Rhyacophila tibetana, (Martynov, 1930)

Lakhwinder, K. & Malkiat, S. Saini, 2015, A New Species Of The Genus Himalopsyche (Trichoptera, Rhyacophilidae), With Keys To And Catalogue Of Indian Species, Vestnik Zoologii 49 (1), pp. 3-12 : 5

H. tibetana ( Martynov, 1930) (fig. 3–5)

M a t e r i a l. 1 ♀. INDIA: Sikkim, Lachen , 3200 m, 24.05.2011, collectors Parey and Pandher; deposited in PUPM .

F e m a l e. Head with antennae 23 mm long. Forewings 28 mm Body brown and wings pale yellow with dark brown patches.

F e m a l e a b d o m e n. Segment VIII in lateral view with dorsal margin slightly concave, ventral margin with very slight subapical constriction,and with sinuous fingerlike apicoventral lobes; in ventral view triangular and with pair of fingerlike apicoventral lobes blunt apically. Segment IX triangular in lateral view; lateral apodemes extending anteriorly to basal 1/3rd of segment VIII. Vaginal apparatus in ventral view with slight indentation apically.

R e m a r k s. The female is similar to H. tibetana ( Martynov, 1930) , from which it is distinguished by the apex of segment VIII which in ventral view is completely divided into lobes, but which in H. tibetana is divided only up to the middle of the lobes; the vaginal apparatus has an indentation at its apex whereas the apex is complete and without any indentation in H. tibetana . Because of lack of sufficient material and the differences given above we hesitate to describe this as a new species on the basis of this female specimen, and prefer to take it as a variant of H. tibetana .