Culoptila thoracica (Ross)

Blahnik, Roger J. & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2006, Revision of the genus Culoptila (Trichoptera: Glossosomatidae), Zootaxa 1233, pp. 1-52 : 42-43

Culoptila thoracica (Ross)

Figs. 5 , 35 A, B

Protoptila thoracica Ross 1938: 114 . Culoptila thoracica — Flint 1974b.

Perhaps the most immediately distinctive character of this species is the very enlarged tegulae of the male (more so than any other species of Culoptila ), which are accompanied by a correspondingly acutely narrowed mesothorax. In this respect it is similar to C. nahuatl , C. tarascanica and C. saltena , all of which also have enlarged tegulae and anteriorly narrowed thoraces, but it differs from those species in the details of the male genitalia. Unlike C. saltena , tergum X is short and truncate apically rather than deeply incised, and the apex of the phallobase is not nearly so abruptly upturned. It differs from C. tarascanica in having a phallobase with 2 included phallic spines, rather than 1; and it differs from C. nahuatl in the shape of its phallobase and phallic spines, as well as in having the posterodorsal apex of the phallobase less distinctly inflected.

Adult. Length of forewing: male 2.8–3.2 mm; female 3.2–3.8 mm. Color yellowishbrown in alcohol, appendages paler; wing uniformly colored, without evidence of cross bar. Mesothorax of male narrow and greatly acute anteromesally; mesoscutal wart elongate, narrowed, sharply angulate anteromesally; mesoscutal setae long. Mesothoracic tegulae of male rounded, greatly enlarged; tegular setae long; tegular gland elongate, pleated, concertina­like.

Male genitalia. Sternum VI process short, subtruncate. Tergum IX ventral margin rounded, tapered from anterolateral margin, slightly produced posteroventrally. Inferior appendages short, subtruncate apically. Tergum X short, about as long as wide, apex in ventral view truncate to subtruncate; ventrolateral processes with apices incurved, nearly planar in caudal view, mesal margin acute; apices not or scarcely posteriorly bent. Phallobase large, rounded anteriorly, with dorsal and ventral margins subparallel, apicodorsal projection short, with slight upward inflection at base, apex subacute. Phallic apparatus with 2 phallic spines, subequal in length, about 1/2 length of phallobase, strongly sinuously curved.

Material examined

MEXICO: Chihuahua: Río Gavilan, Gavilan Ranch (B. Kondratieff) — 1 male, 6 females ( NMNH); Michoacán: Pedernales, El Salitre (E. Barrera) — 1 male ( UNAM). UNITED STATES: Arizona: Apache Co: East Fork Black River, F.R. 276, nr. Aspen Cpgrd, 33°48’16"N, 109°19’10"W, 2286 m, 25.vi.1999 (D.C. Houghton) — 12 males, 5 females ( UMSP); Greenlee Co: Lower Blue River, F.R. 475, 33°17’00"N, 109°11’00"W, 1280 m, 21.vi.1999 (D.C. Houghton) — 3 males; Colorado: Eagle Co: Eagle River, Gypsum, 10.viii.1973 (Baumann & Stark) — 3 males, 3 females ( NMNH); Grand Co: Fraser R., Granby, 4.viii.1973 (Baumann & Stark) — 2 males ( NMNH); Colorado River, nr. Hot Sulphur Springs (Baumann & Stark) — 1 male ( NMNH); New Mexico: Catron Co: Whitewater Ck., Catwalk Picnic Area, 11.vi.1974 (W.P. Stark) — 9 males, 34 females ( NMNH).

Distribution

UNITED STATES (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming); MEXICO (Chihuahua, Michoacán). [Also reported by Wray (1950) for North Carolina, but this record is unconfirmed and suspect because of its very disjunct distribution; it may be in error or refer to C. plummerensis , n. sp. We were unable to check the identity of Wray’s specimens as they could not be located in the North Carolina Department of Agriculture Collection (Bob Blinn, personal communication).]

Figures

FIGURES 4 – 8. Head, mesothorax, and tegular structures, dorsal. 4 — Culoptila hamata, new species. 5 — Culoptila thoracica (Ross). 6 — Culoptila aluca Mosely. 7 — Culoptila cantha (Ross). 8 — Culoptila moselyi Denning.

FIGURES 35 – 37. Male genitalia. 35. Culoptila thoracica (Ross): 35 A—lateral; 35 B—ventral. 36. Culoptila unispina, new species: 36 A—lateral; 36 B—ventral. 37. Culoptila vexillifera, new species: 37 A—lateral; 37 B—ventral.