Oecetis burtoni Neboiss, 1979

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 : 123

Oecetis burtoni Neboiss

Figures 46–48, 72

Oecetis burtoni Neboiss, 1979: 841 , figs 37–40.

Holotype. Male, Qld, Fraser I. ( NMV T-5749).

Material examined. Qld: 1 male, Mossman Gorge , 16 Jun 1971, E.F. Riek ( ANIC) ; numerous males, females, Tewah Creek, Tin Can Bay , 17–18 Oct 1971, S.R. Monteith ( ANIC) ; 4 males, Iron Range , West Claudie R., 17 Sep 1974, M. Moulds ( NMV) ; 1 male, Iron Range , Middle Claudie R., 19 Sep 1974, M. Moulds ( NMV) ; 1 male, Cap Creek, Mt Finlayson Range , S of Cooktown, 23 Nov 1974, M.S. Moulds ( NMV) ; numerous males, females, Lake Wabby , S end Fraser I., 14 Dec 1975, H. Burton ( NMV) ; 1 male, Bluewater State Forest, S end Paluma Range WNW of Townsville, 31 Jan 1981, M.S. and B.J. Moulds ( NMV) ; 4 males, 5 females, Searyʼs Creek Rainbow Beach , 25°58'S, 153°04'E, 6 Dec 1984, G. Theischinger ( ANIC) ; 5 males, 6 females, 12°44'S, 143°35'E, Claudie R., Iron Range National Park , 25 km NW Lockhart, 10 Nov 1988, K. Walker ( NMV) ; 3 males, 5 females, 11°45'S, 142°35'E, Heathlands , 15–26 Jan 1992, I. Naumann and T. Weir ( ANIC) ; 6 males, 2 females, Bertie Creek , 1 km SE Heathlands HS, 4 Feb 1992, D. Cartwright and A. Wells ( NMV) ; 3 males, 6 females, Tributary of Bertie Creek , 250 m SW Heathlands HS, 4 Feb 1992, D. Cartwright and A. Wells ( NMV) ; 1 male, Eliot Creek upstream junction Canal Creek , 6 Feb 1992, D. Cartwright and A. Wells ( NMV) ; 1 male, Dulhunty R. at Telegraph Crossing , 11°50'S, 142°30'E, 8–9 Feb 1992, D. Cartwright and A. Wells ( NMV) ; 29 males, 4 females, Dulhunty R., at Telegraph Crossing , 10 Feb 1992, D. Cartwright and A. Wells ( NTM) ; 8 males, 13 females, Tributary of Bertie Creek , 250 m SW Heathlands HS, 11 Feb 1992, D. Cartwright and A. Wells ( NMV) ; 5 males, 7 females, Tributary of Bertie Creek , 250 m SW Heathlands HS, 11 Feb 1992, D. Cartwright and A.Wells ( NMV) ; numerous males,females, Cockatoo Creek and McDonnell Creek junction, 11°39'S, 142°28'E, 13 Feb 1992, D. Cartwright and A. Wells ( NMV) ; 1 male, 1 female, Gunshot Creek at Telegraph Crossing , 18 Feb 1992, D. Cartwright and A. Wells ( NMV) ; 1 male, Cape York Peninsula, Heathlands , Bertie Creek , 23 Mar 1993, M. Crossland ( ANIC) ; 2 males, 3 females, Gunshot Creek at Telegraph Crossing, M. Crossland , 4–5 Apr 1993 ( ANIC) ; numerous males, females, Gunshot Creek at Telegraph Crossing, M. Crossland , 10–11 Apr 1993 ( ANIC) . WA: 3 males, 1 female, Drysdale R. at Kalumburu Road crossing, Kimberley , 28 Sep 1979, J. Blyth ( NMV) . NT: 2 males, 2 females, Devil Devil Creek, 70 km SW of Daly R. Mission , 23 Aug 1979, J. Blyth ( NMV) .

Diagnosis. In lacking wing scales in the male, but having long downy vestiture on the wings, this species resembles O. australis , O. quadrula and O. buitenzorgensis , but in features of male genitalia it more closely resembles O. theischingeri from which it is distinguished by the very short phallus with an equally short paramere, absence of the triangular process apico-mesially on inferior appendages and of the dorso-basal pouch on inferior appendages. Male forewing length, 4.0–4.6 mm.

Distribution. Quite widespread around coastal areas of northern Australia, although not very commonly collected. Possibly records represent more than 1 species, as some variability is recognised in form of the inferior appendages and tergite X. At present this is considered too slight to warrant designation of separate morpho-species.