Plectrocnemia praestans, McLachlan, 1884

Waringer, Johann & Coppa, Gennaro, 2021, Identification and morphology of two polycentropodid caddisfly larvae from the Cevennes and the French and Italian Alps: Plectrocnemia cevennensis Coppa 2011 and Plectrocnemia praestans McLachlan 1884, Zootaxa 4985 (2), pp. 269-276 : 273

Description of the 5th-instar larva of Plectrocnemia praestans

Biometry. Body length of 5th-instar larva 18.7–19.5 mm, head width 2.05–2.54 mm (n = 3). All morphological characters identical to those of P. cevennensis except as noted below.

Head. Head capsule yellowish, with light brown areas around muscle attachment spots on frontoclypeal apotome and parietalia ( Fig. 9 ); in addition, center of ventral head surface with large light-brown patch ( Fig.10 ). Labrum with distinct posterior mark ( Fig. 9 , arrow).

Abdomen. Paired trio of posterolateral setae on each side of abdominal tergum IX with outermost secondary seta ( Fig. 11 o ) at least twice as long as median secondary seta ( Fig. 11 i ). Sternal setae on last abdominal segment (total of primary + secondary setae) 24–32 ( Fig. 12 ).

Figures

FIGURES 5–10. Plectrocnemia spp., 5th-instar larvae. Figures 5–8, Plectrocnemia cevennensis Coppa 2011: 5, detail of last abdominal tergum, posterior view of left posterolateral section, paired trio of posterolateral setae (i = median secondary seta, o = outermost secondary seta; p = primary seta); 6, abdominal sternum IX, left ventrolateral (p = primary sternal setae; dotted oval = sternal setae); 7, distal apex of left anal proleg (dotted oval = X-figure); 8, right anal proleg, median (a = obtuse-angled anal claw; sc = sclerotized distal proleg section; so = soft basal proleg section). Figures 9–10, Plectrocnemia praestans McLachlan 1884. 9, head, dorsal (arrow = posterior dark mark on labrum); 10, head, pro- and mesothorax, right lateral. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (except Figs. 5, 7: 0.1 mm).

FIGURES 11–13. Plectrocnemia spp., 5th-instar larvae. Figures 11–12, Plectrocnemia praestans McLachlan 1884: 11, detail of last abdominal tergum, posterior view of right posterolateral section, paired trio of posterolateral setae (i = median secondary seta, o = outermost secondary seta, p = primary seta); 12, abdominal sternum IX, ventral (p = primary sternal setae). Figure 13, Plectrocnemia scruposa McLachlan 1880, last abdominal sternum, left ventral (dotted oval = sternal setae). Scale bars: 0.5 mm (except Fig. 11: 0.1 mm).