Mortoniella aviceps, Blahnik & Holzenthal, 2008

Blahnik, Roger J. & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2008, Revision of the Mexican and Central American species of Mortoniella (Trichoptera: Glossosomatidae: Protoptilinae), Zootaxa 1711 (1), pp. 1-72 : 16-18

Mortoniella aviceps , new species

Fig. 5

Mortoniella aviceps is a distinctive species, diagnosed by the acute, more or less bird-head shaped lateral lobes of the phallicata. It is probably most closely related to M. taurina and resembles that species in having dorsolateral spine-like processes on the phallicata, although these are less elongate in M. aviceps . Both species also have paramere appendages with their apical halves distinctly widened and outwardly bowed. However, among other differences, the paramere appendages in M. aviceps lack spines and the endophallic membrane of this species does not have a stout, curved spine.

Adult. Length of forewing: male 3.0– 3.2 mm, female 3.2–3.8 mm. Forewing with forks I, II, and III, hind wing with forks II and III. Overall color (in alcohol) medium brown. Wing bar at anastamosis not evident. Ventral process of abdominal segment VI (male) short, ventrally oriented, subtriangular, subacute apically, length slightly greater than width at base, slightly constricted basally.

Male genitalia. Segment IX nearly evenly rounded anterolaterally, length greatest midlaterally, posterolateral margin forming rounded projection in dorsal half, narrowing ventrally; segment deeply mesally excised dorsally and ventrally, dorsal excision narrow, much less than half width of segment. Tergum X with short, acute mesal projection and relatively short, projecting lateral lobes, lateral lobes with apices narrowed, subacute, mesally curved. Inferior appendage with very short, acute apicomesal projection and paired apicolateral projections, apicolateral projections relatively short, stout, distinctly dorsally curved, acute apically; basolaterally, with short, rounded projection on each side; mesal pockets of inferior appendage with apical processes short, dorsally curved. Paramere appendage with basal part wide, then much narrowed, distinctly widened, flattened and mesally curved in apical half, apex very acute. Dorsal phallic spine with basoventral bulge, apical part sinuously, dorsally curved; as viewed dorsally, with apex acute. Phallicata with apices rounded and with acute preapical, lateral projections, basoventrally with rounded, laterally explanate projections, dorsally with broadly rounded dorsal projection on either side, each with laterally protuberant spine-like process. Endophallic membrane short, simple, without spines.

Holotype male: COSTA RICA: Alajuela: Reserva Forestal San Ramón, Río San Lorencito & tribs., 10°12'58"N, 084°36'25"W, 980 m, 30.iii.–1.iv.1987, Holzenthal, Hamilton & Heyn ( UMSP000018894 ) (in alcohol) ( UMSP).

Paratypes: COSTA RICA: Guanacaste: Parque Nacional Guanacaste, Estacion Maritza, Río Tempisquito , 10°57'29"N, 085°29'49"E, 550 m, 17–18.vi.1988, C. & O. Flint, Holzenthal — 1 male, 4 females (pinned), 1 male (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; Puntarenas: Reserva Biologica Carara, Quebrada Bonita , 09°46'30"N, 084°36'18"W, 35 m, 11.iii.1991, Holzenthal, Muñoz & Huisman — 3 males, 11 females (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; PANAMA: Coclé: El Valle , 829 m, 25.v.1983, Spangler, Faitoute & Steiner — 1 male, 3 females (pinned) ( NMNH) .

Etymology. This species is named M. aviceps , meaning bird-head, derived from Latin words avus, for bird, and - ceps, from the Latin caput, for head, and referring to the distinctive bird-head shaped lateral apices of the phallicata in this species.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Mortoniella aviceps, new species. Male genitalia: A—lateral; B—segment IX and tergum X, dorsal; C— phallic ensemble, ventral; D—dorsal phallic spine, dorsal.