Acritoptila crinita Kelley

Wells, Alice & Johanson, Kjell Arne, 2014, Review of the New Caledonian species of Acritoptila Wells, 1982 (Trichoptera, Insecta), with descriptions of 3 new species, ZooKeys 397, pp. 1-23 : 7-8

Acritoptila crinita Kelley Figs 3, 4, 26, 32, 33, 35

Acritoptila crinita Kelley (1989: 193, figs 4, 13, 14).

Acritoptila karika Oláh & Johanson (2010a: 70), syn. n.

Revised diagnosis.

The males of this species are most closely similar to Acritoptila chiasma and Acritoptila csavar with which it shares the strongly reduced, fused form of the gonopods, and the slender, elongate ventro-lateral processes or parameres; but they can distinguished because in Acritoptila crinita the parameres are only slightly curved, not sinuous as in the other two species (Figs 3, 4). In addition, Acritoptila crinita lacks the sharp apico-lateral spines seen on tergite X of Acritoptila chiasma and Acritoptila csavar and Acritoptila crinita has a pair of lateral digitiform apically setose processes on tergite X. Females are recognised by the very dark apices of the paired lobes of sternite IX. Larval and pupal cases are rectangular purses (Fig. 32), obliquely sloped at each end, constructed of secretion with diatoms accreted smoothly into walls.

Male antennae each with 29-33 flagellomeres; forewing length, 1.5-2.0 mm (n = 10).

Female antennae each with 23 flagellomeres; forewing length, 2.8-2.1 mm (n = 10).

Remarks.

Of all species of Acritoptila , Acritoptila crinita was collected most commonly by Johanson and colleagues in New Caledonia, often being taken in large numbers at sites in both the north and south. The males are readily recognised in ventral view by the fused, darkly sclerotized, rounded to heart-shaped ventral genitalic structure interpreted as the fused gonopods.

The features by which Oláh and Johanson (2010a) distinguished Acritoptila karika Oláh & Johanson, 2010a from Acritoptila crinita are “… segment X without sclerotized apical structures; fused ring-shaped gonopods without dorsal projection; basal plate with short digitiform processes; and apex of the phallic organ with a lobe-like complex (not with spine-like structures)"; Acritoptila karika has "Segment X … slightly sclerotized horizontally …”. This is simply another interpretation of the sclerotization displayed in the type of Acritoptila crinita . Acritoptila crinita also has fused gonopods without a dorsal projection, but has the basal plate (= bilobed processes of Kelley (1989)) with short digitiform processes as in Acritoptila karika ; and the phallic organ has the same apical features that can be interpreted as spiny or lobe-like. Hence we are synonymising Acritoptila karika with Acritoptila crinita . In fact, numerous male and female specimens identified as Acritoptila crinita were collected from the type locality of Acritoptila karika , and also at a site from which 2 paratypes were designated.

Material examined.

