Cheumatopsyche sp. A (dark form larva)

(Figs 10–12, 32)

Material examined. Numerous larvae, Soldiers Creek, lower reaches, 23–24.ix.1996, A. Wells; 8 larvae, Erskine Creek, 22.xii.2007, A. Wells.

Sclerotised body parts almost uniformly dark brown in colour, slightly darker on posterior and lateral margins of thoracic nota; dorsum of head covered densely with short, variably tufted secondary setae, usually with accumulated fuzz of fine material. Frontoclypeus length: width ratio 1.52: 1.70; anterior margin finely crenulate with about 24–26 lobes; primary seta 17 short, much shorter than distance from setal base to apex of frontoclypeus; primary seta 22 near antero-lateral margin of pronotum slender, short, about half length of pronotal suture. Posterior prosternites indistinct. Gills present on meso- and metasternites and abdominal segments I to VII.

Remarks. These darker larvae are distinguished clearly from the other larvae on Lord Howe Island by their dark colour; fewer crenulations on the anterior margin and denser, more complete, cover of secondary setae on the frontoclypeus. They resemble most closely larvae described as Cheumatopsyche AV2 by Dean (1999).