Oxyethira (Pacificotrichia) oropedion Kelley

Wells, Alice & Johanson, Kjell Arne, 2015, Review of New Caledonian species of Oxyethira Eaton, with description of 17 new species, and new records for Hydroptila Dalman and Hellyethira Neboiss (Trichoptera, Hydroptilidae), ZooKeys 530, pp. 37-90 : 50-53

Taxon classification Animalia Trichoptera Hydroptilidae

Oxyethira (Pacificotrichia) oropedion Kelley Figs 35-37, 78, 79, 97

Oxyethira oropedion Kelley, 1989: 198, figs 38, 46, 50, 51, 60.

Oxyethira derek Oláh & Johanson, 2010a: 95, figs 49-51. syn. n.

Revised diagnosis.

Males are readily recognised by the short, setose mid-apicoventral lobes situated between the gonopods [present in the holotype, although not illustrated clearly by Kelley (1989: fig. 60)]. In other respects they resemble Oxyethira quadrata sp. n., Oxyethira indorsennus , and Oxyethira rougensis sp. n. but differ in ventral view from Oxyethira quadrata sp. n. in the apically subtriangular to rounded shape of the subgenital process, rather than quadrate, and the simple, straight phallic apparatus lacking distal flanges; from Oxyethira indorsennus in the wider separation of the gonopods; and from Oxyethira rougensis sp. n. by the broad, shallow excision of abdominal segment VIII, rather than deep almost V-shaped excision. The female is distinctive in having abdominal segments IX and X slender with a small jet black spot ventrally on abdominal segment X ( Kelley 1989: figs 50, 51 unlike the female of Oxyethira incana Ulmer which has the entire ventral surface of abdominal segment X very darkly sclerotised.

Antennae: male 22-23 flagellomeres, banded with terminal 3 flagellomeres pale, then 5 dark, 1 light, 2 dark 4 light, then dark to base, flagellomeres bearing sensilla placodea; female antennae with 19 flagellomeres, with terminal 3 flagellomeres pale, 5 dark, 5 light, then dark to base. Wing length male 1.6-1.9 mm; female 1.4-1.9 mm. Tibial spurs 0,3,4. Abdominal sternite VII with median spur on distal margin.

Material examined.

