Oecetis mouldsi, Wells, 2006

Wells, Alice, 2006, A review of Australian long-horned caddisflies in the Oecetis pechana-group (Trichoptera: Leptoceridae), with descriptions of thirteen new species, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 63 (2), pp. 107-128 : 120-121

Oecetis mouldsi sp. nov.

Figures 33, 34, 67

Material examined. Holotype. Male, WA, Millstream , Fortescue R., S of Roeborne, 12 Nov 1978, M.B. and B.J. Moulds ( NMV T-18842).

Paratypes. WA: 1 male, Drysdale R. headwaters, 30 km NW Mt Elizabeth HS, 30 Sep 1979, J. Blyth ( NMV) ; 1 male, 20°18.48'S, 119°15.16'E, N Pilbara , de Grey R., 25 Apr 1992, P.S. Cranston and P.J. Gullan ( ANIC) ; 5 males, 9 females, 18°06'S, 125°42'E, Geikie Gorge , 5 Oct 1996, I. Edwards ( NMV) . NT: 1 male, 2 females, 12°40'S, 132°53'E, Jabiru , Town Lake, 17 May 1991 Wells and Webber ( ANIC) .

Other material. WA: 15°12'S, 128°12'E, Spillway Creek, Ord R. Dam, 20 Feb 1977, J.E. Bishop ( NMV); 1 male, 1 female, Spillway Creek , 3 Feb 1978, J.E. Bishop ( NMV) ; 2 females, Limestone Gorge , 16°02'S, 130°23'E, 23–26 Jun 1986, M.B. Malipatil, Operation Raleigh 1986 ( NMV) ; 1 male, Wickham R., 23 km downstream Humbert R. Station , 16°49'S, 131°28'E, 11 Jul 1986, I. Archibald, Operation Raleigh 1986 ( NMV) ; 1 male, 17°01'S, 126°14'E, Bell Gorge , Melaleuca Hole , 13 Sep 1996, I. Edwards ( NMV) ; 1 male, 16°58'S, 125°59'E, Moll Gorge, Hann R., 15 Sep 1996, I. Edwards ( NMV) . NT: 1 male, 5 km W of King R., SW of Katherine , 5 Feb 1977, M.S. and B.J. Moulds ( NMV) ; 1 male, 1 female, Katherine R. Gorge National Park , 13 Aug 1979, J.E. Blyth ( NMV) ; 1 male, 3 km E of Howard Springs , 17 Aug 1979, J. Blyth ( NMV) ; 3 males, 5 females, Jasper Creek, Victoria R. Downs Rd. , 45 km SSE Timber Creek, 17 Sep 1979, J. Blyth ( NMV) ; 4 males, 1 female, UDP Falls [Gunlom], 18–19 Jul 1980, M.B. Malipatil ( NMV) ; 1 male, 4 females, Roderick Creek, Gregory National Park , 15°38'S, 131°22'E, 4–6 Jul 1986, I. Archibald, Operation Raleigh 1986 ( NMV) ; 3 males, ARR, Magela Creek , 15 Feb 1991, A. Wells ( NMV) . Qld : 9 males, 5 females, Upper Ross R. below weir, S of Townsville, 8 May 1979, A. Wells ( NMV) ; 1 male, 21°07'S, 148°38'E, Finch Hatton Gorge , 14 Nov 1982, T. Hinger ( NMV) .

Diagnosis. Closely resembling O. jenniae , but distinguished from that species by the more pronounced venation of the forewing, and in the male genitalia, by the inferior appendages in ventral view well separated mesially by a triangular apico-mesial process.

Description. Male. Wings with veins more strongly pronounced than usual for pechana- group species, with vestiture short and pattern of dark areas at vein anastomoses and at margin; forewing with a large patch of scales, length 6.0–6.3 mm. Abdominal tergites II–IV darkly sclerotised; segment IX annulate, postero-lateral margin produced slightly, forming a short lateral lobe; segment X membranous, slender in lateral view. Genitalia, see figs 33, 34. Pre-anal appendages rounded apically. Phallus about length of 2 abdominal segments, in lateral view with paramere arched dorsally. Inferior appendages with a basi-dorsal pouch; in ventral view broad-based, with slender dorso-lateral lobe, and a triangular process near base on mesial margin; in lateral view, stout.

Distribution. From north-western WA to the north of the NT, and from 2 localities in north-eastern in Qld.

Remarks. Superficially males of this species resemble those of O. jenniae , with which they are often collected, but they are clearly differentiated from that species by the more pronounced wing venation, and narrower inferior appendages.

Etymology. Named for Max Moulds.