Mortoniella sicula, Blahnik & Holzenthal, 2008

Blahnik, Roger J. & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2008, Revision of the Mexican and Central American species of Mortoniella (Trichoptera: Glossosomatidae: Protoptilinae), Zootaxa 1711 (1), pp. 1-72 : 56-58

Mortoniella sicula , new species

Fig. 30

As previously discussed, Mortoniella sicula is similar to a group of species, including M. carinula , M. opinionis , M. papillata , M. redunca , and M. umbonata , n. sp., all distinguished by having their inferior appendage invaginated mesally and with protruding, often apically acute, apicolateral projections, and also a phallicata with well developed dorsolateral processes. Among these species, M. sicula is probably most closely related to M. opinionis , resembling it in having a very narrow endophallic spine and a dorsal phallic spine that is relatively simple in structure, with its dorsal margin sinuous and apex slightly upturned. Mortoniella sicula can be distinguished from M. opinionis by the very narrow attenuate apicolateral projections of the inferior appendage. The very fine, seta-like spines on the basoventral surfaces of the paramere appendages is also distinctive for this species, but these are so small that they could be easily overlooked.

Adult. Length of forewing: male 2.8–3.4 mm, female 3.3–3.6 mm. Forewing with forks I, II, and III, hind wing with forks II and III. Overall color (in alcohol) medium brown. Wing bar at anastamosis indistinctly marked with pale, light brown setae. Ventral process of abdominal segment VI (male) short, ventrally oriented, subtriangular, rounded to subacute apically, base about as long as length, not or very slightly constricted basally.

Male genitalia. Segment IX nearly evenly rounded anterolaterally, length greatest midlaterally, posterolateral margin forming rounded projection in dorsal half, narrowing ventrally; segment deeply mesally excised dorsally and ventrally, dorsal excision narrow, much less than half width of segment. Tergum X with short, acute mesal projection and relatively short, projecting lateral lobes, lateral lobes with apices narrowed, subacute, mesally curved. Inferior appendage without apicomesal projection, apicolateral projections elongate, tapering, acuminate, apices distinctly dorsally curved; appendage nearly linear basolaterally, with very slight projections on each side; mesal pockets of inferior appendage with apical processes short, dorsally curved. Paramere appendages very elongate, narrow, nearly uniform in width, emerging from membranous lateral lobes, strongly dorsally curved from base, posteriorly projecting apically; ventral margin of each appendage at inflection with scattered, minute, seta-like spines. Dorsal phallic spine slightly enlarged basoventrally, weakly sinuous in lateral view, apex distinctly, but not strongly, dorsally inflected; as viewed dorsally, with apex acute. Phallicata relatively straight, tubular, dorsolaterally with prominent, paired, subquadrate processes, each bent and laterally projecting in apical part. Endophallic membrane with very narrow, elongate, linear spine.

Holotype male: COSTA RICA: Guanacaste: Parque Nacional Guanacaste, Río Tempisquito, Estación Maritza , 10°57'29"N, 085°29'49"W, 550 m, 13–16.vii.1992, Muñoz (INBIOCRI000513579) (pinned) ( UMSP).

Paratypes: COSTA RICA: Guanacaste: Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja, Río Negro , 10°45'54"N, 085°18'47"W, 810 m, 3.iii.1986, Holzenthal & Fasth — 1 male (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; Parque Nacional Guanacaste, Río Tempisquito Sur, Maritza , 10°57'00"N, 085°28'48"W, 600 m, 30.viii.1990, Huisman & Quesada — 15 males, 6 females (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; same locality and date as holotype — 8 males, 4 females (pinned) ( UMSP) , 6 males, 2 females (pinned) ( INBIO) ; same locality, 30–31.viii.1990, Huisman, Blahnik & Quesada — 3 males, 2 females (alcohol) ( NMNH) .

Etymology. This species is named M. sicula , diminutive for the Latin word sica, meaning dagger, and referring to the elongate, narrow, dagger-like apicolateral projections of the inferior appendage.

Figures

FIGURE 30. Mortoniella sicula, new species. Male genitalia: A—lateral; B—segment IX and tergum X, dorsal; C— phallic ensemble, ventral; D—dorsal phallic spine, dorsal.