Zealeuctra wachita Ricker & Ross

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 : 40-41

Zealeuctra wachita Ricker & Ross Figs 9, 11

Zealeuctra wachita Ricker & Ross, 1969: 1119. Holotype ♂ (INHS), Ouachita River, Polk Co., Arkansas

Description.

Male - abdominal tergal cleft. Anterior portion broadly rounded, with a secondary U-shaped extension, inner margins set apart from remainder of cleft (Fig. 9A). Posterior portion markedly wider than anterior portion, interior margins rounded and lacking crenulations, terminating posteriorly as paired, large subtruncate medially-projected extensions.

Male - epiproct. Base narrow and extending laterally (Fig. 9A), spine directed at ca. 90° angle from base, tapering gradually, and recurved somewhat anteriorly (Figs 9 B–C). No accessory spine or cusp present.

Female - 7th sternum. Seventh sternum with a small, subtriangular lobe nested in a slightly-concave central notch (Fig. 9D).

Material examined.

USA, Arkansas: Scott Co., Johnson Creek, Hwy 49, 34.7131, -94.2101, 6.I.1999, B.P. Stark, 2♂, ♀ (BPSC). Oklahoma: LeFlore Co., tributary to Big Creek, NW Page, Hwy 59/270, 34.7144, -94.5547, 6.II.2003, B.C. Kondratieff, J.P. Schmidt, and R.E. Zuellig, 3♂, ♀ (CSUC); tributary to Big Creek, NW Page, Hwy 59/270, 34.7194, -94.5608, 6.II.2003, B.C. Kondratieff, J.P. Schmidt, and R.E. Zuellig, 4♂, 3♀ (CSUC); Big Creek, NW Page at Page Cemetery Rd., 34.7139, -94.5500, 6.II.2003, B.C. Kondratieff, J.P. Schmidt, and R.E. Zuellig, ♂ (CSUC); intermittent stream just E of Muse, Hwy 63, 34.6718, -94.7585, 15.III.2002, B.C. Kondratieff and R.E. Zuellig, 2♂ (CSUC).

Distribution.

USA: AR ( DeWalt et al. 2012), OK (new state record)

Remarks.

This is the only Zealeuctra species that has a cleft bearing a secondary anterior extension. Zealeuctra wachita appears to be easily the least common of the three Zealeuctra species endemic to the Interior Plateau region. Poulton and Stewart (1991), in their study of the stoneflies of the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains, included only two Arkansas localities for this species. In contrast, the other two regional species, Zealeuctra cherokee and Zealeuctra warreni , plus Zealeuctra claasseni and Zealeuctra narfi , are markedly more common. The Oklahoma records noted above (Fig. 11) represent new state records.