Nectopsyche tridentata, Assunção & Quinteiro, 2023

Assunção, Otávio Trindade & Quinteiro, Fábio Batagini, 2023, Two new species and new records of the genus Nectopsyche Müller, 1879 (Trichoptera: Leptoceridae) from Pará state, Brazil, Revista Brasileira de Entomologia (e 20230049) 67, pp. 1-9 : 3-4

Nectopsyche tridentata , new species urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4AE59D07-0F6B-4DF7-90FE-83A6F0915128

( Figures 2; 3A–H , 4A–C )

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from all other congeners mainly by the presence of an inferior appendage with the apex divided into three processes (trilobed), in lateral view: two narrow and digitate lobes, and one stout, slightly sinuous lobe, with acute apex ( Figs.3F ; 4A ). In addition, its phallic apparatus has two horseshoe-shaped phallotremal sclerites: one mesal sclerite and one lateral ( Figs. 3H ; 4A, 4C ), being the mesal twice the size of the lateral one. Nectopsyche acutiloba Flint, 1974 is similar to N. tridentata n. sp., since they both have a thin and elongated inferior appendage, with an elongated apicomesal lobe originating near the base, bearing a sclerotized tip. In N. tridentata n. sp., however, the abdominal segment IX is about 2x wider laterally ( Figs. 3F ; 4A ) than in N. acutiloba , and the pre-anal appendage is shorter, as is the tergum X.

Description. Adult male. Length of forewing 6.0–7.0 mm (mean 6.5 mm, n = 5). Head brown, white setae in central area and near eyes; antenna pale yellow, escape brown, with white scales; maxillary and labial palps brown, dark brown setae on maxillary palp; eyes small, width around 0.4x interocular distance. Thorax brown, with small patches of white scales; legs light brown; forewing predominantly covered by white scales, with brown and light brown longitudinal setae bands; forewings and hind wing hyaline ( Figs. 3A, 3B ). Male genitalia. Segment abdominal IX, short, rectangular, about 2x as high as long, lateral view ( Figs. 3F ; 4A ), with mesodorsal rounded protuberance pointed posteriorly; two anterior acrotergites, close to each other in mesodorsal region ( Figs 3E ; 4B ). Preanal appendage, long, narrow, cylindrical, setose, apex enlarged ( Figs 3E, 3F ; 4A, 4B ). Lateral process of tergum X, narrow, slightly wider on base, acute apex, without apical setae ( Fig. 3F ). Inferior appendage setose, almost as long as preanal appendage, narrow at base, apex acuminate, lateral view, and spatulate, ventral view ( Figs. 3F, 3G ; 4A, 4C ); subapicodorsal lobe shorter than others, pointed posterad, apex acuminate, setose, in lateral and ventral views ( Figs 3F, 3G ; 4A, 4C ); apicomesal lobe cylindrical, apex acuminate, without setae, in lateral and ventral views ( Figs. 3F, 3G ; 4A, 4C );. Phallic apparatus sclerotized; phallobase narrow and long, enlarged in distal half, with distinct basoventral projection spoon-shaped, sclerotized, with apical setae ( Figs. 3H ; 4A, 4C ); endotheca membranous, slightly distended, projecting distally, two phalotremal sclerites present, horseshoe-shaped, one lateral, one mesal ( Figs. 3H ; 4A, 4C ); mesal sclerite two times larger than lateral; periphalic process absent.

Holotype. Male : Brazil: Pará : São Domingos do Capim , Sítio do Sr. Elsinho, próximo a comunidade Itabocal, 01°46’39”S, 47°44’28”W, alt 27 m, 03.vii.2022, luz, col. Assunção, O. T., Reis, R. T.G. ( MZSP) [illustrated] . Paratypes: same data as holotype, except Bragança, Jiquiri, ramal Arauá, sítio Cururutuia, Igapó, 01°04’42.22”S, 46°44’14.58”W, alt 19 m, 06.xii.2021, luz, col. Quinteiro, F.B., Costa, A.M., 1 male ( MPEG); same, except São Domingos do Capim , Sítio do Sr. Elsinho, próximo a comunidade Itabocal, 01°46’39”S, 47°44’28”W, alt 27 m, 02.ii.2022, col. Assunção O. T . 3 males (pinned; MPEG); same, except 02.vii.2022, 1 male ( UFBA) .

Etymology. The species name is a reference to the genital inferior appendage with three processes, resembling a trident (Latin tridentis = fork with three tines).

Taxonomic notes: The forewing color pattern in N. tridentata n. sp. is similar to that in N. taleola ( Flint, 1974) , N. acutiloba , and N. diminuta ( Banks, 1920) . In the latter two, whitish scales are predominant on the wing with brown oblique and longitudinal setae bands, while N. taleola is described as having forewings mostly covered by white and brownish scales, producing an irregular pattern ( Flint, 1974). However, on the forewings of the new species, the longitudinal bands are irregular, usually surrounded by a straw-yellow band between two narrower brown-to-black bands. Additionally, the white scales may have a slightly gray tone.

Although N.taleola , N. acutiloba , and N.diminuta are similar due to their wing color, it was not possible to point out enough characteristics that allow us to recognize them as members of the same species group, in the same way as Holzenthal and Rios-Touma (2018) assigned N. paramo as a member of the gemma- group, and N. spiloma ( Ross, 1944) as a member of the albida- group or as Bonfá Neto and Salles (2023) assign N. splendida ( Navás, 1917) as a member of the candida- group. Although these species present similarities in specific genital structures, such as the presence of a basoventral lobe and an apicomesal lobe in N.acutiloba and N. taleola , or the simple and long inferior appendages in the three of them, other characteristics in their genitalia are distinct. Segment IX in N. taleola is concave dorsad and the tergum X is short, tapering distally ( Flint, 1974). Nectopsyche acutiloba has the segment IX with a prominent tridentate mesodorsal projection, in dorsal view, the tergum X triangular tapering to a strong dark sclerotized tip, in lateral view, and the inferior appendage with an apicomesal lobe originating near its base, very sclerotized ( Flint, 1974). Nectopsyche diminuta has a short mesodorsal process, in dorsal view, as well as its inferior appendage is sinuous. Additionally, N. diminuta has a periphalic process, which is absent in N. acutiloba , N. taleola , and N. tridentata n. sp.

The species color description was based on three specimens, which were somewhat rubbed during pinning. Hence, some setae were lost, especially on the specimens’ heads and thorax. The holotype is conserved in alcohol, which caused some loss and color change in the wing setae and scales. However, one of the paratypes is a pinned specimen, so the scale color and pattern on the forewing were included in the description. Despite the color change, the distribution pattern of setae and scales on the forewing was preserved. Mostly, we observed that gray scales turn to white, while brown and yellowish-brown setae and scales turn into yellow and pale yellow. This change was consistently observed in alcohol-preserved specimens of N. tridentata n. sp.

Figures

Figure 3 Nectopsyche tridentata, new species.Male.A,picture of the forewing of a dry preserved paratype; B,picture of the forewing of an alcohol preserved paratype;C,forewing; D, hind wing; E, genitalia, dorsal view; F,genitalia, lateral view; G, inferior appendage, ventral view; H, phallic apparatus, lateral view.

Figure 4 Nectopsyche tridentata, new species. Male genitalia. A, lateral view; B, dorsal view; C, ventral view.