Helicopsyche (Feropsyche) auroa, Johanson, Kjell Arne & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2004

Johanson, Kjell Arne & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2004, Thirteen new species and new distribution records of Helicopsyche (Feropsyche) Johanson from Venezuela (Trichoptera: Helicopsychidae), Zootaxa 711, pp. 1-40 : 11-13

Helicopsyche (Feropsyche) auroa , new species

Fig. 29–35 , 89

The new species is separated from all other American Helicopsyche species by the presence of a short sternum VI process together with a widely triangular gonocoxite with its prominent, sharply tapering basimesal lobe.

Male. Head: Antennal scape as long as eye diameter and distal maxillay palp segment. Maxillary palp with proximal segment about 2/3 length of distal segment. Cephalic warts rounded, slightly convex, about 1/2 as long as eye diameter, with pale yellow and brown setae. Forewing golden brown, length 4.5–4.6 mm. Sternum VI process ( Fig. 29, 30 ) about 1/3 its segment length, covered by microtrichiae; in lateral view ( Fig. 29 ), nearly straight and slightly tapering before wider apex, oriented posteroventrally; parallel­sided in ventral view ( Fig. 30 ); apex bearing ventral lamellae ( Fig. 30 ).

Male genitalia ( Fig. 31–35 ). Segment IX, in lateral view ( Fig. 31 ), with anterior lobe hyperboloid, oriented anteriad, present midlaterally; anterodorsal margin straight; anteroventral margin concave ventrally; in dorsal view ( Fig. 32 ), with inner margin widely hyperboloid; in ventral view ( Fig. 33 ), with minute posterior process; lateral apodeme present as anteriorly oriented, nearly straight line ( Fig. 31 ) reaching anterior margin; submarginal line absent; tergal transverse apodeme absent; sternal transverse apodeme absent. Segment X, in lateral view ( Fig. 31 ), oriented posteroventrad, nearly straight but with dorsal lobe at proximal part; slightly tapering along its length, apex slightly pointed; in dorsal view, ( Fig. 32 ), slightly narrowing toward wide, rounded apex, lacking notch; with about 12 pairs of about equally long megasetae in longitudinal group starting at dorsal lobe, and about 5 pairs of smaller megasetae at lateral margin. Superior appendage ( Fig. 31 ) tubular in dorsal view, slightly club­shaped in lateral view, oriented posterolaterally. Primary branch of gonocoxite, in lateral view ( Fig. 31 ), generally widely triangular, with slightly undulate dorsal margin; apex rounded in lateral view, produced into finger­like process visible in dorsal view ( Fig. 32 ); central part of primary branch slightly wider than height of central part of tergum X ( Fig. 31 ); anterodorsal margin nearly straight, smooth; posteroventral margin weakly concave; basimesal lobe large, cone­shaped, strongly protruding primary branch, apically narrowing in lateral and ventral views ( Fig. 31, 33 ), with slightly undulating, diverging, median margins; with about 9 short megasetae on dorsal margin; basal plate, in lateral view ( Fig. 31 ), narrow, slightly sigmoid; in ventral view ( Fig. 33 ), narrowly triangular, apex truncate. Phallus, in lateral view ( Fig. 34 ), anterior half nearly straight, gently bent ventrad at midlength, dorsal margin concave; ventral margin angled; anterior 1/5 about 1.5x broader than its central part ( Fig. 34 ); in ventral view ( Fig. 35 ), phallobase forms narrow, ventral band; endotheca produced into long dorsal lobe; sperm channel divided into long, thick posterior and slender anterior parts; sclerotized posteroventral part narrow.

Holotype male: VENEZUELA: Lara : P.N. [Parque Nacional] Terepaima, Río Auro near Sabana Alta, 9°44.740'N, 69°16.614'W, 480 m, 16.vi.2001, Holzenthal, Blahnik, Paprocki, & Cressa, ( UMSP 000075028) ( UMSP pinned).

Paratypes: VENEZUELA: Ar [Aragua]: Est. Exp. [Estación Experimental] Cataurito, ca. 32 km E Villa de Cura, 1100 m, O.S. Flint, Jr. — 1 male, 8 females ( NMNH, alcohol).

Distribution. Venezuela (Aragua, Lara ).

Etymology. auroa , derived from the type locality, Río Auro. The name is to be treated as a noun in apposition.

Figures

FIGURE 89. Map of Venezuela showing distributions of H. auroa (circle), H. woytkowskii (rectangles), and H. succincta (triangles).

FIGURES 29 – 35. Helicopsyche auroa, new species, holotype. 29 — sternum VI process, lateral; 30 — sternum VI process, ventral; 31 — male genitalia, lateral; 32 — male genitalia, dorsal; 33 — male genitalia, ventral; 34 — phallus, lateral; 35 — phallus, ventral.