Phylloicus superbus Banks, 1938

Prather Table Of Contents, Aysha L., 2003, Revision of the Neotropical caddisfly genus Phylloicus (Trichoptera: Calamoceratidae), Zootaxa 275 (1), pp. 1-214 : 96-97

Phylloicus superbus Banks

Figs. 102, 115

Phylloicus superbus Banks, 1938:298 [Type locality: Cuba, Oriente, Pico Turquino; MCZ; male]. — Flint 1967:19 [lectotype male].

Phylloicus superbus is not well known. Although the type series consists of many individuals, they are all from two localities on a single mountain and probably represent a single population. No females were collected with them. Except in size, they greatly resemble P. cubanus , of which the specimens I examined all were collected at lower elevation. Thus, P. superbus may represent only an extreme variant of P. cubanus . However, the collections I examined were inadequate for assessing the intraspecific variability of P. cubanus , and consequently inadequate for evaluating the status of P. cubanus .

Adult. Forewing length 10.8­12.3 mm, n = 19.

Head golden brown. Maxillary palps dark brown. Antenna twice forewing length; dark brown, with narrow patches of pale sensilla on anteromesal surface of each flagellomere. Dorsal pterothorax golden brown; ventrolateral thorax golden. Femora golden; tibiae dark brown; tarsi dark brown. Metathoracic leg of male without posterior fringe. Tibial spur formula 2,4,2. Forewing flat; dark brown; with two transverse bands; proximal band orange, extending from anterior to posterior wing margin; distal band orange, beginning at anterior wing margin, at least 1/2 width of wing; basal cells without setae, membrane iridescent ( Fig. 115). Hind wing basal brush absent.

Male. Preterminalic abdominal terga with anteromesal notch. Corematic structures absent, terga III­V unmodified, without membranous lobes or sclerotized processes. Sternum VII with short, acute anteromesal process. Sternum VIII similar to anterior sterna, sternum IX not elongate. Tergum IX with mesal ridge extending 2/3 length of segment; posterior margin continuous with basodorsal process of tergum X ( Fig. 102B); lateral ridge absent; dorsal pleural setae approximately 8, ventral pleural setae absent ( Fig. 102A); sternum IX with paired mesolateral ridges; sternum IX ( Fig. 102C). Preanal appendage shorter than tergum X, but greater than 2/3 length, of uniform diameter throughout length, setae long, but not filamentous or longer than appendage ( Fig. 102A, B). Tergum X without basal lobes; basodorsal process long and digitate; basolateral processes absent; apex, in lateral view, rounded, in dorsal view, notched, notch shallow ( Fig. 102A, B). Harpago large, rounded; peglike setae many, apical ( Fig. 102A, C). Phallic endotheca with paired basolateral lobes, basolateral lobes large and round; phallotremal sclerites very large, longest dimension twice diameter of phallobase; dorsal sclerite twoarmed, in lateral view U­shaped ( Fig. 102D, E).

Female. Unknown.

Material examined. CUBA: Oriente: Pico Turquino, N side, 4500­6000 f m, 18­ 20.vi.1936, Darlington — lectotype male, 8 male paralectotypes ( MCZ); Pico Turquino , summit, 1829 m, 16­21.vi.1936, Darlington — 10 male paralectotypes ( MCZ) .

Distribution. Cuba.