Austrotinodes varus, DI Cartwright, 2009

Cartwright, David I., 2009, Austrotinodes Schmid, a South and Central American caddisfly genus, newly recorded in Australia, with the description of new species (Trichoptera: Ecnomidae), Zootaxa 2142 (1), pp. 1-19 : 5-7

Austrotinodes varus sp. nov.

Figs 4–7 , 37

Diagnosis. This is a similar species to A. doota , with large, fused inferior appendages and superior appendages bifid or forked. This species is separated on the sub-equal forks on the superior appendages and the sub-ovoid shape of the inferior appendages, with length about 1.5 times width.

Description. Head, body and wings brown, abdomen paler ventrally; wings partly figured ( Fig. 4 ). Forewing length about 3.3 times width: male 4.5–5.3 mm, female 4.6 mm. Forewing fork 2 long, with short footstalk (sessile in female), footstalk between 0.3–1 times length of cross-vein r-m, length fork about 1.2–1.4 times length fork 3; fork 3 long, length fork about 1.7–2.7 times length footstalk, footstalk length about 2.1–3.0 times length cross-vein m. Hindwing length about 3.0–3.3 times width, fork 2 with footstalk relatively short, length footstalk about 0.5–0.9 times length cross-vein r-m, fork 2 about 1.0–1.2 times length of fork 3.

Male. Tergum X membranous ( Fig. 7 ). Superior appendages in lateral view, robust, broad, length about 1.5 times width, forked with robust, sub-equal ventral branch with a pair of dorso-mesally directed processes at base of superior appendages ( Fig. 5 ); in dorsal view, length about 3 times width, apices slightly incurved ( Fig. 7 ). Phallus simple, tube-like, with several long embedded spines; with a single sword-like process (phallic guide) arising from near the base of the inferior appendages ( Fig. 5 ). Inferior appendages fused, dorso-ventrally flattened, robust; in ventral view, length about 1.5 times width, sub-ovoid, broadest near the middle, rounded laterally, narrowed subapically, with expanded apex ( Fig. 6 ); in lateral view, length about 3 times width, broadest near the middle, narrowed in apical third, with dorsally directed apex ( Fig. 5 ).

Female. Female genitalia with a pair of elongate lobes which converge distally and a central pointed process on sternite VIII, segment IX relatively long, tapered slightly distally, segment X relatively very short with pair of cerci and papillae on segment XI; segments IX and X have scattered pairs of ‘spiny-hairs’ ( Fig. 37 ).

Holotype male: Queensland, Echo Ck, Mt Spec State Forest , 700m, 18°57'S, 146°10'E, lt tr., 16 Jan 1994, A.L. Sheldon ( NMV, T- 20349).

Paratypes: Queensland. 1 male, Birthday Ck, WNN Paluma , 18°58'S, 146°10'E, at light, 23 Dec 1989, R. St Clair ; 1 female, same locality and collector, 17 Feb 1990 ; 1 female, same locality and collector, 26 Feb 1989 ; 1 male (specimen PT-1650 figured), Yuccabine Ck, Kirrama State Forest , 18°12'S, 145°45'E, 2 Jan–5 Mar 1985, R. Pearson and L. Benson ; 1 male, Bellenden Ker Range, Cableway base station, 100m, 17–24 Oct 1981, Earthwatch / QM ; 3 females (specimen CT-494 figured), collected with holotype ( NMV) .

Etymology. Varus - Latin, word bent, grown inwards (superior appendages).

Remarks. Austrotinodes varus is an uncommon species recorded from four localities in north-eastern Queensland (latitudinal range 17°16'– 18°58'S).

Figures

FIGURES 1–7. Austrotinodes spp. 1–3: Austrotinodes doota sp. nov. male genitalia in lateral, ventral and dorsal views. 4–7: Austrotinodes varus sp. nov. 4: Wings, section of forewing and hindwing. 5–7: Male genitalia in lateral, ventral and dorsal views. i.a., inferior appendage(s); p.g., phallic guide; pha., phallus; s.a., superior appendage.

FIGURES 37–40. Austrotinodes spp. Female genitalia in ventral view. 37: Austrotinodes varus sp. nov. 38: Austrotinodes mubar sp. nov. 39: Austrotinodes yalga sp. nov. 40: Austrotinodes pandus sp. nov.