Helicopsyche fridae sp.n.

(Figs 9­16)

Material examined: Male holotype: Panama, Province of Panama, Barro Colorado Island, Snyder­Molino Trail, marker 3, 18.iii­5.v.1987, H. Wolda, light trap (NMNH).

Paratypes: Same data as the holotype, except: 1 male: 5.vii.1977 (UCD). 1 male: 17.vii.1977 (UCD). 1 male, 1 female: 8.xi.1977 (NRM from UCD). 5 males, 1 female: 6.xii.1977 (UCD). 2 males: 27.xii.1977 (UCD). 1 male: 18.i.1978 (UCD). 1 male: 25.i.1978 (UCD). 1 male: 22.ii.1978 (UCD). 1 male, 1 female: 8.iii.1978 (UCD). 15 males: 26.iv.1978 (UCD). 1 male: 17.v.1978 (UCD). 1 male, 1 female: 24.v.1978 (UCD). 3 males: 21.vi.1978 (UCD). 3 males, 2 females: 28.vi.1978 (NRM from UCD). 4 males: 19.vii.1978 (NRM from UCD). 2 males, 1 female: 6.ix.1978 (NRM from UCD). 1 male: 15.xi.1978 (UCD). 1 male: 20.xii.1978 (UCD). 3 males, 1 female: 22.xii.1978 (UCD). 1 male: 27.xii.1978 (UCD). 1 male: 23.i.1979 (UCD). 1 male: 22.ii.1979 (UCD). 1 male: 1.iii.1979 (UCD). 1 male, 1 female: 28.vi.1979 (UCD). 8 males: 29.xi.1979 (UCD). 16 males: 18.iii­5.v.1987 (NRM from NMNH). 27 males: 3.vi­1.ix.1987 (NMNH). 53 males: 2.ix­29.xii.1987 (NMNH). 20 males: 30.xii.1987 ­ 5.iv.1988 (NMNH). 31 males: 27.iv­ 5.vii.1988 (NMNH). 23 males: 6.vii­4.x.1988 (NMNH). 30 males: 5.x.1988 ­ 3.i.1989 (NMNH). 17 males: 4.i­28.iii.1989 (NMNH). 35 males: 5.iv­4.vii.1989 (NMNH). 20 males: 5.vii­25.ix.1989 (NMNH). 17 males: 4.x­30.xii.1989 (NMNH). 18 males: 3.i­ 27.iii.1990 (NMNH). 25 males: 25.iv­3.vii.1990 (NMNH). 19 males: 11.vii­2.x.1990 (NRM from NMNH). 31 males: 17.x­30.xii.1990 (NMNH). 17 males: 2.i­26.iii.1991 (NMNH).

Etymology: fridae, named after my daughter Frida Svare for her valuable support during the progress of this work. The name is to be treated as a noun in genitive case.

Diagnosis. H. fridae sp.n. can be separated from other Helicopsychidae by the dorsal branch of the gonocoxite that is sharply triangular, and has a basimesal lobe longer than in other species.

Description

Head, thorax, and legs: as in H. woldai sp.n.

Wings (Fig. 9): Fore wing 2.8­3.4 (N=36 paratypes, mean=3.2), 3.0 mm (holotype); fork 1 and fork 2 nearly two­fifths the wing length; Dc less than one third the wing length; crossvein R—M short; M1 about 1.5 x longer than stalk M1+2; M2 1/ 5 x the wing length; Crossvein M—Cu1 originates distally to bifurcation of M and meets Cu1 at a distance before bifurcation of Cu1 equal to two­thirds the length of Cu1a; Cu2 bends into wing margin and has crossvein connection to Cu1. Hind wing 2.1­2.5 (N=36 paratypes, mean= 2.3 mm), 2.3 mm (holotype), with 21 hamuli; fork 1 V­shaped; M divides slightly before bifurcation of Rs; crossvein R—M present; crossvein Cu1—M absent; apex rounded.

VIth sternal process (Figs 10, 11) oriented posteroventrad, sub straight; apically rounded, about as long as that in H. woldai sp.n. (Fig. 10); covered by minute microtrichiae; in ventral view (Fig. 11), sub parallel along its length into slightly widened apex, sub apical lamellae present; apex with ventral spines (Fig. 11).

Genitalia (Figs 12­16): Segment IX, lateral view (Fig. 12), anterior lobe located midway on segment, hyperboloid, oriented anterad, anterodorsal margin slightly convex; anteroventral margin shallowly concave; in dorsal view (Fig. 13), with inner margin widely ellipsoid; in ventral view (Fig. 14) without central process on posterior margin; lateral apodeme (Fig. 12) sub straight, fading before anterior margin at anterior lobe apex; tergal transverse apodeme absent; long sternal transverse apodeme present along posterior margin. Segment X, lateral view (Fig. 12), tapering along its length, slightly curving ventrally, apex pointed; ventral margin slightly concave; dorsal margin slightly undulate; basal, dorsal incision absent; in dorsal view (Fig. 13), tongue­shaped, apical notch minute; with about nine equally long megasetae in dorsolateral row starting about midway on segment, and four smaller setae in lateral row at apex. Superior appendage (Fig. 12), clubshaped, oriented laterad. Gonocoxite, lateral view (Fig. 12), generally triangular, with dorsal margin produced dorsally and bent medially into rounded lobe; anterodorsal and posterior margins meeting at a right angle; dorsal margin and posterior apex undulate; apex strongly curved mesad along its length; gonocoxite at midway about 2 x broader than height of central part of Xth tergum (Fig. 12); anterodorsal margin smooth; posteroventral margin slightly concave, smooth; strongly and sharply incised toward basimesal lobe; with well developed process at posteroventral margin. Basimesal lobe, lateral view, very long, produced posteriorly, tuboid, apex pointed, with about eleven long, slender megasetae surrounding apex (Fig. 14); in ventral view (Fig. 14), cone­shaped with smooth margins; median margin sub straight, without marginal setae. Basal plate short (Fig. 12), with irregular dorsal and sub straight ventral margins; in ventral view (Fig. 14), triangular, apex rounded. Phallus (Figs 15, 16): very thick, at midlength strongly bent ventrad; posteroventral part well sclerotized; basal one fourth slightly thicker than mid part; phallic basis present as anterior ring; endotheca strongly produced into irregular dorsal lobe (Fig. 15), and two posterior lobes (Fig. 16); sperm channel as in H. woldai sp.n.

Affinities. Other species having a prominent, cone­shaped basimesal lobe are H. apicauda Flint (Dominica, Guadeloupe), H. lambda Flint (Argentina), H. kalaom Botosaneanu (Dominican Republic), H. incisa Ross (Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama), H. flinti Johanson (Brazil), H. grenadensis Flint & Sykora (Grenada), H. granpiedrana Botosaneanu & Sykora (Cuba), and H. woldai sp.n. (Panama). However, the basimesal lobe of H. fridae sp.n. is longer than in the other species. A single prominent process at the posteroventral margin of the gonocoxite is also present in H. lambda, and H. flinti .