Triplectides paragracilis, Henriques-Oliveira & Nessimian & Takiya & Santos, 2025

Henriques-Oliveira, Ana Lucia, Nessimian, Jorge Luiz, Takiya, Daniela Maeda & Santos, Allan Paulo Moreira, 2025, Hidden diversity of the long-horned caddisfly genus Triplectides Kolenati, 1859 (Trichoptera: Leptoceridae) in Brazil revealed by DNA and morphology: new species descriptions and larval associations, Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny 83, pp. 757-796 : 757-796

3.2. 7. Triplectides paragracilis sp. nov.

Figures 19 , 20 , 21

Type material.

Holotype: BRAZIL • ♂; Rio de Janeiro, Barra do Piraí, Ipiabas, Fazenda Floresta, tributary of Rio das Flores ; 22°20′43.60″S 43°51′30.90″W; alt. 692 m; 10 Apr. 2018; L. L. Dumas, J. L. Nessimian, J. F. Barbosa, A. L. H. Oliveira leg.; [DNA voucher ENT 4360]; DZRJ TRICHOPTERA 9226 . – Paratypes: BRAZIL • 1 ♂; Rio de Janeiro, Guapimirim, Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos, trilha das Ruinas, tributary of Rio Soberbo ; 22°29′45.0″S 42°59′46.6″W; alt. 344 m; 25 Mar. 2010; L. L. Dumas, J. L. Nessimian leg.; [DNA voucher ENT 2900]; DZRJ TRICHOPTERA 9228 • 1 ♂; Rio de Janeiro, Nova Friburgo, Rio Bonito, km 13.5 ; 01–03 Nov. 2021; light; A. P. M. Santos leg.; [DNA voucher ENT 5919]; DZRJ TRICHOPTERA 9224 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; [DNA voucher ENT 5920]; DZRJ TRICHOPTERA 9225 • 1 ♂; Rio de Janeiro, Parque Nacional da Tijuca, Rio Archer, gruta Paulo e Virginia ; 22°57′15.5″S 43°17′29.9″W; 11 Apr. 2014; J. L. Nessimian, L. L. Dumas, C. C. Gonçalves leg.; light trap; [DNA voucher ENT 3219]; DZRJ TRICHOPTERA 9227 ).

Description.

Adult male. General color golden brown with spots of white setae (in alcohol). Antennae, palps, and legs, golden brown. Head and thorax mostly golden brown with dark setae. Forewings with forks I and V present in males; discoidal cell apically large (Fig. 19 A ); cross vein s sinuate, cross vein r-m and m-cu almost the same width, or cross vein r-m narrow in some individuals, r-m slightly anterior to m-cu (Fig. 19 C ). Hind wings broad, with forks I, III, and V present (Fig. 19 B ); fork I with distinct petiole (Fig. 19 D ). Length of forewing 13.5 ± 0.5 mm, length of hind wing 10 ± 0.5 mm (n = 4). Tibial spur formula 2, 2, 4. — Genitalia: Segment IX annular, in lateral view, narrow with anterior margin almost straight and enlarged dorsally, posterior margin slightly concave medially (Fig. 20 A ); tergum IX, in dorsal view, subtrapezoidal with posterior margin rounded, protruded, and thickened; median process short and rounded (Fig. 20 B ). Preanal appendages digitate, less than half length of tergum X, narrower at base and slightly narrower at apex, bearing long dark or golden setae; in lateral view slightly oblong (Fig. 20 A, B ). Tergum X, in lateral view, wide at base, basal half less sclerotized than apical half, tapering apically, with apex rounded (Fig. 20 A ); in dorsal view, almost straight, with apex narrow and rounded, V-shaped apicomesal incision short, extending to half length of the segment, bearing a dorsal line with stout setae near the external margin (Fig. 20 C ). Inferior appendages, long, surpassing tergum X, bearing long setae; 1 st article, in lateral view, wide at base, constricted medially, with apical portion narrow and rounded; apicodorsal lobe digitate, long, extending beyond 2 nd article, with long setae; basoventral lobes digitate, rounded and bearing long setae (Fig. 20 A ); in ventral view, mesal lobes long, almost the same length as basoventral lobes, sinuate, with apex narrow and rounded, with a small tooth-like projection (which may or may not bear setae) at base of outer margin (Fig. 20 C ); 2 nd article slender, wide at base, gradually curved inward with acute pointed apex subapically (Fig. 20 C ). Phallic apparatus simple, tubular, with phallotremal sclerite small, rod-like, apically positioned (Fig. 20 D, E ). — Adult female. General color golden brown (in alcohol). Antennae, palps, and legs, golden brown. Length of forewing 14 mm, length of hind wing 11 mm (n = 1). Tibial spur formula 2, 2, 4. — Genitalia: Sternum VIII, in ventral view, with a sclerotized rectangular plate; anterior margin straight, posterior margin brown and slightly concave mesally (Fig. 21 A ). Segment IX sclerotized dorsally, subtrapezoidal, posterior margin subtruncate, dorsal process small. Preanal appendages, in dorsal view, small, digitate, apically rounded, and setose; in lateral view, short, digitate, with distinct subquadrate and sclerotized lobe, bearing an undistinctive minute sensilla-bearing process below each lamella (Fig. 21 B ). Lamellae well developed, sclerotized, flap-like (Fig. 21 A, B ). Gonopod plate subtriangular and membranous, with apicomesal process short and striate. Spermathecal sclerites elongate, broad, and bell-shaped (Fig. 21 A, B ). — Larva and pupa unknown.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a reference to the close similarity of the new species to Triplectides gracilis . Derived from the Greek ‘ para’ = beside or near.

