Wormaldia strota (Ross)

Muñoz-Quesada, Fernando J. & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2008, Revision of the Nearctic species of the caddisfly genus Wormaldia McLachlan (Trichoptera: Philopotamidae), Zootaxa 1838, pp. 1-75 : 59-61

Wormaldia strota (Ross)

Figures 115–119, 132

Wormaldia strota (Ross) 1938b: 118 , pl. 12, figs. 6, 6A, male, Oklahoma, USA (INHS) (as Dolophilus strotus ); Ross 1944: 292; Ross 1949: 155, 156 (transferred to Wormaldia ); Ross 1956: 61, 62, fig. 66 A; Denning 1956a: 79; Fischer 1961: 55; Fischer 1971: 197; Moulton & Steward 1996: 181, 183, figs. 509, 510; Armitage 1996: [work not paginated].

Ross (1949) placed this species within subgroup 3 of the W. moesta Group. However, he redefined that species group and transferred W. strota to the W. anilla Group ( Ross1956), which was maintained by Armitage (1996) (Table 1).

This species is related to Wormaldia shawnee ( Ross 1938a) , but can be recognized by the shapes of sternum VII, segments IX and X, and the inferior appendage, as detailed in the diagnosis of W. shawnee . Additionally, W shawnee and W. strota are similar to W. birneyi and W. pachita Denning (1956a) , however they can be separated by the shape of the basal segment of the inferior appendage, as mentioned in the diagnoses of W. birneyi and W. pachita .

Adult (in alcohol). Length of male forewing 4–5 mm (holotype: 4 mm). Head brown, with lighter setae. Antenna long, slender, yellowish, with small, lighter setae. Maxillary palps yellowish, with lighter setae. Labial palps yellowish, with lighter setae. Dorsum of thorax brown. Legs yellowish, with small, lighter setae. Forewing yellowish, covered with fine, small, brown setae, with apical forks II, III, IV, and V present ( Fig. 120). Hind wing translucent, with very few fine, small, brown setae, with apical forks II, III, and V present ( Fig. 121).

Male genitalia ( Figs. 115–119). Segment VII straight posteriorly without process mesally. Tergum VIII straight posteriorly; when viewed laterally, margins nearly straight. Sternum VIII straight posteriorly without process mesally. Segment IX, when viewed dorsally, concave anteriorly; when viewed laterally, broader and enlarged ventrally, straight anteriorly, concave posteriorly; when viewed ventrally, concave anteriorly, strongly projected convexly posteriorly with very tiny and very shallow concavity mesally. Segment X, when viewed dorsally, triangularly elongate, slightly concave laterally, slightly truncate apically; when viewed laterally, slightly triangular apically. Superior appendages digitate; when viewed dorsally, parallel with segment X, stout, elongate, rounded apically; when viewed laterally, slightly shorter than segment X, slightly pointed apically. Inferior appendages two segmented; when viewed laterally, basal segment stout, subrectangular, elongate, broader anteromedially, slightly convex dorso and ventrally, apical segment stout, rectangular, strongly tubularly elongate, longer (about 1.2 times) and narrower than basal segment, weakly concave dorsomedially, nearly straight ventrally, slightly widened and rounded posteriorly; when viewed dorsally, apical segment as in ventral view; when viewed ventrally, basal segments paired, united for about their anterior twofifths, separated posteromesally by a deep, narrow, deep, V-shaped emargination, each basal segment thick, widest posteromedially, with outer margin convexly curved anteromedially, apical segment, slender, tubularly elongate, inner margin concave medially, slightly widened and subovate posteriorly, with elongate and apicolateral patch of short, thin, black, spine-shaped setae. Phallus, when viewed laterally, pistol-shaped, widest basally, tapering from middle to apex, membranous apically, very lightly sclerotized, when viewed dorsally, with many visible, tiny, spine-shaped, internal sclerites ( Fig. 119), surrounded by highly convulated membranes.

Material examined. USA: Arkansas: Independence Co.: Piney Creek, ca. 5 mi [= 8 km] E of Pleasant Plains, 31.v.1986, 68 males, 57 females (in alcohol, INHS); Johnson Co. : Gee Creek , 1.5 mi [= 2.4 km] from Haw Creek Rec. Area , 22.v.1981, H.W. Robison, 2 males, 2 females (in alcohol, INHS); Perry Co. : Bear Creek , 2 mi [= 3.2 km] S. Hollis, 11.vi.1983, H.W. Robison, 1 male (in alcohol, INHS); Fourchela Fave R., 6.1 mi [= 11.3 km] S. Hollis, 11.vi.1983, H.W. Robison, 2 males, 2 females (in alcohol, INHS); Polke Co. : Board Camp Creek , ca. 1 mi [= 1.6 km] W of Board Camp, H. W. Robison, 21.v.1982, 2 males (in alcohol, INHS); Oklahoma: Holotype: Male, Le Flore Co. : Page, 23.vi.1937, Standish-Kaiser (in alcohol, INHS); Pushmataha Co. ; Cloudy Creek , nr. Cloudy, 4.v.1940, R. Weddle, 1 male (in alcohol, INHS); same except, 7– 8.v.1986, H.P. Brown, 9 males, 11 females (in alcohol, INHS).

Distribution. USA: AR, MO, OK.