Polyplectropus tridentatus, Zhong, Hua, Yang, Lian-Fang & Morse, John C., 2010

Zhong, Hua, Yang, Lian-Fang & Morse, John C., 2010, Four new species and two new records of Polyplectropus from China (Trichoptera: Polycentropodidae), Zootaxa 2428, pp. 37-46 : 40-41

Polyplectropus tridentatus sp. nov. Zhong and Morse

( Figs. 15–21 )

Adult. Length of forewing 5.5–6.3 mm (N = 4). Head light brown with yellowish antennae, pronotum dark yellow, meso- and metanota brown, forewings light brown.

Male genitalia. Posterior margin of sternum IX with broad “U” excision mesally and small median protrusion in ventral view. Terga IX + X short, tongue-like in dorsal view. Preanal appendage narrowed abruptly at 1/3 distance from base in lateral view, basal portion cone-shaped, apical portion approximately 2.5 times as long as basal portion, sub-oval; apex of preanal appendage strongly produced mesad in large, triangular projection bearing 3 stout teeth in both dorsal and ventral views. Dorsobasal process of preanal appendage triangular basally, recurved caudad at 1/3 distance from base, with recurved portion evenly turned upward and with acute apex. Inferior appendage constricted at middle in lateral view, approximately 2 times as long as basal width, distal portion of each appendage curved mesad with bilobed apex; in ventral view, with dorsal branch more highly sclerotized; ventromesal lobe produced mesad near middle of appendage, causing appendage to appear incised at right angle at middle of appendage. Subphallic sclerite trough-like in caudal view, apex with deeply rounded excision and mesal incision in ventral view. Phallus simple tube, about 4 times as long as average width.

Holotype: male, Guangxi Province, Tian-lin County, Mt. Cen-wang-lao Provincial Forest Preserve, Yaoshan Gou, tributary of Bu-liu River, County Road 794 marker 52.7 km, 24.47080 N, 106.35784 E, alt. 1223 m, 9 Jun 2004, Coll. YANG Lian-Fang, Christy Jo GERACI. Paratypes: 1 male, same data as holotype; 2 males, Guangxi Province, Tian-lin County, Mt. Cen-wang-lao Provincial Forest Preserve, unnamed tributary of headwaters of Bu-liu River, waterfall at County Road 794 marker 37.9 km, 24.41275 N, 106.38207 E, alt. 1422 m, 8 Jun 2004, Coll. YANG Lian-Fang, Christy Jo GERACI.

Diagnosis. This new species is very similar to Polyplectropus tharah Malicky and Chantaramongkol 1993 , from Vietnam. It differs in that: 1) inferior appendage has its apex divided into 2 broad and rounded lobes (not divided in P. tharah ); 2) each preanal appendage is narrowed abruptly at 1/3 distance from base in lateral view (not narrowed in P. tharah ); and 3) the apex of subphallic sclerite with deeply rounded excision with a mesal incision at the middle (“V” shape mesal excision with lateral teeth in P. tharah ).

Etymology. The species name is a Greek adjective tridentatus (= tridentate) in reference to the tridentate subapicomesal protrusion of each preanal appendage in dorsal and ventral views. Distribution. China (Guangxi).

Figures

FIGURES 15 – 21. Polyplectropus tridentatus sp. nov., male genitalia: 15 — dorsal view; 16 — left lateral view; 17 — ventral view; 18 — phallus, dorsal view; 19 — phallus, left lateral view; 20 — subphallic sclerite, caudal view; 21 — subphallic sclerite, ventral view.