Mortoniella velasquezi

Blahnik, Roger J. & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2011, Revision of the austral South American species of Mortoniella (Trichoptera: Glossosomatidae: Protoptilinae) 2851, Zootaxa 2851 (1), pp. 1-75 : 53

M. velasquezi species group

Described members of this group include only M. velasquezi (Flint) and M. eduardoi (Rueda & Gibon) , both of which have hind wings densely covered with scales. However, this is not a diagnostic feature of the group, since the new species described here lack wing scales. Nevertheless, all of the species of M. velasquezi group are very similar in overall morphology, somewhat resembling members of the M. ormina species group in having the character combination of having males with an elongate ventral process on segment VI, hind wing with only fork II ( Fig. 40B ), and tergum X relatively simple in structure, with simple lateral lobes and a deep mesal excavation. This resemblance is probably superficial, however, since only the reduced venational character, which also occurs in some species of the M. leroda species group, can be considered apomorphic. Diagnostic features include the character combination of a very broad, strongly apically upturned dorsal phallic spine; elongate, apically inflated appendages on the posterior margin of the phallotheca, with accompanying, much enlarged mesal pockets on the fused inferior appendages, each of which has the apical spine-like process elongate and lance-like; inferior appendages that are much reduced and strongly fused with the phallic ensemble, with only simple and somewhat retrorsely directed, setose, lateral lobes; and a very short, sclerotized phallotheca. The females are even more distinctive than the males, with segment VII apparently subdivided into sclerotized posterior and anterior parts, the anterior part with a diagnostic row of very long, posteriorly directed setae ( Fig. 30B ). Tergum VIII is unmodified, without a posteromesal invagination. The ventral process of segment VI is similar to, but much shorter than that of the male. Tergum VII has a pair of small, nearly vestigial glandular structures (glandular structures on terga VI and/or VII is a general feature of Mortoniella females). Although similar in overall structure, the females of the new species described below can apparently be distinguished by the shape of tergum IX, featured in figures 30A, 31, and 32.

Figures

FIGURES 38–40. Wings of exemplar species: 38, Mortoniella albolineata Ulmer: A—forewing; B—hind wing. 39, Mortoniella argentinica Flint: A—forewing; B—hind wing. 40, Mortoniella froehlichi, new species: A—forewing; B—hind wing.

FIGURES 30–32. Mortoniella velasquezi species group, female genitalia: 30, Mortoniella tripuiensis, new species: A—tergum IX, dorsal; B—ventral; C—tergum VII, dorsal. 31, Mortoniella froehlichi, new species: tergum IX, dorsal. 32, Mortoniella bocaina, new species: tergum IX, dorsal.