Polyplectropus bamboosa, Cartwright & Dostine, 2022

Cartwright, David I. & Dostine, Peter, 2022, Five new species and new records of caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera) from Australia’s ‘ Top End’, Zootaxa 5138 (3), pp. 283-304 : 291

Polyplectropus bamboosa sp. nov.

Figures 13–15

Type material. Holotype male (specimen CT-819 figured). Northern Territory, Bamboo Ck , 26 May 2019, P. Dostine ( MVM, T-22581 ).

Diagnosis. The male of Polyplectropus bamboosa sp. nov. appears most similar to the male of P. chapmani Kumanski 1979 from New Guinea but differs in that the inferior appendages in ventral view appear more nearly truncate posteriorly with an acute apicomesal angle.

Description, male. Spur formula: 3:4:4. Wings ( Fig. 13 ) similar to those of P. berryensis sp. nov. Length of each forewing 4.2 mm. Head, body, and wings light brown. Wing venation: each forewing with forks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 present; fork 1 short, fork 2 sessile with its length about 1.6 times length of fork 3; fork 3 with short footstalk, fork 4 slightly shorter than fork 3, fork 5 about 1.6 times length of fork 4. Hind wings each with forks 2 and 5 present; fork 2 sessile, fork 5 about 1.2 times length of fork 2.

Male. Posterior margin of sternum IX with slight angular extension near mid-height in lateral view ( Fig. 14 ). Fused terga IX+X membranous ( Figs 14, 15 ). Intermediate appendages laterally compressed, in lateral view irregularly subovate, approximately 1.8 times as long as maximum width, broadest near middle, tapered slightly in posterior 1/3, with rounded apex ( Fig. 14 , int. app.), in ventral view apices appearing acute ( Fig. 15 ). Inferior appendages robust, dorso-ventrally depressed but curved and flanged basolaterally ( Figs 14, 15 , inf. app.); in lateral view appearing irregularly rectangular, broadest near middle, tapered slightly posteriorly, with distal ends shorter than distal ends of intermediate appendages ( Fig. 14 ); in ventral view, each appendage semi-circular, rounded laterally, narrowly separated in distal third, exised in basal half mesally ( Fig. 15 ). Phallus tubelike, with slightly expanded phallobase ( Fig. 14 ).

Female. Unknown.

Etymology. Bamboosa —named after the type locality (Bamboo Creek).

Remarks. Only the holotype male of Polyplectropus bamboosa is known. It has been collected from the type locality in the Litchfield N.P. area of the Top End of the NT (latitude 13.06°S).

Figures

FIGURES 13–17. Polyplectropus spp. n. 13–15. Polyplectropus bamboosa sp. nov.: 13, apices of right fore- and hind wings, dorsal. 14–15, male genitalia: 14, left lateral; 15, ventral. 16–17. Polyplectropus berryensis sp. nov.: 16–17, male genitalia: 16, left lateral; 17, ventral.Abbreviations: F1 = fork 1; F2 = fork 2; F3 = fork 3; F4 = fork 4; F5 = fork 5; inf. app. = inferior appendage (paired); int. app. = intermediate appendage (paired); st. IX = sternite IX.