Hydroptila murtlei, Harris & Rasmussen & Denson, 2012

Harris, Steven C., Rasmussen, Andrew K. & Denson, Dana R., 2012, An annotated list of the caddisflies (Trichoptera) of Florida: Part I. The family Hydroptilidae, with descriptions of five new species, Insecta Mundi 2012 (273), pp. 1-32 : 2

Hydroptila murtlei sp. n.

( Fig. 1)

Diagnosis. In overall appearance this species is very similar to H. roberta Hamilton and Holzenthal from Georgia and H. hamiltoni Harris from Eglin Air Force Base in northern Florida. As with both these species, H. murtlei has a bulbous segment X and narrow inferior appendages which are straight in both lateral and ventral aspects. The new species can be distinguished by the relative lengths of the phallus sections; in H. roberta the apical and basal portions of the phallus are about equal in length; in H. hamiltoni , the apical portion is much shorter than the basal portion; in H. murtlei the basal portion is about twice the length of the apical portion. As well, the apical portion of the phallus in both H. roberta and H. hamiltoni is curved, particularly so in H. hamiltoni , while in H. murtlei the apical portion is straight. Additionally, the inferior appendage of H. murtlei narrows apically compared to the rounded apices in both H. roberta and H. hamiltoni .

Description, male. Length 2.1 mm. 28 antennal segments. Brown in alcohol. Abdominal segment VII annular with short posteromesal process ventrally. Segment VIII annular, slightly incised on posteroventral margin. Segment IX circular in lateral view, slight protuberance posterodorsally; ventrally with wide excision mesally, bearing row of elongate setae near posterior margin; dorsally lobate with narrow mesal incision. Segment X elongate and bulbous in lateral view; dorsally narrow basally, widening distally with deep and wide triangular incision. Inferior appendage thin in lateral view, gradually tapering to acute apex; in ventral view appendages narrow and elongate, nearly parallel and widely separate, apices curving slightly outward, bearing elongate setae at midlength. Subgenital plate long and slender in lateral view; ventrally broadly rounded, apically bearing pair of setae mesally. Phallus elongate and tubular, basal section about twice length of apical section, apical section sharply narrowing sub-basally, and straight; ejaculatory duct thin, extending to end of phallus apex; short paramere encircling shaft below juncture of sections.

Material examined. Holotype, male. FLORIDA: Bay Co., Little Crooked Creek at SR-79, Pine Log State Forest , 2.4 km S Ebro, N30 o 24'48" W85 o 52'04", 28 April 2002, A. Rasmussen and T. Thom ( NMNH) . Paratype. FLORIDA: Calhoun Co., Juniper Creek at SR-73, N30 o 21'31.65" W85 o 12'47.60", 19 May 2010, A. Rasmussen and D. Denson, 1 male ( FAMU)

Etymology. Named for Michael McMurray, affectionately nicknamed “murtle” by his son Andrew, in recognition of the McMurray family’s support of scholarship at Clarion University.