Polyplectropus exilis Chamorro-Lacayo & Holzenthal 2004

Armitage, Brian J., Aguirre, Yusseff, Ríos González, Tomás A. & Blahnik, Roger J., 2022, The Trichoptera of Panama. XVIII. Twelve first country records of macrocaddisflies (Insecta, Trichoptera) from the Republic of Panama, Zootaxa 5168 (5), pp. 578-588 : 584

Polyplectropus exilis Chamorro-Lacayo & Holzenthal 2004

New Record (2 localities). PANAMA — Comarca Ngabe Bugle : Cuenca 108; Bosque Protector Palo Seco ; Quebrada Arenal, PSPSCB-BPPS-C108-2019-031; 8.77650°N and 82.20897°W; 1044 m a.s.l.; 8 October 2019; T. Ríos, E. Pérez y Y. Aguirre, leg.; UV light trap; 1 male, COZEM-YA-2020-243. Cuenca 093; Quebrada Caballero de Angel, PSPSCB-BPPS-C108-2019-034; 8.784833°N and 82.187378°W; 609 m a.s.l.; 8 October 2019; Y. Aguirre, T. Ríos, leg.; UV light trap; 1 male, MUPADI-YA-2020-244 .

Distribution. Costa Rica (type country), Panama.

Identification. Polyplectropus exilis was identified by keys, descriptions, and illustrations in the revision by Charmorro & Holzenthal (2010). It is a member of the P. charlesi Group and is most closely related to P. charlesi ( Ross 1941) and P. kylistos Chamorro-Lacayo & Holzenthal 2004 . It is distinguished from both of these species by the absence of peg-like setae on either the dorsal or ventral branches of the inferior appendages, by the absence of endothecal phallic spines, by the acute apex of the mesoventral process of each preanal appendage, and by the presence of a narrow, lightly sclerotized process between the dorsal and ventral branches ( Chamorro-Lacayo & Holzenthal 2004).