Holotype. Male, New Caledonia, Plateau de Dogny, (BPBM). Other material. 1 males (on slide), Province Sud, NW of Farino on Moindou road, ~10 km, ford at confluence, 20.xii.1998, A. Wells (ANIC); 1 male (on slide) small fall ~20 km SW Houailou, on Houailou–Bourail road, 26.xii.1998, AW (ANIC); 1 male (on slide), chute ~15km N Col d’Amieu on La Foa–Canala Rd], 27.XII. 1998 AW (ANIC); 1 male (on slide), La Foa, 27.xii.1998, A Wells, (ANIC); 1 male (on slide), stream ~15 km SW Thio on Boulouparis–Thio road, 28.xii.1998, AW (ANIC); 4 males, Province Sud., Rivière Bleue, 282 m, stony river, loc 4, 22°05.705'S, 166°38.225'E, Malaise trap, 13-16.xi.2001, leg. K.A. Johanson, T. Pape & B. Viklund(NHRS); 3 males, 7 females, Province Sud, Sarraméa, 220 m, forest stream, loc 10, 21°37.883'S 165°51.958'E, Malaise trap, 18-21.xi.2001, leg. K.A. Johanson, T. Pape & B. Viklund (NHRS); 6 males, 26 females, Province Sud, Sarraméa, 2907 m, stony forest stream, loc 13, 21°37.097'S 165°49.351'E, Malaise trap, 18-21.xi.2001, leg. K.A. Johanson, T. Pape & B. Viklund(NHRS); numerous males, females, Province Nord, Amoa River, 23 m, loc 20, 12 km W Poindimié, 22°58.092'S, 165°11.804'E, light trap, 26.xi.2001, Leg. K.A. Johanson, T. Pape & B. Viklund leg. K.A. Johanson, T. Pape & B. Viklund(NHRS); 4 males, 7 females, Province Sud, Col d’Amieu, 323 m, small stony river, loc 24, 21°34.844'S, 165°49.677'E, Malaise trap, 30. xi– 5.xii.2001, leg. K.A. Johanson, T. Pape & B. Viklund(NHRS); 27 males, Province Sud, stream draining to Marais de la Rivière Blanche, 5.0 km SW Pont Pérignon, 22°09.513'S, 166°39.942'E, 180 m, 6-16.xi.2003, Malaise trap, loc#011, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); 2 males, Province Sud, Monts Kwa Ne Mwa, on road between Noumea and Yaté, Rivière des Pirogues, 22°11.225'S, 166°43.338'E, 100 m, 7.xi.2003, light trap, loc#016, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); 3 males, 2 females, Province Sud, Mt Dzumac, source stream of Ouinne River, near crosspoint to mountain track, 22°02.439'S, 166°28.646'E, 805 m, 18. xi– 4.xii.2003, Malaise trap, loc#029, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); numerous males, females, Province Sud, Mt Dzumac, source stream of Ouinne River, near crosspoint to mountain track, 22°02.073'S, 166°28.460'E, 810 m, 18. xi– 4.xii.2003, Malaise trap, loc#030, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); numerous males, females, Province Sud, Mt Dzumac, source stream of Ouinne River, near crosspoint to mountain track, 22°02.439'S, 166°28.646'E, 805 m, 18. xi– 4.xii.2003, Malaise trap, loc#029, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); numerous males, females, Province Sud, Tamoa River, 700m S road RT1 between Noumea and La Foa, 22°04.518'S, 166°16.592'E, 19.xi.2003, light trap, loc#033, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); 3 males, 4 females, Province Sud, Hwa Hace Mtn, Hwa Motu River, at Pont Wamuttu, 1.0 km E Nassirah, about 200 m upstream bridge, 21°48.094'S, 166°04.298'E, 137 m, 20. xi– 12.xii.2003, Malaise trap, loc#034, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); numerous males, Province Sud, W slope Mt Ningua, Kwé Néco Stream, 3.9 km W summit of Mt Ningua, on Boulouparis–Thio Road, about 50 m upstream road, 21°44.359'S, 166°06.009'E, 117 m, 20. xi– 12.xii.2003, Malaise trap, loc#035, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); 2 male, 3 females, Province Sud, on road between Noumea and Yaté, 1.0 km NW Pont des Japonais, 22°11.427'S, 166°42.868'E, 113 m, 22. xi– 4.xii.2003, Malaise trap, loc#039, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); numerous males (1 on slide), females 1 on slide), Province Sud, Platou de Dogny, source of Dogny River, about 1.2km SE summit of Platou, about 200 m from waterfall, 21.62067°S, 165.88290°E, 915 m, 25. xi– 16.xii.2003, Malaise trap, loc#048, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); numerous males, females, Province Sud, W slope Mt Ningua, Kwé Néco Stream, at Camp Jacob, 3.9 km W summit of Mt Ningua, on Boulouparis-Thio Road, about 50 m upstream road, 21°44.083'S, 166°06.298'E, 117 m, 