Helicopsyche laoensis, Johanson & Malm, 2007

Johanson, Kjell Arne & Malm, Tobias, 2007, Three new Helicopsyche from Laos (Trichoptera: Helicopsychidae), Zootaxa 1407 (1), pp. 13-22 : 15

Helicopsyche laoensis , new species

Figs. 2 , 5–12

Helicopsyche laoensis , new species, has unique male genitalia consisting of a long, slender primary branch of the gonocoxite posteriorly curved at its apex, in lateral view a nearly rectangular segment IX, and a pair of lateral processes on segment X basally attached to segment X shortly after the mid-length.

Male. Cephalic setal warts small, oval; interantennal setal warts absent. Maxillary and labial palps with brushes of setae or sensillae on dorsal face; labial palps with distal segment very short, about 1/4 the length of segment 2; maxillary palps 2-segmented, with distal segment slightly longer than proximal segment and slightly shorter than eye diameter. Antennal scape as long as eye diameter. Tibial spurs 1, 2, 4. Forewing brownish grey with characteristic pattern of small, pale spots scattered over wing surface ( Fig. 2 ), without modified setae along R5, length 4.1 mm; hind wing length 3.1 mm, with 14 hamuli; wing venation as in Fig. 5 .

Male abdomen and genitalia ( Figs. 6–12 ). Sternal process VI short, oriented posteroventrally, tubular along its length, densely covered by long microtrichiae. Segment IX nearly rectangular in lateral view, anterodorsal corner nearly right-angled, anteroventral margin nearly straight; without sub-marginal anterior apodeme; horizontal lateral apodeme present; dorsal margin nearly straight; inner margin U-shaped in dorsal view, shallowly concave in ventral view; posterior margin weakly convex in ventral view. Segment X straight, parallel-sided in lateral view; with 8 small megasetae confined to apex; 1 pair of lateral knife-shaped processes originating shortly after mid-length, separated from segment X at base, running posteriorly in parallel with lateral margin of segment X along their lengths. Superior appendage moderately long, tubular, nearly straight. Gonocoxite primary branch slightly broadening distally in lateral view, bent posteriorly before apex; secondary branch with single apical seta, short, completely hidden by primary branch; basal branch absent; gonocoxite basal plate short, ending before anterior margin of segment IX, anterior part slightly tapering towards rounded apex; in ventral view, anterior part sharply narrowing apically. Phallus without processes, more or less uniformly curved ventrally along its length, with strongly undulating ventral margin; basal half about equally wide, posterior half nearly 3x wider than anterior half; in ventral view, anterior half about as wide as in lateral view; posterior half about 3x broader than anterior part.

Holotype male: LAOS PDR: Luang Namtha Prov.: Nam Ha NBCA, Lakkhammai Village, Niam Leung stream, light trap, loc. 29, 21.152°N, 101.355°E [UTM 47Q 0744602, 2339873], el. 749 m, 30.iv.2005, Jönsson, Malm, Viklund ( NRM, alcohol) . Paratypes: same data as for holotype — 1 male, 1 female .

Etymology. laoensis , named after the type locality Laos PDR.

Figures

FIGURES 2–4. Distal part of forewings of the new Helicopsyche species. 2 — H. laoensis, new species; 3 — H. vongsombathi, new species; 4 — H. pathoumthongi, new species.

FIGURES 5–12. Helicopsyche laoensis, new species, holotype. 5 — right wings; 6 — abdominal sternite VI, lateral view; 7 — process on abdominal sternite VI, ventral view; 8 — genitalia, lateral view; 9 — genitalia, dorsal view; 10 — genitalia, ventral view; 11 — phallus, lateral view; 12 — phallus, ventral view.