Mortoniella (Nanotrichia) aries ( Flint, 1963 )

Blahnik, Roger J. & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2017, Revision of the northern South American species of Mortoniella Ulmer 1906 (Trichoptera: Glossosomatidae: Protoptilinae) *, Insecta Mundi 2017 (602), pp. 1-251 : 97

Mortoniella (Nanotrichia) aries ( Flint, 1963)

Fig. 80

Mexitrichia aries Flint : 1963: 470.

Mortoniella aries (Flint) : Blahnik and Holzenthal 2008: 70 [member of ormina group].

This species is probably most similar to M. paucispina , n. sp., M. pacuara (Flint) , and M. zamora , n. sp., particularly in having a short dorsal phallic spine with sharply upturned apex and projecting lateral wing-like appendages. It can be distinguished from any of these species by the unusual and diagnostic pair of enlarged spiral endophallic spines.

Adult —Length of forewing: male ca. 2.0 mm. Forewing venation not evident (pharate adult). Spur formula 0:3:4. Overall color (in alcohol) yellowish-brown. Scale-like setae on wings of male not evident, probably absent.

Male genitalia —Ventral process of segment VI posteriorly projecting, narrow basally, length about 3½ times width at base. Segment IX with anterolateral margin rounded and distinctly produced in ventral ½, posterolateral margin nearly straight; segment deeply mesally excised dorsally and ventrally, forming lateral lobes, separated dorsomesally by less than ½ width of segment. Tergum X moderate in length, lateral margins subparallel; apex of tergum with deep Vshaped emargination, extending less than ½ length of tergum; apicolateral lobes not evident as such, formed by mesal invagination, apicolateral margin subtruncate; tergum, in lateral view, with weakly projecting ventrolateral lobes, more or less continuous with apicolateral margin. Inferior appendages hardly evident as such, strongly fused to phallic ensemble. Mesal pockets of inferior appendage with short, posterodorsally curved, spine-like, apicoventral projections. Paramere appendage short, narrow, nearly uniform in width, apex acute, extending about same length as apical inflection of dorsal phallic spine; Phallobase with short ventral rod-like projections, not flared apically. Dorsal phallic spine, as viewed laterally, short, strongly upturned in about apical 1/3, apex acute; as viewed dorsally, with distinct lateral wing-like appendages at about midlength. Phallicata very short and weakly sclerotized. Endophallic membrane with pair of prominent lateral, helically coiled, sclerites; phallotremal spines apparently absent.

Material examined — ECUADOR: Napo-Pastaza : Río Chingual, 8 mi E of El Pun, 8000 ft., 4.v.1958, RW Hodges –male Holotype (pharate adult, alcohol) ( USNM type # 66021) ( NMNH).

Distribution — Ecuador.

Figures

Figure 80. Mortoniella (Nanotrichia) aries (Flint), male genitalia. A—lateral; B—segment IX and tergum X, dorsal; C—phallic ensemble, ventral; D—dorsal phallic spine, dorsal; E—ventral process of segment VI, lateral.