29.xi.2003-12.xii.2003, Malaise trap, loc#053, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); 17 males Province Sud, W slope Mt Ningua, Kwé Néco, Stream, at Camp Jacob, 3.7 km WNW summit of Mt Ningua, on Boulouparis–Thio Road, about 50 m upstream road, 21°43.613'S, 166°06.567'E, 150 m, 29. xi– 12.xii.2003, Malaise trap, loc#054, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); 7 males, Province Sud, stream draining to Rivière des Pirogues, 850 m E summit of Mont Imbaah, 5.5 km E Lucky Creek in Plum, 22°16.837'S, 166°42.195'E, 31 m, 01.xii.2003, light trap, loc#060, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); males, 2 females, Province Nord, Aoupinié Mtn, Réserve spéciale de faune de l’Aoupinié, spring to side stream to Öröpömwati river, 21°09.032'S, 165°19.179'E, 441 m, 6-27.xii.2003, Malaise trap, loc#065, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); 3 males, Province Nord, small stream crossing road RPN3 between Touho and Poindimié, about 200 m S Tiwaka River, 20°49.105'S, 165°15.182'E, 30 m, 6-27.xii.2003, Malaise trap, loc#066, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); numerous males, females, Province Nord, Wemwâdiu stream, 850 m E summit Kögi Mtn, 5 m upstream road, about 200 m S Tiwaka River, 20°49.020'S, 165°14.165'E, 24 m, 6-27.xii.2003, Malaise trap, loc#067, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); numerous males, females, Province Nord, 50 m upstream bridge on Hienghène–Tnèdo road, 3.9 km S summit of Mt Tnèda, 2.2 km E Tnèdo, 20°43.085'S, 164°49.928'E, 29 m, 7.xii.2003, light trap, loc#071, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); 2 males, 3 females, Province Nord, 1 m upstream road, below waterfall on Hienghène–Tnèdo road, 2.2 km SSW summit of Mt Unpac, 4.9 km ESE Tnèdo, 20.73879°S, 164.85508°E, 7.xii.2003, light trap, loc#072, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); numerous males, females, Province Nord, Bouérabate Stream, S Mont Ninndo, along road Barabache–Boulagoma, 20°17.409'S, 164°11.242'E, 60 m, 19.xii.2003-7.i.2004, Malaise trap, loc#089, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); numerous males (4 on slides), females, Province Nord, Rivière Néhoué, camp Amenage de Néhoué, 20°25.037'S, 164° 13.222'E, 12 m, 19.xii.2003, light trap, loc#090, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); numerous males (1 on slide), females, Province Nord, Ponandou Tiôgé River at Kögi, 3.9 km SSW Touho, 20°49.043'S, 165°13.551'E, 25 m, 26.xii.2003, light trap, loc#100, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS, ANIC); 5 males, 3 females, Province Nord, Plaine des Gaïacs, Rivière Rouge, 14.2 km NW summit of Mt Rouge, 50 m upstream road RT1 Noumea–Koné, 21°31.573'S, 164°46.690'E, 23 m, 2.i.2004, light trap, loc#104, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); 3 males, Province Sud, Fö Néchédeva stream, 2 m upstream bridge on La Foa–Koindé road, 21°38.812'S, 165°56.076'E, 124 m, 4.i.2004, light trap, loc#106, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); numerous males, females, Province Sud, Sarraméa, Xwê Wya River, 21°38.318'S, 165°51.582'E, 127 m, 17-18.i.2004, light trap, loc#121, leg. K.A. Johanson (NHRS); 4 males Province Sud, stream crossing way to sanatorium 2.3 km E St Laurent, ca. 150 m upstream bridge, 22°04.484'S, 166°19.910'E, loc 027, Malaise trap, 17-19.x.2006, leg. K.A. Johanson M Espeland, (NHRS).

Remarks.

Oxyethira oropedion is one of the more commonly collected New Caledonian Oxyethira species, occurring throughout the island (Fig. 97); several of the collecting sites are shown in photographs of type localities of other species (Figs 75, 76, 79, 81). Kelley’s (1989) illustration of the ventral view of the male exaggerates the separation of the lobes of the gonopods, which was undoubtedly what led Oláh and Johanson (2010a: fig. 50) to interpret the closer position seen in the single specimen on which they based Oxyethira derek as indicative of a separate morphospecies. Examination of the type of Oxyethira oropedion shows that it shares the features of Oxyethira derek and thus we suppress Oxyethira derek in synonymy.