Distribution.

Brazil ( Rio de Janeiro State).

Habitat.

Specimens of the new species were collected in preserved streams of 2 nd to 4 th order covered by Atlantic Forest. Adults were collected during the night by light traps.

Remarks.

Although T. paragracilis sp. nov. is very similar to T. gracilis and occurs sympatrically with it, the new species differs from the latter by the mesal lobe of the inferior appendages with a small tooth-like projection which may or may not bear setae. This feature can initially be confused with the mesal lobe of T. iguassu sp. nov., which possesses a more prominent tooth without setae. Another distinguishing characteristic of the new species from their congeners is the presence of a distinct petiole on fork I of the forewing, which is absent in T. gracilis . Furthermore, the preanal appendages of the new species are oblong, whereas in T. gracilis they are digitate and apically rounded. Finally, another characteristic is in relation to the dorsal region of segment IX which is trapezoidal with a small protuberance mesally in the new species, while in T. gracilis it is triangular.

Figures

Figure 2. Triplectides gracilis (Burmeirster, 1839), male wings (DNA voucher ENT 5922). A Forewing; B Hind wing; C Forewing cross veins in detail; D, E Hind wing fork I in detail (E: DNA voucher ENT 0672). — Abbreviations: Sc = subcostal vein; R = radial vein; M = median vein; Cu 1 A = anterior first cubital vein; Cu 1 P = posterior first cubital vein; Cu 2 = second cubital vein; A = anal vein; s = sectorial cross vein, r-m = radial-median cross vein; m-cu = median-cubital cross vein; Dc = discoidal cell; Th = thyridial cell; I, III, V = forks I, III, and V, respectively.

Figure 19. Triplectides paragracilis sp. nov., male wings (DNA voucher ENT 5919). A Forewing; B Hind wing; C Forewing cross veins, in detail; D Hind wing fork I. — Abbreviations: see legend Figure 2.

Figure 20. Triplectides paragracilis sp. nov., male genitalia (holotype, DNA voucher ENT 4360). A Lateral view; B Dorsal view; C Ventral view (detail of small tooth-like projection at base of mesal lobe of inferior appendage); D Phallic apparatus, ventral view; E Phallic apparatus, lateral view.

Figure 21. Triplectides paragracilis sp. nov., female genitalia (DNA voucher ENT 5920). A Ventral view; B Lateral view.