Polyplectropus pratherae, Chamorro & Holzenthal, 2010

Chamorro, Maria Lourdes & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2010, 2582, Zootaxa 2582, pp. 1-252 : 69-71

Polyplectropus pratherae , new species

Figs. 33, 130

Polyplectropus pratherae resembles P. alatespinus , new species, in the shapes of the intermediate, preanal, and inferior appendages. Polyplectropus pratherae can be distinguished from this species by the presence of

2 basally fused, elongate, sinuate spines with rounded apices in the endothecal membrane of the phallus and by the more rounded ventral margin of the mesoventral process of the preanal appendage.

Adult. Length of forewing 6–6.5 mm, n = 2. Color of head, thorax, and legs dark-brown; setae on body dark-brown with golden reflections; tegulae with dark-brown setae; setae on wings dark-brown with golden reflections, entire specimen appearing black from a distance.

Male genitalia. Sternum IX in lateral view deltoid, anterior margin convex, posterior margin entire; in ventral view rectangular, anterior margin concave, posterior margin with slight median flange. Tergum X membranous, oblong, bearing dorsal microsetae. Intermediate appendage as long as inferior appendage, digitate, with a pair of long apical setae; in dorsal view digitate; in caudal view digitate, directed posterolaterad. Preanal appendage tripartite; dorsolateral process elongate, originating from dorsum of mesolateral process, recurved posterad, tapering into acute apex; mesolateral process setose; in dorsal view obovate, in lateral view deltoid; mesoventral process setose; in lateral view hook-like, dorsally produced into digitate lobe with ventrad-directed sclerotized apex, ventral margin sinuate, posterior margin sinuate; in caudal view processes separated bearing dorsal digitate lobe, ventral margin of process rounded. Inferior appendage bipartite with anterior basal plate not extending anterad beyond sternum IX when observed in lateral view and anteriorly bilobed; dorsal branch setose, in lateral view oblong; in ventral view broad, lateral margin subapically produced, sinuate, posterior margin rounded, mesal margin slightly undulate, slightly convex, becoming concave, expanding posterad into ventral branch; bearing robust, sclerotized spines along entire dorsal surface and with basal dorsal projection, in lateral view digitate, narrowing posterad; in ventral view digitate, mesal margin slightly angled, gradually converging mesally. Phallus long; dorsal phallic sclerite in lateral view sinuate, apex oblong; apex of dorsal phallic sclerite in dorsal view truncate; endothecal membrane with 2 basally fused, elongate, sinuate spines with rounded apices.

Holotype male: BRAZIL: Minas Gerais: Parque Nacional do Caparaó, Rio Caparaó, Vale Verde , 20°25'02"S, 41°50'46"W, 1350 m, 12–13.iii.2002, Holzenthal, Blahnik, Paprocki & Prather — ( UMSP000087901 ) ( MZUSP).

Paratypes: BRAZIL: Minas Gerais: Parque Nacional do Caparaó, Rio Caparaó, Vale Verde , 20°25'02"S, 41°50'46"W, 1350 m, 12–13.iii.2002, Holzenthal, Blahnik, Paprocki & Prather — 1 male ( UMSP) .

Distribution. Southeastern Brazil.

Etymology. It is with great pleasure that we name this species in honor of Dr. Aysha L. Prather, trichopterologist, friend, and one of the collectors of this species.