Mortoniella (Mortoniella) tusci, Blahnik & Holzenthal, 2017

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 : 36-37

Mortoniella (Mortoniella) tusci , new species

Fig. 21 , 98 , 107

Among species in the flinti subgroup, this species is most readily diagnosed by the very elongate spines from the mesal pockets of the inferior appendages. The phallicata is also distinctive in having elongate microsetae from its ventral margin and a widened and extended dorsal margin with minute spines. Like M. tanyrhabdos , n. sp., it is black in color, without wing bars. In addition to the characters mentioned, it differs from this species in having much shorter paramere appendages and in having the apex of the dorsal phallic spine more narrowed apically, as viewed both laterally and dorsally.

Adult —Length of forewing: male 3.0- 3.4 mm; female 3.2-3.4 mm. Forewing with forks I, II, and III present, hind wing with forks II and V. Spur formula 0:3:4. Overall color dark brownish-black (fuscous). Mesotarsi whitish, except at very apex; antennae of female with indistinct whitish band or annulus, from about segments 4-6, males apparently without annulus. Tibial spurs slightly darker than legs, not strongly contrasting with legs. Forewing without wing bars.

Male genitalia —Ventral process of segment VI posteriorly projecting, prominent, narrow, length about 3½ times width at base. Tergum VIII narrow, subtending ventral margin of segment IX, membranous connection to tergum IX moderately elongate. Segment IX with anterolateral margin rounded and produced in ventral half, posterolateral margin with very slight rounded projection in dorsal half; segment deeply mesally excised dorsally and ventrally, forming lateral lobes, separated dorsomesally by less than ½ width of segment. Tergum X elongate, apex rounded, with slight mesal invagination, lateral margins subparallel, with paired longitudinal ridges extending from basolateral margins to past midlength, ridges somewhat converging posteriorly; tergum without apparent ventrolateral lobes, ventromesal lobes absent. Inferior appendages with short rounded dorsolateral lobes, each with fringing row of very elongate setae, and ventral projection, apparently fused to apical spine-like projections of mesal pockets of inferior appendages. Mesal pockets of inferior appendage with very elongate, posteriorly directed, spine-like (or tusk-like), apicoventral projections, projecting distinctly below ventral margin of phallicata. Paramere appendage moderately elongate, shorter than dorsal phallic spine, narrow, nearly uniform in width, ventrally curved, apex acute; fused basal segments of appendages articulating near base of dorsal phallic spine. Phallobase with evident rounded, laterally compressed, dorsomesal apodeme. Dorsal phallic spine, as viewed laterally, relatively narrow throughout, somewhat undulate in contour, but overall nearly straight, only weakly upturned at extreme apex, apex acute in both lateral and dorsal views; base of spine with short curved stalk and distinct rounded ventral deflection in basal 1/4; spine, as viewed dorsally, nearly uniformly narrow in width throughout length. Phallicata very elongate, with dorsal margin sclerotized and flattened, lateral margins forming projecting longitudinal ridges, with minute spines in basal part; phallicata laterally with small rounded projection, ventral margin strongly arched, with distinct microsetae in basal part; as viewed ventrally, with basal part subparallel, apically with small subangular lateral lobes. Endophallic membrane very reduced and simple in structure, without membranous lateral lobes; phallotremal spines absent.

Holotype male (pinned)— VENEZUELA: Merida: La Campana, 12 km SE Santo Domingo , 24.ii.1976, CM and OS Flint, Jr ( UMSP000157406 ) ( NMNH).

Paratypes — VENEZUELA: Merida: same data as Holotype – 3 males, 3 females (pinned) ( NMNH).

Etymology —This species is named M. tusci , from the Anglo-Saxon word tusk (or tusc), in reference to the elongate spines from the mesal pockets of the inferior appendages, which appear somewhat like an elephant’s tusk.

— foersteri subgroup

Included species: Mortoniella foersteri (Schmid) ; and M. longiterga , n. sp.

Mortoniella foersteri was considered a member of the bilineata subgroup by Sykora (1999), but is removed and treated separately here, largely because of its lack of a proximal white forewing band. The second species in this group, M. longiterga n. sp., is obviously closely related. Wing color in both species is a dark brownish-black or fuscous, somewhat darker than in members of the bilineata subgroup. Both species have the posterior margin of segment IX broadly rounded, as opposed to the distinctly angular margin in the M. bilineata and M. enchrysa subgroups. Like (most) members of both the bilineata and enchrysa subgroups, the ventral margin of the dorsal phallic spine is angular and articulates with a protuberance on the dorsal margin of the phallicata; the angular development in both M. foersteri and M. longiterga is notably exaggerated and very acute. Both species of this subgroup also have elongate paramere appendages and inferior appendages without a distinct ventromesal projection.

Figures

Figure 21. Mortoniella (Mortoniella) tusci, new species, 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.

Figures 97-99. Mortoniella (M.) species, wings. 97—Mortoniella roldani Flint [bilineata group, bilineata subgroup]. A—forewing; B—hind wing. 98—Mortoniella tusci, n. sp. [bilineata group, flinti subgroup]. A—forewing; B—hind wing. 99—Mortoniella cornuta n. sp. [unplaced to species group]. A—forewing; B—hind wing.

Figures 106-107. Mortoniella (M.), bilineata group, female genitalia.106—Mortoniella angulata Flint. A—lateral; B—dorsal. 107—Mortoniella tusci, n. sp. A—lateral; B—dorsal; C—ventral.