Wellsomina furca, Cartwright, David I., 2010

Cartwright, David I., 2010, Descriptions of 2 new genera and 13 new species of caddisflies from Australia (Trichoptera: Ecnomidae), Zootaxa 2415, pp. 1-21 : 13-14

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.194387
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6202158
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/AA598020-1861-FF9A-9DE8-3EAEFD6E1BA6
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Wellsomina furca
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Wellsomina furca sp. nov.

Figs 27–29 View FIGURES 27 – 35 , 48 View FIGURES 45 – 53

Diagnosis. Wellsomina furca is most similar to W. saeta , with the males of both having fused inferior appendages with prominent shoulders, but W. furca lacks the superior appendages with long apical setae.

Description. Head, body and wings fawn, abdomen paler ventrally; wings similar to those of W. stuarti ( Fig. 7 View FIGURES 7 – 11 ), length of forewing: male 2.6–2.7 mm, female 2.9 mm. Wing venation: forewing length about 3.7 times width, each with forks 2, 3, 4 and 5 present; fork 2 relatively short, fork 2 footstalk relatively long, length about 2.0–2.2 times length of cross-vein r -m, length of fork 2 about 1.5–2.2 times length of fork 3; fork 3 very short, length of fork 3 about 0.5–1.0 times length of footstalk, footstalk fork 3 very long, length about 3.6–4.8 times length of cross-vein m. Hind wing length about 4.6 times width, each with forks 2, 3 and fork 5 present; short, fork 2 footstalk relatively long, length about 3.7–4.1 times length of cross-vein r -m.

Male. Tergum X membranous ( Fig. 29 View FIGURES 27 – 35 ). Superior appendages complex, relatively short, robust, in dorsal view with dorso-mesal lobe with mesally directed spine-like setae apically, and outer, more-distal lobe with 2 mesally directed spine-like setae apically ( Figs 28, 29 View FIGURES 27 – 35 ); in lateral view, broad basally, tapering slightly distally. Phallus simple, robust, tube-like ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 27 – 35 ). Inferior appendages strongly depressed, in ventral view fused, broad, length about 1.2 times width, with prominent shoulders distolaterally, and with pair of short digitiform processes distomesally ( Fig. 28 View FIGURES 27 – 35 ); in lateral view, robust, tapered in distal 1/3rd ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 27 – 35 ).

Female. Genitalia with abdominal sternite VIII relatively broad, basally with slender digitiform mesal process; segment IX relatively short, broad-based, tapered slightly in distal quarter, segment X relatively long, slender with 1 pair of small cerci ( Fig. 48 View FIGURES 45 – 53 ).

Holotype male: Western Australia, Manning R. nr Mt Barnett, 16°40'S, 125°56'E, 8 Sep 1996, I. Edwards ( NMV, T- 20796).

Paratypes. Western Australia. 1 male (specimen CT-474 figured), collected with holotype; 3 males, 1 female (specimen CT-535 figured), Barnett R. Gorge, Barnett Stn, Kimberley, 1 Oct 1979, JB ( NMV).

Etymology. Furca - Latin word for two pronged (inferior appendages).

Remarks. Wellsomina furca is recorded from 2 sites in the Kimberley Region of northern Western Australia (latitudinal range 16°31'– 16°40'S).