Hellyethira khukri, Wells, Alice & Dostine, Peter, 2016

Wells, Alice & Dostine, Peter, 2016, New and newly recorded micro-caddisfly species (Insecta: Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) from Australia’s north, including islands of Torres Strait, Zootaxa 4127 (3), pp. 591-600 : 596

Hellyethira khukri sp. nov.

Figures 12, 13

Diagnosis. This species is closely similar to the northern Australian species Hellyethira forficata Wells , H. radonensis Wells , and H. veruta Wells , but is recognised by the tightly twisted apical spine on the phallic apparatus; the stout, sclerotised, undivided dorsal lobe on the gonopods compared with the more slender structures in H. radonensis , and the apically divided structures in H. forficata .

Description. Male. Length of each forewing 2.1 mm (n = 2). Antennae each with 33–34 flagellomeres, flagellomeres rectangular in profile, bearing large sensilla placodea. Meso-ventral process on abdominal segment VII slender, elongate. Genitalia as in Figs 11, 12 . Abdominal segment IX quadrate in ventral view; dorsal plate broad, membranous, fimbriate apically; gonopods multilobed, ventralmost lobe broad throughout length, setose, dorsal process in form of pair of stout, sclerotised forceps-like lobes, with pair of slender membranous lobes farther above them, each bearing slender apical seta; parameres curved, convergent in ventral view almost to slightly hooked apices, basally each with stout parallel apodeme; phallic apparatus terminating in a tightly twisted spine, membranous collar subapically.

Female. Unknown.

Types. Holotype. male, NORTHERN TERRITORY, Petherick’s Rainforest Reserve, 6–7.vi.2015, J. Schult, light trap (NTM).

Paratype. 1 male, data as for holotype (ANIC).

Etymology. " Khukri ," the term for a Gurkha knife, being descriptive of the blade-like twist terminally on the phallic apparatus.

Figures

FIGURES 8 – 13. Oxyethira and Hellyethira spp. 8 – 11, Oxyethira torresiana sp. nov., male genitalia: 8, ventral; 9, phallic apparatus; 10, lateral. 11. O. torresiana sp. nov., female terminalia, ventral. 12, 13, Hellyethira khukri sp. nov., male genitalia: 11, ventral; 12, left lateral. Abbreviations: VIII, IX = abdominal segments VIII and IX; dpl = dorsal plate; dpr = dorsal process of gonopods; gon = gonopod; mes p = mesal process of abdominal segment VII; ph = phallic apparatus; pr = paramere; stl = setose lobes of gonopods; vpl = ventral plate.