Mortoniella tapanti, Blahnik & Holzenthal, 2008

Blahnik, Roger J. & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2008, Revision of the Mexican and Central American species of Mortoniella (Trichoptera: Glossosomatidae: Protoptilinae), Zootaxa 1711 (1), pp. 1-72 : 60-62

Mortoniella tapanti , new species

Fig. 32

Mortoniella tapanti is similar to both M. akantha and M. anakantha . All of these species are characterized by having an inferior appendage with a single, symmetrical apicomesal projection and also distinctive, elongate dorsolateral branches. Mortoniella tapanti can be distinguished from either of the other two species by having the apicomesal projection of the inferior appendage much shorter and by having the dorsolateral branches of the inferior appendage forked. The position of the fork and the arrangement of elongate setae along the dorsolateral branches varies somewhat in this species, as indicated in Fig. 32A and E .

Adult. Length of forewing: male 4.7–5.0 mm, female 5–5.6 mm. Forewing with forks I, II, and III, hind wing with forks II and III. Overall color light to medium brown, palps and basal part of antennal and tarsal segments darker brown, apices of tibiae, tarsal and basal antennal segments light brown. Wing bar at anastamosis distinct, marked by pale, light brown setae. Ventral process of abdominal segment VI (male) short, ventrally oriented, subtriangular, rounded to subacute apically, base about as long as length, not or very slightly constricted basally.

Male genitalia. Segment IX nearly evenly rounded anterolaterally, length greatest midlaterally, posterolateral margin forming rounded to slightly angular projection in dorsal half, narrowing ventrally; segment deeply mesally excised dorsally and ventrally, dorsal excision narrow, much less than half width of segment. Tergum X with short, acute mesal projection and projecting lateral lobes, lateral lobes with apices narrowed, subacute, mesally curved. Inferior appendage with short, symmetrical, apically rounded apicomesal projection bearing elongate setae ventrally and laterally, short, sparse setae dorsally; appendage basolaterally, with prominent dorsal projection on each side, each terminating in elongate, narrow, posteriorly projected dorsolateral branch, extending past apicomesal projection of inferior appendage; dorsolateral branch distinctly forked in apical half and bearing numerous elongate bristle-like setae, either linearly arranged or grouped in region of fork; mesal pockets of inferior appendage with apical processes short, thick, dorsally curved. Paramere appendages emerging from membranous basolateral projections, very elongate, narrow, dorsally arched basally, mesally curved apically; each appendage slightly widened in apical half or third, sinuous, ribbon-like, apex narrowed and acute. Dorsal phallic spine with basoventral bulge, apical part sinuously, dorsally curved. Phallicata relatively wide basally, expanded in middle, greatly narrowed apically, basoventrally with slight bulge, dorsally with broadly rounded, explanate lateral projection on either side. Endophallic membrane short, simple, without spines.

Holotype male: COSTA RICA: Cartago: Reserva [Parque Nacional] Tapantí, Quebrada Palmitos & falls, ca. 9 km (road) NW tunnel, 09°43'12"N, 083°46'48"W, 1400 m, 2–3.vi.1990, Holzenthal, Blahnik, Muñoz ( UMSP000000758 ) (pinned) ( UMSP).

