Plectrocnemia cryptoparamere Morse, Zhong & Yang

Morse, John C., Zhong, Hua & Yang, Lian-fang, 2012, New species of Plectrocnemia and Nyctiophylax (Trichoptera, Polycentropodidae) from China, ZooKeys 169, pp. 39-59 : 42-43

Plectrocnemia cryptoparamere Morse, Zhong & Yang sp. n. Fig. 3

Plectrocnemia cryptoparamere Li 1998: 67-68, figs 3.52-3.55, nomen nudum.

Type material.

Holotype male, PRC, Hu-bei Province, Ma-cheng County, Tong-jian-chong River, 27 km N. of Ma-cheng, 31.10°N, 115.01°E, 12-vii-1990, 150 m elevation, collected by JC Morse & Yang Lian-fang; deposited in NAU.

Paratypes.

PRC, Hu-bei Province: same data as holotype, 10 males, deposited in NAU (6 males) and CUAC (4 males).

PRC, Jiang-xi Province: Mt. Wu-yi National Nature Preserve, Unnamed tributary of Tong-Mu River, 18 km upstream of Mt. Wu-Yi Station, 27.8275°N, 117.74356°E, 1450 m elevation, 02-vi-2005, Coll. Sun Chang-hai, 1 male (NAU).

PRC, Guang-dong Province: Zhao-qing City, Ding-hu District, Mt. Ding-hu Forest Ecosystem Research Station, Academia Sinica, Dong Gou at Shui-lian-dong-tian waterfall, 23.1604°N, 112.5250°E, 170 m elevation, 24-v-2004, Coll. CJ Geraci, JC Morse, Sun Chang-hai, 3 males (NAU).

Diagnosis.

The male genitalia of this species are similar to those of Plectrocnemia plicata Schmid, 1959 and Plectrocnemia wui (Ulmer, 1932) in the shape of the posterolateral margins of sternum IX with a conspicuous division at its middle on each side in lateral view, inferior appendages broad and truncate in lateral view, and preanal appendages each with a long, needle-like mesoventral process. However, the new species has acute posterior dorsolateral margins on sternum IX (these margins are blunt and rectilinear in the other 2 species), narrow and parallel-sided preanal appendages in lateral view (oval in the other 2 species), the ventromesal process of each inferior appendage is triangular in ventral view and broadly connected basally with the body of the appendage (digitate and deeply separated from the body of the appendage in the other 2 species), and it lacks parameres on the phallus (parameres are present in the other 2 species).

Description of adult male.

Head brown with antennae and palpi pale yellow, pronotum light brown, meso- and metanota brown with yellowish warts, forewings light brown. Length of body with folded wings: 6.8 - 7.2 mm. (n = 5).

Male genitalia. Tergum IX fused with tergum X; upper lobes of tergum X semi-membranous, lower lobes of tergum X sclerotized, both upper and lower lobes divided apicomesally, each lobe with rounded apex (Figs 3A, 3C). In lateral view (Fig. 3A), sternum IX narrowed subdorsally, its anterior margins broadly protruding cephalad at middle, posterior margins sinuate, with posterior dorsolateral corners produced in acute, triangular process on each side; anteromesal and posteromesal margins concave, lower posterolateral margins broadly convex (Fig. 3B). Intermediate appendages not well developed, represented only as thickened lateral margins of tergum X, slightly broader at base, narrowing to acute apex. Preanal appendages slightly shorter than tergum X, each broader at base, narrower and straight from basal 1/3rd to rounded apex (Figs 3A, 3C); mesoventral process of each preanal appendage recurved anterad then posterad, needle-like, wrinkled distally, guided by semi-membranous string across genitalia chamber between bases of inferior appendages, this string represented in other species by sclerotized subphallic sclerite. Inferior appendages compressed (flattened from side to side), subquadrate, about as long as tall, with distal margin broad and truncate in lateral view (Fig. 3A), distinctive mesal plate forming short vertical ridge with 2-3 short apicodorsal setae in lateral view (3A); in ventral view (Fig. 3B) ventromesal processes of inferior appendages each triangular with blunt apex covered with tiny teeth; basal digitate process of each inferior appendage mesal plate slender and simple, conspicuously extending beyond mesal plate. Phallus broad at base, more slender and tapered distally, without parameres, with pair of slender phallic sclerites (possibly elongated phallotremal sclerite) visible in ventral and lateral views (Figs 3D, 3E).

Female and immature stages.

Unknown.

Etymology.

Crypt, Greek adjective, “hidden,” referring to the absence of phallic parameres.

Distribution.

Oriental Biogeographic Region, China (Hu-bei, Jiang-xi, Guang-dong).