Wormaldia gesugta Schmid

Muñoz-Quesada, Fernando J. & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2008, Revision of the Nearctic species of the caddisfly genus Wormaldia McLachlan (Trichoptera: Philopotamidae), Zootaxa 1838, pp. 1-75 : 29-31

Wormaldia gesugta Schmid

Figures 41–45, 131

Wormaldia gesugta Schmid 1968: 674 , figs. 1–4, male, California, USA (CNC), Denning 1989: 127 (as W. quesugta ); Armitage 1996: [work not paginated].

According to the species group arrangement proposed by Ross (1956) and modified by Armitage (1996), W. gesugta would belong within the W. thyria Group (Table 1).

This species, Wormaldia hamata Denning (1951) , W. laona Denning (1989) , W. oconee Morse (1989) , W. mohri ( Ross 1948) , and W. thyria Denning (1950) , are similar in having tergum VIII strongly projected posteriorly, when viewed laterally, it is hood-shaped, which differentiates these six species from the other Nearctic Wormaldia . Finally, W. gesugta differs from all five former species as detailed in the diagnoses of those species.

Adult. Length of male forewing 5 mm (holotype). Head light brown, with lighter setae. Antenna long, slender, yellowish, with small, lighter setae. Maxillary palps yellowish, with lighter setae. Labial palps yellowish, with lighter setae. Dorsum of thorax light brown. Legs light brown, with small, lighter setae. Forewing yellowish, covered with fine, small, brown setae, with apical forks I, II, III, and V present. Hind wing translucent, with very few fine, small, brown setae, with apical forks I, II, III, and V present.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 41–45). Sternum VII with broad, convexly triangular, posteromesal process slightly elongate, about 0.2 times length of sternum VIII. Tergum VIII subtriangular in appearance, strongly projected posteriorly, reaching middle of tergum X, narrowest and rounded posteromesally; when viewed laterally, hood-shaped, slightly sinuous dorsally, concave posteriorly, with posterodorsal corner widely rounded apically. Sternum VIII with slightly convex and posteromesal process, smaller than posteromesal process of sternum VII. Segment IX, when viewed dorsally, deeply concave anteriorly; when viewed laterally, broad, nearly subrectangular in appearance, convexly projected anteriorly, very weakly sinuous posteriorly; when viewed ventrally, concave anteriorly, very weakly sinuous posteriorly and nearly straight mesally. Segment X, when viewed dorsally, triangularly elongate, narrowly rounded apically; when viewed laterally, sinuous dorsally, narrowly rounded apically. Superior appendages, digitate; when viewed dorsally, parallel with segment X, elongate, bulged medially, rounded apically; when viewed laterally, slightly shorter than segment X, stout, narrowly rounded apically. Inferior appendages two segmented; when viewed laterally, basal segment thick, subrectangular, slightly elongate, broadest and convex medially, apical segment stout, rectangular, strongly tubularly elongate, longer (about 1.3 times) and narrower than basal segment, widely rounded posteriorly; when viewed dorsally, apical segment slender, tubularly elongate, wide and rounded posteriorly, with rounded and apicolateral patch of short, thin, black, spine-shaped setae on inner margin; when viewed ventrally, basal segments paired, united for about their anterior three-quarters, separated posteromesally by a broad, moderately deep, U-shaped emargination, each basal segment thick, widest medially, with outer margin convexly curved, apical segment as when viewed dorsally. Phallus, when viewed laterally, pistol-shaped, widest basally, tapering from middle to apex, membranous apically, very lightly sclerotized, with various visible, internal sclerites ( Fig. 45).

Material examined. USA: California: Holotype: Male, Del Norte Co.: Gasquet [~ 41º 51’ N, 124º 00’ W], 4.vi.1965, F. Schmid ( CNC, Type # 9645).

Distribution. USA: CA.