Mortoniella (Mortoniella) elongata ( Flint, 1963 )

Blahnik, Roger J. & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2017, Revision of the northern South American species of Mortoniella Ulmer 1906 (Trichoptera: Glossosomatidae: Protoptilinae) *, Insecta Mundi 2017 (602), pp. 1-251 : 54-55

Mortoniella (Mortoniella) elongata ( Flint, 1963)

Fig. 35

Mexitrichia elongata Flint : 1963: 474; Flint 1991: 20 [male, distribution].

Mortoniella elongata (Flint) : Blahnik and Holzenthal 2008: 69 [member of leroda group].

This species has all or most of the characters present in members assigned to the florica subgroup: phallicata with upright, rounded projections, inferior appendages with paired apical projections and without a mesal process, and an endophallic membrane with a single ventromesal spine and without sclerotized phallotremal spines. It is distinctive among species assigned to this subgroup in the strongly downcurved apices of the lateral projections of the inferior appendages. Similarly developed inferior appendages occur in munozi Blahnik and Holzenthal , but that species lacks upright, rounded projections on the phallicata. Other characters useful for diagnosing this species include the elongate, narrow paramere appendages, which are slightly enlarged preapically and have apices that are narrowed and awl-like (and not at all scabrously developed), and the prominent mesal projection of tergum X.

Adult —Length of forewing: male 3.4-4.0 mm; female 4.0- 4.2 mm. Forewing with forks I, II, and III present, hind wing with forks II and III. Spur formula 0:4:4. Overall color medium brown, apices of tarsal segments and basal segments of antennae whitish. Tibial spurs slightly darker than legs, not distinctly contrasting in color. Wing bar at anastamosis relatively indistinct, marked with light brown setae.

Male genitalia —Ventral process of segment VI laterally compressed, short, ventrally projecting, truncately rounded apically, length slightly greater than width at base, process slightly retracted anterobasally. Segment IX nearly evenly rounded anterolaterally, length greatest midlaterally, posterolateral margin convexly rounded dorsally, narrowing ventrally; segment deeply mesally excised dorsally and ventrally, forming lateral lobes, separated dorsomesally by much less than ½ width of segment. Tergum X moderately elongate, lateral margins slightly converging from base, with acute, trianguloid apicomesal projection, apicolateral lobes moderately elongate, sclerotized, slightly mesally curved; ventrolateral lobe nearly obsolete; ventromesal lobes with few short setae, extending from ventral margin of apicolateral lobes. Inferior appendages setose, without distinct dorsolateral projections, apically with pair of narrow, attenuate, ventrally curved projections. Mesal pockets of inferior appendage with apical processes short, dorsally curved. Paramere appendages elongate, narrow, extending beyond dorsal phallic spine, slightly widened preapically, apex very acutely narrowed, awllike; base of appendage emerging from projecting membranous lobe. Dorsal phallic spine, as viewed laterally, undulate in contour, slightly widened on ventral margin in basal ½, apex acute, weakly and obtusely upturned in about apical ¼; in dorsal view, nearly uniform in width, apex very acutely narrowed. Phallicata relatively elongate, with upright, sclerotized, more or less rounded projections on dorsal margin; basolaterally with slightly produced, rounded and compressed projection. Endophallic membrane relatively simple, with single prominent curved ventromesal spine; phallotremal spines absent.

Material examined — COLOMBIA: Antioquia: Quebrada Honda , 12 km SW Fredonia, 1450 m, 22.ii.1983, OS Flint, Jr– 1 male (pinned), 1 male, 1 female (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; Quebrada La Ayura, Municipio Envigado , 1750 m, 8.viii.1983, U Matthias– 1 male, 1 female (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; same locality and collector, 20-28.iv.1984 – 1 male, 1 female (alcohol) ( NMNH) .

Distribution — Colombia.

Figures

Figure 35. Mortoniella (Mortoniella) elongata (Flint), male genitalia. A—lateral; B—segment IX and tergum X, dorsal; C—phallic ensemble, ventral; D—dorsal phallic spine, dorsal.