Neotrichia rasmusseni Harris and Keth

Harris, Steven C. & Rasmussen, Andrew K., 2010, The Neotrichia caxima Group (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) in the southeastern United States, Zootaxa 2608, pp. 25-44 : 32-34

Neotrichia rasmusseni Harris and Keth

( Figs 9 , 10 )

Harris and Keth (2002): 74, 3

Neotrichia rasmusseni was originally described from a small series collected in the Santa Fe River in Suwannee County, Florida. We have subsequently collected the species in Clay, Lake, Marion and Wakulla Counties, Florida. The male is separated from the similar N. armitagei on the basis of the inferior appendages, which are triangular in ventral view ( Fig. 9 B). The males also lack the elongate apical extension of segment X ( Fig. 9 A), as was illustrated in the original figures. In all of the material examined for this paper, segment X was generally square in both lateral and dorsal views. The original description was based on a small number of specimens and it’s possible the specimen originally drawn was aberrant. As well, the lateral bracteoles are erect rather than curving ventrad as in the original illustrations.

Female. Length 2–2.2 mm, 17 antennal segments, brown in alcohol. Abdominal segments VII – X typical for genus, sternum VIII with large mesal plate, which while sinuate along margin is not deeply divided anteriorly ( Fig. 10 A). Bursa copulatrix as in Fig. 10 B, posterior copulatory channel elongate, about same length as genital chamber; this chamber with lateral sclerotized bands terminating anteriorly in short processes; mesal bell-shaped sclerite split anteriorly into elongate narrow processes.

Females of N. rasmusseni are very similar to those of N. mentonensis . Unlike other species in the southeast, both have a solid, rectanguloid sternal plate on segment VIII. This plate in N. rasmusseni differs from that of N. mentonensis in that the anterior and posterior margins are sinuate.

Material examined. Florida, Clay County, Gold Head Branch, Gold Head State Park nr Little Lake Johnson, N29°49’38’’, W81°56’45’’, 25 May 2007, Denson/Rasmussen, 13, 3Ƥ; Lake County, Alexander Spring Creek @ Hwy. 445, Ocala National Forest, N29°04’52’’, W81°34’00’’, 22 May 2004, Rasmussen/ Denson, 213, 14Ƥ; Marion County, Juniper Creek @ Hwy. 19, Ocala National Forest, N29°13’18’’, W81°39’09’’, 17 May 2003, Rasmussen/Denson, 203, same, but 23 March 2002, 33, same, but 20 October 2007, 7503, 250Ƥ; same, but 10 October 2008, 1453, 20 Ƥ; Wakulla County, Wakulla River @ CR 61, N30°12’55’’, W84°15’39’’, 26 October 2006, Denson/Rasmussen, 2Ƥ.

Distribution. FL

Figures

FIGURE 9. Neotrichia rasmusseni, male genitalia. A. Left lateral view, B. Ventral view, C. Dorsal view, D. Phallus, left lateral view.

FIGURE 10. Neotrichia rasmusseni, female genitalia. A. Abdominal segment VIII, ventral view, B. Bursa copulatrix, ventral view.