Paratypes: COSTA RICA: Alajuela: Río Agrio , ca. 3.5 km NE Bajos del Toro, 10°14'35"N, 084°16'44"W, 1290 m, 20.viii.1990, Holzenthal, et al. — 1 female (pinned) ( NMNH) ; Río Toro, 3.0 km (road) SW Bajos del Toro , 10°12'14"N, 084°18'58"W, 1530 m, 3–4.ix.1990, Holzenthal, Blahnik & Huisman — 3 males, 111 females (pinned), 1 male (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; Quebrada Latas , 8.9 km NE Bajos del Toro, 10°16'08"N, 084°15'36"W, 1030 m, 6.ix.1990, Holzenthal, Blahnik & Huisman — 2 females (pinned) ( UMSP) ; Reserva Bosque Nubosa Monte Verde, Río Peñas Blancas , 10°18'00"N, 084°44'24"W, 950 m, 1.iii.1986, Holzenthal & Fasth — 1 male, 5 females (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; Cartago: Reserva Tapantí, Río Grande de Orosí , 09°41'10"N, 083°45'22"W, 1650 m, 18–21.iii.1987, Holzenthal, Hamilton & Heyn — 1 male, 30 females (pinned) ( UMSP) ; same locality, 15–16.vii.1987, Holzenthal, Morse & Clausen — 5 males, 46 females (pinned), 10 males (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; same locality, 7–8.vi.1988, C & O Flint, Holzenthal — 1 male, 7 females (pinned), 3 males, 24 females (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; Reserva Tapantí, Quebrada Palmitos & falls, ca. 9 km (road) NW tunnel, 09°43'12"N, 083°46'48"W, 1400m, 8–9.vi.1988, C. & O. Flint, Holzenthal — 4 males, 8 females (pinned), 12 males, 43 females (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; same locality, 2–3.vi.1990, Holzenthal, Blahnik & Muñoz — 5 males, 38 females (pinned), 3 males (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; same locality, 1– 2.viii.1990, Holzenthal, Blahnik & Muñoz — 20 males, 25 females (pinned) ( UMSP) ; same locality, 24– 25.iii.1991, Holzenthal, Muñoz & Huisman — 8 males, 17 females (pinned) — 6 males, 12 females (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; same locality, 21.ii.1992, Holzenthal, Munoz & Kjer — 5 males, 44 females (pinned) ( INBIO) ; waterfall, ca. 1 km (road) NW tunnel, 09°41'24"N, 083°45'36"W, 1600 m, 24.iii.1991, Holzenthal, Muñoz & Huisman — 4 males, 9 females (pinned) ( UMSP) ; Quebrada Segunda @ administration building, 09°45'40"N, 083°47'13"W, 1250 m, 9–10.v.1990, Holzenthal & Blahnik — 4 males, 33 females (pinned), 6 males (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; same locality, 23.viii.1990, Holzenthal & Huisman — 1 female (pinned) ( UMSP) ; Puntarenas: Río Bellavista , ca. 1.5 km NW Las Alturas, 08°57'04"N, 082°50'46"W, 1400 m, 10–11.viii.1990, Holzenthal, Blahnik & Muñoz — 1 male (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; Zona Protectora Las Tablas, Río Cotón , Sitio Cotón, 08°56'28"N, 082°47'13"W, 1460 m, 15.iv. 1989, Holzenthal & Blahnik — 2 males (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; San José: Río Chirripó Pacífico , 9.5 km NE Rivas, 09°28'12"N, 083°35'28"W, 1370 m, 23.ii.1986, Holzenthal, Morse & Fasth — 2 males, 3 females (pinned) ( UMSP) , 14 males (alcohol) ( INBIO) ; Río Parrita Chiquito , rt. 12, 6.5 km SW jct. rt. 2, 09°42'11"N, 083°58'12"W, 1990 m, 10.iv.1987, Holzenthal, Hamilton & Heyn — 1 male (pinned) ( UMSP) ; El Salvaje, Río Tabarcia, 8 km (road) E Palmichal , 09°43'12"N, 083°46'48"W, 1650 m, 19–21.i.1992, Holzenthal, Kjer & Quesada — 1 male, 1 female (pinned) ( UMSP) ; PANAMA: Chiriquí: Volcán Chiriquí , 08°51'N, 082°35'W, 23.vi.1999, W. Reeves — 12 males, 20 females (alcohol) ( UMSP) .

Etymology. This species is named M. tapanti because the majority of the type specimens were collected from Parque Nacional Tapantí, a remarkable and nearly pristine preserve that is also the type locality for a number of other caddisfly species.

Figures

FIGURE 32. Mortoniella tapanti, new species. Male genitalia: A—lateral; B—segment IX and tergum X, dorsal; C— phallic ensemble, ventral; D—dorsal phallic spine, dorsal; E—inferior appendage variation, lateral.