Holotype male: Acritoptila crinita Kelley, New Caledonia, headwaters of Honailu River (BPBM); Holotype male: Acritoptila karika Oláh & Johanson, New Caledonia, Province Nord, 50 m upstream bridge on Hienghène-Tnèdo road, 3.9 km S summit of Mt Tnèdo, 2.2 km E Tnèdo, 20°43.085'S, 164°49.928'E, loc#071 (MNHN); immatures, Province Nord, Bopope, 18.xii.1983, A Wells, (ANIC); numerous males and females, Province Nord, Amoa River, 23 m, loc 20, 12 km W Poindimié, 22°58.092'S, 165°11.804'E, light trap, 26.xi.2001, Johanson, Pape, Viklund (NHRS); 12 males, Province Sud, Monts Kwa Ne Mwa, on road between Noumea and Yaté, 2.0 km E Pic Mouirange, 22°12.356'S, 166°40.798'E, 220 m, 7-16.xi.2003, Malaise trap, loc#014, KAJ (NHRS); 1 male, Province Sud, Mt Dzumac, source stream of Ouinne River, near crosspoint to mountain track, 22°02.439'S, 166°28.646'E, 805 m, 18. xi– 4.xii.2003, Malaise trap, loc#029, KAJ (NHRS); numerous males, females, Province Sud, Couvelée River at Haute Couvelée, 2.8 km SV summit of Mt Piditéré, 3.5 km NNE Dumbéa, 22°07.405'S, 166°28.023'E, 27 m, 28.xi.2003, light trap, loc#052, KAJ (NHRS); numerous males, females, Province Sud, Xwé Pemöu Stream, 300 m N bridge over Dathio River at Atè, 6.2 km WNW Thio, 21.58835°S, 166.15117°E, 13 m, 29.xi.2003, light trap, loc#056, KAJ (NHRS); 3 males, Province Sud, lower part of Dumbéa River, 1.0 km SSW bridge over Dumbéa River at Dumbéa, 22°09.750'S, 166°26.700'E, 0.5 m, 30.xi.2003, light trap, loc#058, KAJ (NHRS); numerous males, females, Province Nord, Wemwâdiu stream, 850 m E summit Kögi Mtn, 5 m upstream road, about 200 m S Tiwaka River, 20°49.020'S, 165°14.165'E, 24 m, 6-27.xii.2003, Malaise trap, loc#067, KAJ (NHRS); numerous males, Province Nord, 50 m upstream bridge on Hienghène-Tnèdo road, 3.9 km S summit of Mt Tnèda, 2.2 km E Tnèdo, 20°43.085'S, 164°49.928'E, 29 m, 7.xii.2003, light trap, loc#071, KAJ (NHRS); numerous males, females, Province Nord, 1 m upstream road, below waterfall on Hienghène-Tnèdo road, 2.2 km SSW summit of Mt Unpac, 4.9 km ESE Tnèdo, 20.73879°S, 164.85508°E, 7.xii.2003, light trap, loc#072, KAJ (NHRS); numerous males, females, Province Nord, 2.8 km ENE Bopope, Rivière Oua Mendiou, 100 m S RPN2 Koné-Poindimié, 20°54.455'S, 165°06.300'E, 78 m, 14.xii.2003, light trap, loc#119, KAJ (NHRS); 3 males (1 dissected by KAJ as B4), Province Nord, Wan Pwé On Stream, draining NNE side of Mt Panié, 3.9 km NW Cascade de Tao, 20°31.820'S, 164°47.016'E, 18.xii.2003, light trap, loc#085, KAJ (NHRS); 3 males, Province Nord, Bouérabate Stream, S Mont Ninndo, along road Barabache-Boulagoma, 20°17.409'S, 164°11.242'E, 60 m, 19.xii.2003-7.i.2004, Malaise trap, loc#089, KAJ (NHRS); numerous males, females, Province Nord, Rivière Néhoué, camp Amenage de Néhoué, 20°25.015'S, 164°13.245'E, 12 m, 19.xii.2003, light trap, loc#091, KAJ (NHRS); numerous males, females, Province Nord, Ponandou Tiôgé River at Kögi, 3.9 km SSW Touho, 20°49.043'S, 165°13.551'E, 25 m, 26.xii.2003, light trap, loc#100, KAJ (NHRS); numerous males, females, Province Nord, Plaine des Gaïacs, Rivière Rouge, 14.2 km NW summit of Mt Rouge, 50 m upstream road RT1 Noumea-Koné, 20°31.573'S, 164°46.690'E, 23 m, 2.i.2004, light trap, loc#104, KAJ (NHRS); 3 males, 2 females, Province Nord, Établissement thermal de la Crouen, along Riv. la Crouen, 30 m upstream road RM3, 21°32.105'S, 165°53.319'E, 15 m, 5.i.2004, Malaise trap, loc#110, KAJ (NHRS); males (1 dissected by KAJ as ‘Y’), Province Sud, Col d’Amieu, Xwé Ko River, on road to St. Forestière, 21°35.612'S, 165°48.241'E, 368 m, 8.i.2004, light trap, loc#114, KAJ (NHRS); 4 males, 3 females, Province Sud, Sarraméa, Xwê Wya River, 21°38.318'S, 165°51.582'E, 127 m, 17-18.i.2004, light trap, loc#121, KAJ (NHRS).