Helicopsyche vongsombathi, Johanson & Malm, 2007

Johanson, Kjell Arne & Malm, Tobias, 2007, Three new Helicopsyche from Laos (Trichoptera: Helicopsychidae), Zootaxa 1407 (1), pp. 13-22 : 15-19

Helicopsyche vongsombathi , new species

Figs. 3 , 13–20

Helicopsyche vongsombathi , new species, is unique in the genitalia by the nearly uniformly wide, sigmoid, primary branch of the gonocoxite, the presence of a short secondary branch on gonocoxite bearing 2 long, posteriorly oriented setae; the slightly up-curving segment X having 4 pairs of megasetae at its truncated apex; and the widely and deeply incised segment X apex.

Male. Cephalic setal warts narrowly pyriform, pointed anteriorly; interantennal setal warts bean-shaped, concave laterally. Maxillary and labial palps without brushes of setae or sensillae; labial palps short, with nearly equally long segments; maxillary palp 2-segmented, with nearly equally long segments. Antennal scape as long as maxillary palp segments, slightly shorter than eye diameter. Tibial spurs 1, 2, 4. Forewing brownish grey with characteristic pattern of small, pale spots scattered over wing surface ( Fig. 3 ), and without modified setae along R5, length 3.6 mm; hind wing length 2.8 mm, with 13 hamuli; wing venation as in Fig. 13 .

Male abdomen and genitalia ( Figs. 14–20 ). Process of sternum VI moderately long, oriented posteriorly, in ventral view narrowing towards apex, ventral face of apex covered by spinose microtrichiae. Segment IX, in lateral view, expanded anteriorly into rounded lobe, anteroventral margin shallowly concave; horizontal lateral apodeme present; dorsal margin nearly straight; inner margin wide, V-shaped in dorsal view and shallowly concave in ventral view; in ventral view, posterior margin forms 2 short, wide lobes. Segment X weakly up-curving, narrowest at apex; with 4 megasetae confined to truncate apex; lateral processes absent. Superior appendage moderately long, club-shaped, oriented posteroventrally. Gonocoxite primary branch uniformly broad in lateral view, weakly sigmoid; secondary branch short, straight, tube-shaped in ventral view, with 2 posteriorly oriented apical setae; gonocoxite basal branch absent; gonocoxite basal plate nearly reaching anterior margin of segment IX in lateral view; anterior part very slender, nearly equally broad along its length; in ventral view, wider than in lateral view, parallel-sided and apically truncate. Phallus apparently with internal processes in addition to phallic sclerite; in lateral view, nearly parallel-shaped and weakly curving ventrally along its length; in ventral view, cigar-shaped; central part nearly 2x wider than anterior and posterior parts.

Holotype male: LAOS PDR: Luang Namtha Prov.: Tong Om Village , loc. 30, 20.935°N, 101.407°E [UTM 47Q 0750111, 2321825], el. 552 m, 1.v.2005, Jönsson, Malm, Viklund ( NRM, alcohol).

Etymology. vongsombathi , named after PhD student Chanda Vongsombath for his helpful assistance in the collecting of this new species.

Figures

FIGURES 2–4. Distal part of forewings of the new Helicopsyche species. 2 — H. laoensis, new species; 3 — H. vongsombathi, new species; 4 — H. pathoumthongi, new species.

FIGURES 13–20. Helicopsyche vongsombathi, new species, holotype. 13 — right wings; 14 — abdominal sternite VI, lateral view; 15 — process on abdominal sternite VI, ventral view; 16 — genitalia, lateral view; 17 — genitalia, dorsal view; 18 — genitalia, ventral view; 19 — phallus, lateral view; 20 — phallus, ventral view.