region and bulbous sclerotized projection with rounded apical lobes (appearing as extension of phallobase); endotheca with single short, curved apical spine; phallotremal sclerite complex composed of short rod and ring structure, rod very short.

Etymology.

Chimarra crescentis , used as an adjective, for the crescentic apex of the inferior appendages in this species (derived via OF from the Latin cresco, to grow, for the figure of the moon in its first or last quarter).

Figures

Figure 39. Chimarra crescentis sp. nov., ♂ genitalia A lateral B dorsal, segments IX and X C inferior appendage, ventral D inferior appendage, dorsal E phallus, lateral F phallus, ventral.