Mortoniella pacuara ( Flint, 1974 ) 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 : 39-42

Mortoniella pacuara ( Flint, 1974) , new combination

Figs. 17–19

Mexitrichia pacuara Flint, 1974: 11 .

This species is distinctly different from any other Central American species and is a member of the ormina group, designated here, with described species also including M. ormina ( Mosely, 1939) M. catarinensis ( Flint, 1974) , M. macarenica ( Flint, 1974) , M. aries ( Flint, 1963) and M. aequalis ( Flint, 1963) . There are a number of additional, undescribed species. All of the species have the lateral margins of the dorsal phallic spine at least somewhat explanate and the apex strongly upturned and widened. While several species in this group have the lateral margins of the phallic spine distinctly projecting, in no other species are these projections so distinctly produced and saddle-shaped as M. pacuara . The short spine-like paramere appendages and endophallic spine of M. pacuara are also distinctive.

Adult. Length of forewing: male 2.0 mm, female 2.2–2.9 mm. Forewing with forks I, II, and III, hind wing with fork II only. Overall color fuscous, nearly black, apices of tibiae, tarsal and basal antennal segments lighter brown. Wing bar at anastamosis prominent, marked by white setae; forewing also marked with small white spot in basal part of wing and another in apical half of wing, near costal margin, and wing veins at apices of wings marked by small white spots. Forewing subacute and distinctly narrowed apically. Ventral process of abdominal segment VI (male) elongate, narrow, curved, posteriorly oriented.

Male genitalia. Segment IX rounded anterolaterally, length greatest in ventral half, posterolateral margin nearly linear; segment deeply mesally excised dorsally and ventrally, dorsal excision wide, more than half width of segment. Tergum X angularly cleft mesally to about half length of segment, apicolateral margins subacute. Inferior appendage without apicomesal projection; mesal pockets of inferior appendage with elongate, projecting apically acute projections, appearing as apicolateral projections from ventral margin of inferior appendage. Paramere appendages short, curved, spine-like, tapering from base to apex, apices acute. Dorsal phallic spine with apex very abruptly upturned and somewhat widened, apex subacute as viewed dorsally, laterally with distinctive saddle-like projections. Phallicata very short, ventrally sclerotized, nearly membranous dorsally. Endophallic membrane with short, curved, apically acute spine, about half length of paramere appendages.

Material examined. COSTA RICA: Cartago: Pejibaye , 22–24.iii.1987, W.E. Steiner — 1 male (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; Limón: Reserva Biológica Hitoy-Cerere, Río Cerere, Est. Miramar , 09°40'16"N, 083°01'41"W, 90 m, 23–24.iii.1987, Holzenthal, Hamilton & Heyn — 5 males (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; Río General, Pacuare , 10°06'00"N, 083°28'00"W, 1.vii.1967, Flint & Ortiz — 4 males, 3 females (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; Río Telire and small trib., SE Suretka , 09°33'14"N, 082°53'31"W, 48 m, 1.ii.1986, Holzenthal, Morse & Fasth — 6 males, 17 females (pinned) 16 males (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; Río Uatsi, ca. 8 km (air) W Bribri , 09°37'12"N, 082°54'00"W, 60 m, 25.iii.1987, Holzenthal, Hamilton & Heyn — 3 males (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; Puntarenas: Río Ceibo, route 2 ca. 6 km W rd to Buenos Aires , 09°08'56"N, 083°22'37"W, 250 m, 20.ii.1986, Holzenthal, Morse & Fasth — 11 males (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; Río Singrí, ca 2 km (air) S Finca Helechales , 09°03'25"N, 083°04'55"W, 720 m, 21.ii.1986, Holzenthal, Morse & Fasth — 22 males (alcohol) ( UMSP) ; San José: Río General , 1 mi. S San Isidro, 1.vii.1967, P.J. Spangler — 74 males, 27 females (alcohol) ( NMNH) .

Distribution. COSTA RICA (Cartago, Limón, Puntarenas, San José), COLOMBIA (Valle).

Figures

FIGURE 17. Mortoniella pacuara (Flint). Male genitalia: A—lateral; B—segment IX and tergum X, dorsal; C—phallic ensemble, ventral; D—dorsal phallic spine, dorsal.

FIGURE 18–19. 18, Mortoniella pacuara (Flint). Female genitalia: A—dorsal; B—ventral. 19. Mortoniella pacuara (Flint). Wings, male: A—forewing; B—hind wing.