Zealeuctra stewarti Kondratieff & Zuellig

Grubbs, Scott A., Kondratieff, Boris C., Stark, Bill P. & DeWalt, R. Edward, 2013, A review of the Nearctic genus Zealeuctra Ricker (Plecoptera, Leuctridae), with the description of a new species from the Cumberland Plateau region of eastern North America, ZooKeys 344, pp. 17-47 : 33-34

Zealeuctra stewarti Kondratieff & Zuellig Fig. 13

Zealeuctra stewarti Kondratieff & Zuellig, 2004: 840. Holotype ♂ (TAMU), 5.2 mi E Leakey, Real Co., Texas

Description.

Male - abdominal tergal cleft. Anterior portion broadly U-shaped and parallel-sided. Posterior portion V-shaped, with small crenulations evident along inner margins, terminating posteriorly with paired, subtriangular, medially-projected extensions ( Kondratieff and Zuellig 2004, their Fig. 1)

Male - epiproct. Epiproct spine long, slender, and gently-recurved anteriorly ( Kondratieff and Zuellig 2004; their fig. 2). No accessory spine or cusp present.

Female - 7th sternum. Seventh sternum lacking medial lobe, with posteromedial portion overlapping as a slightly-notched, subtruncate flap onto anteromedial margin of the eighth sternum Kondratieff and Zuellig 2004; their fig. 3).

Material examined.

USA, Texas: Real Co., Little Dry Frio, Farm Rd. 337 E of Leakey, 29.7214, -99.6739, 3.IV.2004, B.C. Kondratieff and R.E. Zuellig, 4♂, 6♀ (Paratypes; BYUC, CSUC); Little Dry Frio, Hwy 337, 5.2 mi E of Leakey, 29.7214, -99.6739, 20.II.2010, K.W. Stewart, 2♂ (BPSC).

Distribution.

USA: TX ( DeWalt et al. 2012)

Remarks.

This is easily the rarest of the Zealeuctra species, currently known only from two streams within a very small geographic area in the Texas Hill Country region (Fig. 13; Kondratieff and Zuellig 2004), overlapping in range and adult flight periods only with Zealeuctra arnoldi . The long and very slender epiproct spine exhibited by Zealeuctra stewarti is unique and easily distinguished from all members of this genus. In addition, the females of Zealeuctra stewarti and Zealeuctra warreni are the only two Zealeuctra species lacking a posterior lobe nested in central notch and where the posteromedial portion of the 7th sternum is flap-like and extending over the anteromedial margin of the 8th sternum.