Hydropsyche ekaropa Oláh & Schefter, 2008

Oláh, J. & Johanson, K. A., 2008, Generic review of Hydropsychinae, with description of Schmidopsyche, new genus, 3 new genus clusters, 8 new species groups, 4 new species clades, 12 new species clusters and 62 new species from the Oriental and Afrotropical regions (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae), Zootaxa 1802, pp. 1-248 : 125-126

Hydropsyche ekaropa Oláh & Schefter , new species

Fig. 207–210

This species is close to H. diktys Malicky & Chantaramongkol from India (Arunachal Pradesh). In H. ekaropa the intersegmental depression is shallow, not deep as in H. diktys ; the apicoventral setose processes are both capitate, not narrowing distally; the dorsolateral membranous endothecal process of the phallic apparatus is fused and located anteriorly in the phallotremal sclerite, not posteriorly and free.

Male. Body and wings brown. Forewing membrane medium brown with darker maculations in transverse pattern. Sternum V with lobe half as long as segment V. Maxillary palp formula I-(III, IV)-II-V, segment V as long as sum of segments I–IV. Head dorsum light, almost yellow, with 9 pale setal warts. Swollen setal wart present on proepisternum. Pretarsal claws asymmetrical, laterally flanked by setal bundle. Spur formula 244. Protibiae with posteroapical spur equal to anteroapical spur.

Wings. Venation typical for the genus. Forewing crossveins m-cu and cu separate. Sc and R, and Cu2 and A separate before costa. Hind wing Sc and R fusing before costa about at crossvein r. Stem of M and Cu1 running closely. Median cell closed. Fork 1 present. Forewing length 7.8 mm.

Male genitalia. Abdominal segment IX fused annularly, rather short, without apical lobe. Median keel medium long, very broad ( Fig. 208); dorsal surface granulose; lateral surfaces flat, slightly excised posteriorly; anterior margin deeply arciform, with very short ventrum and dorsum ( Fig. 207). Antecosta well developed, wide before margin, narrowing dorsad and ventrad ( Fig. 207). External groove of antecostal suture present. Apical lobe on posterolateral margins robust, broad, nearly triangular ( Fig. 207). Posterior spine row widely intermittent, present at median keel and on apical lobes, absent between. Depression between segments IX and X narrow and shallow. Body of segment X broadly rounded ( Fig. 207), constricted basally in dorsal view ( Fig. 208). Lateral setose areas (preanal appendages) forming compact oval areas of pale background ventrally at mid-length of segment X; diffuse, scattered groups of setae present in distal position; shifted to margin in lateral view ( Fig. 207); digitiform apicoventral setose processes long, slender, directed ventrad, capitate, slightly S-shaped, setose along dorsal margins ( Fig. 207, 208). Dorsal interlobular gap long, narrow, wider in middle as demarcated by apicoventral lobes. Apicodorsal setose lobe shifted to middle of dorsum, forming narrow, separate, pair of elongating setose ridges. Smooth cavity absent. Each side with transverse suture running from bottom of intersegmental depression to distal rim of dorsum IX ( Fig. 207). Short, longitudinal suture running dorsally of compact, preanal appendages on each side. Coxopodites short, broad, dorsal margin slightly sinuous along proximal half of appendages; not exceeding apex of segment X; straight in ventral view ( Fig. 209). Harpagones elongated, straight, slightly capitate in lateral and ventral view ( Fig. 207, 209). Phallic apparatus simply bent ( Fig. 210); basal part curving ventrad, strongly enlarged, extending dorsad and ventrad, forming dominating body of phallic apparatus. Horizontal section of phallotheca with straight ventral margin, with small, basal hump; dorsal margin double-waved, with well developed hump at phallotremal sclerites in lateral view. Heavily pigmented exposed phallotremal sclerites somehow rectangular in dorsal or ventral views; dorsolateral membranous endothecal lobe fused with dorsum; orienting anterad; ending in posterad orienting, short, broad-based spine. Apical part of phallotheca with terminal membranous erectile lobe with deeply invaginated pocket; ending in 2 or 3 small spines; pair of lateral, nearly terminal membranous endothecal lobes present near terminal lobe; partly protruded in holotype.

Holotype male: INDIA: Manipur, Khangol , 16.vii.1960 [F. Schmid] ( ROM, pinned with cleared abdomen in plastic genital vial).

Distribution. India (Manipur).

Etymology. ekaropa , from “aekaropa”, meaning fuse in Sanskrit, referring to the fused dorsolateral membranous endothecal process.