Mortoniella agosta, Blahnik & Holzenthal, 2011

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 : 8-10

Mortoniella agosta , new species

Fig. 2

This species is easily distinguished from other members of the M. albolineata subgroup by the distinctive dorsolateral processes of the phallicata, which are very distinctly sclerotized, elongate and arm-like. Other characters, useful in combination for separating it from members of this group include the following: Fused inferior appendages without a distinct ventromesal process; endophallic spine relatively elongate and nearly straight apically; paramere appendages elongate, slightly widened preapically; and tergum X with a V-shaped mesal excision. Specimens from Minas Gerais have the dorsolateral processes of the phallicata more rounded apically ( Fig. 2D ) and less angularly bent, as viewed ventrally ( Fig. 2E ). The basal part of the tergum X in these specimens also seems to be somewhat more bulbously rounded, as viewed laterally. These differences, while apparently constant for the geographic areas compared, are also relatively minor. There also seems to be some variation in these characters even within populations; we consider this variation to be intraspecific.

Adult. Length of forewing: male 3.1–4.1 mm, female 3.5–4.4 mm. Forewing with forks I, II, and III present, hind wing with fork II only. Spur formula 0:4:4. Overall color dark brown. Legs brown, apices of tarsi whitish, tibial spurs somewhat darker than legs, but not strongly contrasting in color. Antennae with apical part of basal antennal segments whitish. Wing bar at anastamosis relatively indistinct, interrupted, marked with whitish setae, more strongly developed at arculus on anal margin.

Male genitalia. Ventral process of segment VI laterally compressed, ventrally projecting, subtriangular, wide basally, rounded to subacute apically. Segment IX nearly evenly rounded anterolaterally, length greatest midlaterally, posterolateral margin forming rounded to slightly angular projection dorsally, narrowing ventrally; segment deeply excised dorsomesally and ventromesally, forming lateral lobes, lobes separated dorsomesally by much less than 1/2 width of segment. Tergum X with broad V-shaped mesal excision; lateral lobes moderately elongate, apices subacute. Inferior appendages without ventromesal projection; laterally, on each side, with setose, tapering, dorsally-directed lobes. Mesal pockets of fused inferior appendages with apical processes short, dorsally curved. Paramere appendages elongate, narrow, slightly widened in apical 1/3rd, apices acute. Dorsal phallic spine, as viewed laterally, with basal part more or less uniform in width, strongly upturned in apical 1/2, apex narrowed and acute; in dorsal view, slightly widened in middle, apex narrowly acuminate. Phallicata with distinctly sclerotized dorsolateral processes and lightly sclerotized, rounded, apicolateral lobes; dorsolateral processes very elongate, arm-like, ventrally curved, apices rounded or subacute. Endophallic membrane with prominent, sclerotized ventromesal spine; ventral spine elongate, curved at base, apex nearly straight; phallotremal spines absent.

Holotype male: BRAZIL: Rio de Janeiro: Rio Macaé, Macaé de Cima , 22°23'41"S, 042°30'08"W, 1000 m, 8.iii.2002, Holzenthal, Blahnik, Paprocki, & Prather ( UMSP000085777 ) (pinned) ( MZUSP).

Paratypes: BRAZIL: Minas Gerais: Parque Estadual do Itacolomi, trib. to Rio Belchior , 20°25'18"S, 043°25'42"W, 700 m, 6.xi.2001, Holzenthal, Amarante, Blahnik, & Paprocki — 1 male, 3 females (alcohol) ( MZUSP) ; Corrego das Aguas Pretas & tribs., ca. 15 km S Aiuruoca, 22°03'42"S, 044°38'14"W, 1386 m, 21.xi.2001, Holzenthal, Blahnik, Neto, & Paprocki — 1 male, 42 females (pinned) ( UMSP) ; Parque Estadual de São Gonçalo do Rio Preto, Córrego das Eguas , 18°08'43"S, 043°22'09"W, 891m, 14.x.2000, Paprocki, Amarante & Isaac — 1 male, 3 females (pinned) ( UMSP) ; Estação Ecológica do Tripuí, Córrego Tripuí , 20°23'22"S, 043°32'32"W, 1070 m, 21.ii.1999, Paprocki, Braga & Amarante — 4 males, 40 females (pinned) ( UMSP) ; Cachoeira do Abacaxi, Vale do Tropeiro , 20°12'16"S, 043°38'10"W, 1120 m, 7.xi.2001, Holzenthal, Amarante, Blahnik & Paprocki — 1 male, 1 female (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; Córrego da Serra de Ouro Fino, Vale do Tropeiro , 20°12'22"S, 043°38'35"W, 1000 m, 8.x.2000, Paprocki, Salgado & Isaac — 1 male (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; Rio de Janeiro: same locality and date as holotype — 63 males, 127 females (pinned), 180 males, 304 females (alcohol) ( MZUSP, UMSP, NMNH) ; Rio das Flores, Macaé de Cima , 10 km SE Mury, 1000 m, 9.iii.2002, Holzenthal, Blahnik, Paprocki & Prather — 75 males, 81 females (pinned), 26 males, 52 females (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; Rio Bengalas, Hotel Bucsky, Nova Friburgo , 22°18'49"S, 042°31'09"W, 895 m, Paprocki — 47 males, 67 females (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; Nova Friburgo , 22°16'00"S, 042°31'59"W, 950 m, 20.iv.1977, C & O Flint — 1 male, 9 females (pinned), 5 males, 26 females (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; Nova Friburgo , mun. water supply, 22°16'00"S, 042°31'59"W, 950 m, 24.iv.1977, C & O. Flint — 1 male, 13 females (pinned) ( NMNH) ; Encontro dos Rios ( Macaé / Bonito ), 6 km S Lumiar, 22°23'29"S, 042°18'42"W, 600 m, 10.iii.2002, Holzenthal, Blahnik, Paprocki, & Prather — 7 males, 9 females (pinned) 35 males (alcohol) ( UMSP) .

Etymology. This species is named M. agosta from the Greek word agostos, a bent arm, and referring to the elongate, bent, dorsolateral projections of the phallicata in this species.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Mortoniella agosta, new species, male genitalia: A—lateral; B—segment IX and tergum X, dorsal; C—phallic ensemble, ventral; D—dorsolateral process of phallicata (variant from Minas Gerais), lateral; E dorsolateral process of phallicata (variant from Minas Gerais), ventral.