Wormaldia sumaco, Holzenthal & Blahnik & Ríos-Touma, 2022

Holzenthal, Ralph W., Blahnik, Roger J. & Rios-Touma, Blanca, 2022, A new genus and new species of Ecuadorian Philopotamidae (Trichoptera), ZooKeys 1117, pp. 95-122 : 95

Wormaldia sumaco sp. nov.

Figs 15 , 16

Type material.

Holotype. Male (pinned). Ecuador: Napo: Wildsumaco Lodge, small stream, Coati Trail @ wooden bridge, 0.67433°S, 77.60260°W, 1420 m a.s.l., 10.iii.2020, Ríos, Holzenthal, Frandsen, Pauls, Amigo, UMSP000500644 (UMSP).

Diagnosis.

Among Neotropical species of Wormaldia , this species is unusual in several respects and more closely resembles several North American species ( Muñoz-Quesada and Holzenthal 2008) than others from the Neotropical region ( Muñoz-Quesada and Holzenthal 2015). Particularly unusual is the well-developed ventral projection from sternum VII (Fig. 15A, B ), along with the relatively simple tergum X (Fig. 15A, C ), absence of dorsal modifications on tergum VIII, and the rather simple, digitate preanal appendages (Fig. 15A, B ). The phallus lacks the pair of spines typical of Neotropical species and instead has a tract of granular short spines (Fig. 15D ), more typical of some North American species. Additionally, the phallus is less membranous and tapered apically than most Neotropical Wormaldia , more resembling that of other philopotamid genera (e.g., Chimarra ). Finally, the species lacks R2 in the hind wing and thus fork I (Fig. 16B ). In this respect it resembles W. gabriella (Banks, 1930), W. lacerna Denning, 1958, W. shawnee (Ross, 1938), and W. strota (Ross, 1938) in the North American fauna, which also lack the fork I in the forewing.

Description.

Adult. Forewing length male 5.2 mm (n = 1). Head brown, with yellowish setae. Antenna with underlying color yellowish, overlaid with dark brown, somewhat flattened setae, giving antennae an overall dark, but somewhat annulated appearance. Maxillary palps yellowish, with light brown setae. Labial palps yellowish, with light brown setae. Dorsum of thorax brown. Legs medium brown, spurs slightly darker; hind tibiae with rather dense brush of long setae. Forewing with medium brown setae for the most part, except base, apical third, and small spot at base of thyridial cell darker; apical forks I, II, III, IV, and V present. Hind wing translucent, with very few fine, small, brown setae; apical forks II, III, and V present.

Male. Sternum VII with flattened, digitate, setose, posteromesal process projecting beyond middle of segment VIII; as viewed ventrally, with process subtriangular, wide basally, subacute apically, set off from segment VII by sclerotized line. Segment VIII moderate in length, both sternum and tergum unmodified. Segment IX lightly sclerotized, with evident sclerotized lines anteriorly and posteriorly, lines connected mid-laterally, converging ventrally; as viewed laterally, segment relatively short, with both anterior and posterior margins moderately, angularly projecting at ca. mid-height. Segment X, in dorsal view, simple in structure, subtriangular, wide basally, narrowed apically, apex rounded, slightly upturned, with numerous sensilla. Preanal appendage elongate, digitate; as viewed dorsally, widely separated, emerging at lateral margins of tergum X, not fused basally. Inferior appendage bi-segmented, segments subequal in length; when viewed laterally, basal segment stout, subrectangular, distinctly wider than apical segment, apical segment nearly uniform in width, slightly expanded and rounded apically; as viewed ventrally, with basal segment bulbous, apical segment much narrower and flatter, with dense patch of short spine-like setae apically, extending basally on ventral margin. Phallus, when viewed laterally, with basodorsal expansion, phallobase relatively short, uniform in width, endotheca with indistinct patch of short, granular spines.

Female. Unknown.

Etymology.

Named for Volcán Sumaco, an isolated stratovolcano in the Ecuadorian Amazon, where this species was discovered.

Habitat notes.

Sumacodella elongata , Wormaldia natalis , and Wormaldia sumaco share the same type locality. Small permanent forest streams, similar to the type locality of these species, are common on the mid-elevation slopes of Volcán Sumaco. Leaflitter is abundant and waters are clear with very low conductivity (20-55 µS /cm), highly oxygen saturated (close to 100%), and warm (17-20 °C).

Figures

Figure 15. Wormaldia sumaco sp. nov. Male genitalia A segments VII-X, lateral B segments VII-IX, inferior appendage, ventral C segments VIII-X, dorsal (segment VIII offset for clarity) D phallus, lateral.

Figure 16. Wormaldia sumaco sp. nov. Male wings A forewing B hind wing.