Mortoniella (Mortoniella) leei ( Flint, 1974 )

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 : 49-50

Mortoniella (Mortoniella) leei ( Flint, 1974)

Fig. 31

Mexitrichia leei Flint : 1974; Flint 1991: 21 [distribution].

Mortoniella leei (Flint) : Blahnik and Holzenthal 2008 [member of the leroda species group].

Mortoniella leei is perhaps most similar overall to M. atenuata Flint , differing most distinctly in the shape of its paramere appendages. In its original description, it was differentiated from M. atenuata by having a short curved, unbranched, paramere appendage. However, in material examined (which did not include the holotype) the appendage seems to be consistently branched, with the ventral branch very narrow and hyaline or very lightly sclerotized (and thus easily overlooked). The shape and length of this ventral branch varies, and it is possible that it is absent in some specimens. The short, thick, curved, dorsal branch is distinctive for this species. The inferior appendages are more elongate than in M. brevis , n. sp., but the apices of the appendages are only lightly sclerotized, and thus may not be readily noticed. This is in contrast to the distinctly sclerotized apices of the inferior appendages in M. atenuata and M. dinotes , n. sp. The characteristic difference in the structure of the paramere appendage is diagnostic, and generally evident even in uncleared specimens.

Adult —Length of forewing: male 2.9-3.4 mm, female 3.4-3.8 mm. Forewing with forks I, II, and III present, hind wing with fork II only. Spur formula 0:4:4. Overall color medium brown. Tibial spurs somewhat darker than legs, not strongly contrasting in color. Wing bar absent in male, forewing sometimes marked with whitish setae at arculus in female. Male with both surfaces of fore- and hind wings densely covered with short prostrate scale-like setae; female with unmodified setation.

Male genitalia —Ventral process of segment VI laterally compressed, short, ventrally projecting, truncately rounded apically, length slightly greater than width at base, process slightly retracted anterobasally. Tergum VIII relatively wide (nearly as wide as previous segment), subtending ventral margin of segment IX, anterior margin of tergum with evident apodeme, posterior margin densely setose; membranous connection to tergum IX elongate, ballooned when expanded, surface slightly textured. Segment IX nearly evenly rounded anterolaterally, length greatest midlaterally, posterolateral margin very slightly projecting, narrowing ventrally; segment deeply mesally excised dorsally and ventrally, forming lateral lobes, separated dorsomesally by much less than ½ width of segment. Tergum X short and strongly sclerotized, with deep U-shaped mesal excision, extending more than ½ length of segment; mesally with short sclerotized, apically rounded, ventral projection, apparently articulating with dorsal phallic spine. Inferior appendages with setose, apically rounded, dorsolateral lobes and elongate, narrow, tapering, lightly sclerotized, ventral lobes. Mesal pockets of inferior appendage with apical processes short, dorsally curved. Paramere appendages short, forked near base, forming 2 apically acute projections, ventral projection longer than dorsal one, very narrow and lightly sclerotized (easily overlooked), dorsal projection short, ventrally curved, and strongly sclerotized; fused basal segments of paramere articulating with dorsal phallic spine before sinuous middle flexure. Phallobase with rounded, laterally compressed, dorsomesal apodeme. Dorsal phallic spine, as viewed laterally, more or less uniform in width, broadly S-shaped over its length, apex acutely narrowed and upturned; in dorsal view, nearly uniform in width throughout length. Phallicata very short, with short sclerotized dorsal projection and very short rounded ventral lobe. Endophallic membrane short, with prominent pair of strongly sclerotized, spine-like, sclerites on basodorsal margin (possibly phallotremal sclerites), and very small mesal spine distal to basal sclerites; ventrally with short curved, lightly sclerotized, ventromesal spine.

Material examined — COLOMBIA: Antioquia: Río Claro , 5.59000° N, 75.86720° W, 3.v.1984, U Matthias – 1 male (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; Chocó: Río Atrato, Yuto , 18.ii.1983, OS Flint, Jr – 2 males, 1 female (pinned), 13 males, 2 females (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; Valle de Cauca: Río Raposo , - iii.1965, 3.8933 °N, 77.0697° W, VH Lee – 40 males, 10 females (Paratypes-alcohol) ( NMNH) ; ECUADOR: Cotopaxi: Latacunga , 133 km W, 1080 m, 2.vii.1975, Langley and Cohen – 28 males, 1 female (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; Quevedo (36 km NE), 21.vii. 1976, 335 m, J Cohen – 3 males, 5 females (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; El Oro: 9 mi S Santa Rosa , 3.45000° S, 79.96667° W, 23.i.1955, EI Schlinger and ES Ross, 23.i.1955 – 8 males, 24 females (alcohol) ( CAS) ; Canton de Arenillas, Las Lajas , 600 m, 30.v.1979, JJ Anderson – 1 male (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; Pasaje (6 km E), 13.i.1978, PJ Spangler and J Anderson – 2 males, 1 female (pinned), 7 males, 5 females (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; Loja: Río Puyango , 300 m, 17-18.viii.1977, LE Peña G – 32 males, 15 females (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; Los Rios: Quevedo (56 km N), Río Palenque Biological Station , 1.03306° S, 79.45000° W, 250 m, 28-29.vii.1976, J Cohen – 93 males, 1 female (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; Quevedo (11 km S), 3.vii.1975, Langley and Cohen – 1 male, 2 females (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; Manabi: Santo Domingo (29 km SW), Rancho Ronald , 20.vii.1976, JJ Anderson – 1 male (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; Pichincha: Santo Domingo (47 km S), Río Palenque Biol. Station , 750 m, 29.vii.1976, J Cohen – 254 males (alcohol) ( NMNH) ; Tungurahua: Yanayacu , 300 m, 29-30.viii.1977, LE Peña G – 3 males (alcohol) ( NMNH) .

Distribution — Colombia, Ecuador.

— bolivica subgroup

Included species: Mortoniella bolivica (Schmid) ; M. flexuosa , n. sp.; and M. spatulata , n. sp.

Only three closely related species are included in this subgroup. The species have retained fork III in the hind wing and have inferior appendages with an elongate and more or less recurved dorsal process, both probably plesiomorphic characters. They also lack basodorsal processes on the phallicata. Paired ventrolateral spines are present on the endophallic membrane, but a ventromesal spine is absent. It seems likely that these are alternate character states representing the same character development. The species have a general similarity to members of the punensis subgroup in having a dorsal phallic spine that is somewhat expanded and compressed (dorsoventrally flattened) apically and in the form of tergum X, which has the apical lobes separated by a nearly horizontal mesal invagination. The shape of the ventral process of segment VI, which is short, but posteriorly directed, is also similar. Among species in the leroda group, only M. guyanensis , n. sp., in the limona subgroup, has similarly shaped inferior appendages; reasons for assigning M. guyanensis to the limona subgroup are given in the discussion of that subgroup. It is easily distinguished from species in the bolivica subgroup by the presence of small apical spines on the dorsal phallic spine.

Figures

Figure 31. Mortoniella (Mortoniella) leei (Flint), male genitalia. A—lateral; B—segment IX and tergum X, dorsal; C—phallic ensemble, ventral; D—dorsal phallic spine and right paramere, dorsal; E—ventral process of segment VI, lateral.