Atopsyche (Atopsaura) muelleri Gomes & Calor

Gomes, Victor & Calor, Adolfo Ricardo, 2016, Taxonomy of Atopsyche Banks (Trichoptera: Hydrobiosidae) from Brazil: New species, distributional notes and identification key, Zootaxa 4139 (1), pp. 51-75 : 70-72

Atopsyche (Atopsaura) muelleri Gomes & Calor , new species

Figures 5 A–G

Diagnosis. This new species belongs to Atopsyche (Atopsaura) longipennis Group according to the shape of the plate of the apicomesal margin of the first article of each inferior appendage which doubles the second article. Atopsyche muelleri new species is similar to A. serica and A. huanapu in the broad segment IX, the general shape of the parapods, in short filipods, and in the concave mesal face of the second article of each inferior appendage. Moreover, it resembles A. siolii in the two apical projections of the phallotheca, but the species can be recognized by the concave mesal face of the second article of each inferior article and by the bilobed apex of the phallotheca.

Description. Length of each forewing 6,09–6.75 mm (n = 6) ( Fig. 5 A). Overall body color yellow to light brown. Frons and vertex of head with stout, erect brown and light yellow setae. Antennal scapes brown with brown setae, pedicels light brown; basal flagellomeres yellow, apical flagellomeres brown. Maxillary palps absent (broken), setae of labial palps yellow and brown. Thorax with light yellowish and stout brown setae. Legs yellowish brown, coxae of all legs and foreleg tibiae darker brown, mid- and hind leg tibiae with light yellow setae. Forewings brown, erect setae of veins forming irregular pattern of alternating dark brown and yellow setae ( Fig. 5 A). Tergum II bearing pair of prominent glands at posterolateral margins; tergum III with pair of prominent glands at posterolateral margins. Sternum V with pair of small, convexly rounded glands, sterna VI and VII each with prominent spine-like ventral process on posteromesal margin; process on VI long, slender, curved with short spinelike setae along ventral margin and terminating with longer, spine-like setae.

Male genitalia. Segment IX long laterally. Proctiger, in lateral view, broadly widened apically, with angulated apical margin, covered with minute setae. Parapods narrow, relatively simple, in lateral view rounded apicoventrally, each with acute, setose and upturned apicodorsal projection ( Fig. 5 C); in dorsal view, parapods with relatively uniform width ( Fig. 5 D). Preanal appendages small, rounded and setose. Filipods short, slender, without setae, slightly longer than preanal appendages. Inferior appendages each with first article long, three times as long as wide, slightly narrower at base, with subtriangular apicomesal projection; second article broad mesally and narrowed at tip ( Fig. 5 C), concave on mesal face ( Fig. 5 G). Phallic apparatus relatively simple; phallotheca in lateral view with beaks elongate and forked apically in lateral view; ventral lobe short and rounded ( Fig. 5 E). Phallotheca in dorsal view with beaks slightly sinuous and broadened subapically, apically pointed with apices directed mesad ( Fig. 5 F).

Female and immatures. unknown.

Holotype male. BRAZIL: Goiás, Chapada dos Veadeiros, Ribeirão Água Fria, 16.xii.2006, Bispo, P., Yokoyama, E. & Paciencia, G. (alcohol, MZSP).

Paratypes. BRAZIL: Goiás, same as holotype except Ribeirão Raizama, 10.xii.2006, light, Bispo, P., Yokoyama, E. & Paciencia, G., 2 males (alcohol, MZSP), 3 males (alcohol, UFBA).

Distribution. Brazil (Goiás).

Etymology. This new species is named in honor of Fritz Müller, the “prince of observers,” according to Charles Darwin. The naturalist Fritz Müller was a pioneer in studies of Neotropical caddisflies (among other taxa) and an important collaborator and contributor to the argumentation for Darwin’s Evolution Theory, especially by means of Müller’s book “Für Darwin” (1864) and its translations.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Atopsyche (Atopsaura) muelleri Gomes & Calor, new species, male. 5 A, right forewing, dorsal; 5 B, right hind wing, dorsal; 5 C, genitalia, left lateral, phallic apparatus omitted; 5 D, left parapod and pre-anal appendage, dorsal; 5 E, phallic apparatus, left lateral; 5 F, phallic apparatus, dorsal; 5 G, left inferior appendage, ventral.