Polyplectropus himachalica, Pandher & Parey, 2018

Pandher, Manpreet Singh & Parey, Sajad Hussain, 2018, New species of the genus Polyplectropus Ulmer 1905 (Insecta: Trichoptera: Polycentropodidae) from Indian Himalaya, Zootaxa 4504 (3), pp. 431-438 : 432

Polyplectropus himachalica sp. nov.

( Figs 1–5 , 18–19 )

Description. Male. Color in alcohol fuscous. Antennae infuscated. Maxillary and labial palpi pale yellow. Wings hyaline, brown, infuscated with small dark brown setae. Dorsum of head black. Body covered with black pubescence. Length from tip of head to apices of folded forewings about 7 mm. Maxillary palpi each about 1.50 mm long, 2nd segment globular and small, 3rd segment longer than 4th, 5 th being longest with ratios of segments I: II: III: IV: V = 1.25: 2.00: 3.50: 2.50: 6.00, respectively; labial palpi each 0.50 mm long. Length of each forewing about 6.25 mm; venation typical for genus ( Fig. 18 ); Forks I–V present; petiole of Fork I about 2.5 times as long as Fork I itself; discoidal cell about 3 times its width; Cu 2 apically bent, recurved proximally and joining combined anal vein 1A+2A+3A at apex. Hind wing 4.25 mm long; discoidal cell open ( Fig. 19 ).

Male genitalia ( Figs 1–5 ). Tergum IX short, lobe-like in lateral view, forming narrow transverse bridge in dorsal view. Sternum IX trapezoidal in lateral view, anterolaterally produced in 30° angle, posterolaterally produced in 120° angle; in ventral view anterior margin with broad U-shaped excision and posterior margin with semicircular excision. Tergum X pentagonal with apicomesal incision in dorsal view. Preanal appendages 4X as long as tall, in lateral view broad basally, narrower medially, slightly pointed apically; dorsobasal process of each preanal appendage needle-like, recurved dorsad and then caudomesad at 1/4 distance from base in dorsal and lateral views. Inferior appendages broad basally, each with ventromesal lobe at midlength, narrower preapically, with numerous subapicoventral teeth in lateral view and extending distad almost as far as preanal appendages; in ventral view slender basally and broader and convergent apically, each with patch of subapicoventral teeth and two well developed subapicomesal lobes with spines. Phallus simple, about 4X as long as wide, comprising tube-like sclerotized phallotheca and membranous endotheca or endophallus with clearly visible sclerites.

Female, pupa, larva, and egg: Unknown.

Holotype male. INDIA: Himachal Pradesh, Traila , 2,200 m, 17-vi-2011, Pandher & Parey ( NPC) . Paratypes: 2 males, 2 females, same data as holotype .

Diagnosis. This species is similar to Polyplectropus sainii sp. nov. However, in Polyplectropus himachalica sp. nov., the shape of segment IX is trapezoidal in lateral view, preanal appendages are long and narrow, the dorsobasal process of each preanal appendage is recurved caudad at 1/4 distance from base, and each inferior appendage has a subapicoventral patch of teeth. In Pol. sainii sp. nov., sternum IX is triangular in lateral view, preanal appendages are broad and tapering towards their pointed apices, and the inferior appendages lack patches of subapicoventral teeth.

Distribution. India: Himachal Pradesh.

Etymology. The species is named after the type state, Himachal Pradesh.

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Polyplectropus spp., male genitalia. 1–5, Pol. himachalica sp. nov.: 1, left lateral; 2, dorsal; 3, segment IX and inferior appendages, ventral; 4, phallus, left lateral; 5, phallus, ventral. 6–9, Pol. sainii sp.nov.: 6, left lateral; 7, dorsal; 8, segment IX and inferior appendages, ventral; 9, phallus, left lateral. (abbreviations: s.IX = ventral part of segment IX; t.IX+X = terga IX+X).

FIGURES 16–19. Polyplectropus spp., wing venation. 16–17, Pol. kailashchandrai sp. nov.: 16, right forewing, dorsal; 17, right hindwing, dorsal. 18–19, Pol. himachalica sp. nov.: 18, right forewing, dorsal, 19, right hindwing, dorsal. (abbreviations: Sc = subcostal vein; R 1 –R 5 = radial veins 1–5; M 1 –M 4 = medial veins 1–4; Cu = cubital vein; A = anal veins; I, II, III, IV, V = apical forks I–IV.