Phraepsyche acuminata, Yang & Hu & Morse, 2020

Yang, Lian-Fang, Hu, Ben-Jin & Morse, John C., 2020, Interesting new Chinese species of Leptoceridae and Odontoceridae (Insecta: Trichoptera) from several recent collecting efforts, Zootaxa 4732 (1), pp. 138-160 : 155-157

Phraepsyche acuminata , n. sp. Yang & Morse

( Fig. 10 )

So far Phraepsyche consists of only 4 species from Southeast Asia, Phraepsyche danaos Malicky & Sompong 2000 (in Malicky et al. 2000) from Thailand, Ph. epha Malicky 2008 and Ph. pectinata Oláh & Johanson 2010 from Vietnam, and Ph. yitungshana Oláh & Johanson 2010 from Hong Kong, China. The diagnostic characters for this genus have been given by Oláh & Johanson 2010.

Diagnosis. This species is most similar to Ph. epha from Vietnam in the wing venation, the distribution of the hair belt on the forewings, the wing fold pattern of the hind wings, and the similar general shape of male genitalia. The new species is distinguished from Ph. epha in the following characters: 1) the longitudinal hair belt on each forewing extends from the wing base (base of Cu), crosses over the anastomosis, then bends upward between R5 and the MA area to a blunt wing tip (in Ph. epha the longitudinal hair belt on each forewing is distributed only from the anastomosis to an acute wing tip); 2) the anal margins of the hind wings are sinuate and bear long marginal hairs and a row of dark, robust setae directed upward (in Ph. epha , anal margins of hind wings are not sinuate and without the additional row of dark, robust setae); 3) inferior appendages of the male genitalia have harpagones that are slender and smooth, goat-horn-like, each with its distal 1/3 sharpened to an acute apex and turned downward and mesad, (in Ph. epha , harpagones are thick and bearing many tiny setae, each evenly tapered and straight to blunt apex); and 4) the phallicata is about 2/5 as long as the phallobase and separated from it by a dorsal indentation and a ventral constriction in lateral view (dorsal and ventral margins parallel in Ph. epha ).

Adult. Length of each male forewing 6.2–8.2 mm (n = 3). Specimens in alcohol for more than 10 years generally yellowish brown. Head, maxillary palps each 5-segmented, first to third segments fringed with short setae, fourth and fifth segments almost bare and equal in length (10E). Scape of each antenna almost as long as head, with anterior surface concave, densely filled with hairs ( Fig. 10I ); pectination on flagellum from first to twelfth segments, first pectinal branch very short, only 1/2 as long as any others, all other branches subequally long. Wings translucent yellowish brown, venation of fore- and hind wings somewhat similar to that of Ph. epha , with Forks I, II, and V in forewings and Fork V in hind wings, but longitudinal hair belt on each forewing from wing base to wing tip distinctive, densely bearing fine hairs and scale hairs from base of Cu to anastomosis, then bending upward between R5 and MA area to blunt wing tip, membrane of belt area concave below wing surface and with paler color than rest of wing ( Fig. 10F ). Hair belt on each hind wing between stems of R and M in basal half then at anatamosis crossing membrane at base of cell R5 to fill cell R3 between apparent R2+3 and R4+5; in addition two wing folds located anterior of stem of M and anterior of basal half of Cu2; anal margin sinuate, fringed with ordinary marginal hairs and distinctive row of dark robust setae directed upward ( Fig. 10H ). Long, digitate projection arising from posterior margin of abdominal sternum VI, densely covered with short, fine setae, with its apex reaching posterior margin of sternum VII ( Fig. 10G ).

Male genitalia. In lateral view ( Fig. 10A ), greatest longitudinal length of segment IX 1/3 height, its anterior margins protruding forward in 80° angle at 1/4 distance from ventral margin. Distal half of tergum X, in dorsal view, forming pair of triangular lobes, each with 4–5 stout setae on outer margin and with its medial margins parallel to each other; in addition, setose medial hump present mesally at bases of triangular lobes ( Fig. 10B ) prominent in lateral view ( Figs. 10A, 10 B-a). Preanal appendages as long as segment IX with rounded apices in lateral view. Inferior appendages with coxopodite stout, erect, with distal half slightly curved backward ( Fig. 10A ), length between base of appendage and subapical lobe about 3 times its width in ventral view and subapicodorsal lobe curving mesad, about half as broad as mean width of coxopodite ( Fig. 10C ). Harpagones long, goat-horn-like, stout in basal 1/4 with distal 1/3 sharp and turned downward and mesad ( Figs. 10 A–10C), each arising from distal 1/3 of appendage in ventral view ( Fig. 10C ). Phallus about as long as inferior appendages, tubular phallobase nearly straight, phallicata appearing as continuation of sclerotized phallobase, about 2/5 length of phallobase and separated from it by dorsal indentation and ventral constriction, then narrowing to blunt triangular apex in lateral view ( Fig. 10D ); in ventral view, phallicata widely opened with endotheca visible ( Fig. 10 Da); ejaculatory duct with conspicuous twist at 1/2 length of phallus; phallotremal sclerite appearing as circular ring in lateral and ventral views ( Figs. 10D, 10 D-a).

Holotype male. PR CHINA: Guang-xi Province : Tian-lin County, Cen-wang-lao-shan Provincial Forest Preserve , Yang-cun He , tributary of Bu-liu He , trailhead at An-jia-ping, County Road 794 marker 43.2 km, ~ 2.5 km

trail, elev. 1155 m, 09 June 2004, Coll. Zhou, Kjer; CN 04060902. Paratypes. PR CHINA: Guang-xi Province : Long-lin County Jin-zhong-shan Provincial Forest Preserve Duo-gui Gou , ~ 1.5 km N of Xi-she village N24.58245, E104.91415, elev. 1145 m, 11 Jun 2004, Coll. Morse, Sun; CN04061102 ; 1 male . Guang-dong Province : Longmeng County Nan-kun Shan Provincial Nature Preserve Tian Tang Ding He N23.64370, E113.84729, elev. 542 m 16 May 2004 Coll. Morse, Yang, Tong, Zhou, Sun, Geraci; CN04051602 ; 1 male .

Etymology: Latin, acuminata , adjective, meaning “gradually pointed or sharpened,” referring to the goat-hornlike harpago of each inferior appendage with distal 1/3 sharpened to acute apex.

Distribution: Oriental Region, southern China (Guang-dong and Guang-xi).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Phraepsyche acuminata Yang & Morse,, male. 10A–10D, genitalia: 10A, left lateral; 10B, right side and mesal portion, dorsal; 10B-a, apex of tergum X, left lateral; 10C, left inferior appendage, caudoventral; 10D, phallus, left lateral; 10D- a, phallus and apical triangular lobes of tergum X, ventral. 10E, Left maxillary palp, left lateral. 10F, Right forewing, dorsal. 10G, Sternum VI, left lateral. 10H, Right hind wing, dorsal. 10I, Left antennal scape, left lateral.