Flint (1968) described the male, female, and larva of a new species of longhorn caddisfly (Leptoceridae, Leptocerinae) from Dominica, Lesser Antilles, and tentatively placed it in the Chilean genus Brachysetodes, based mainly on wing venation. He also noted that the structure of the male genitalia seemed quite different between the Dominican species, Brachysetodes insularis Flint, and the type species, Brachysetodes trifidus Schmid. He suggested that the discovery of the larva of the Chilean species might show that the 2 species are not congeneric. Based on character differences in the male genitalia, Holzenthal (1985) removed Brachysetodes insularis from Brachysetodes and established the genus Amphoropsyche for Flint’s species along with 9 new species from Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela. In a separate paper, Holzenthal (1986a) described the immature stages of Brachysetodes, confirming Flint’s earlier supposition that Brachysetodes and Amphoropsyche are distinct. Holzenthal (1986b) also described 1 additional species from Bolivia, extending the known geographical range of the genus considerably southwards, and redescribed the larva of the Dominican species. Since the mid 1980s, only 3 additional nominal species were described, all from the Lesser Antilles and Tobago: Amphoropsyche janstockiana Botosaneanu, 1990 from Saint Vincent, Amphoropsyche multispinosa Botosaneanu, 1993 (in Botosaneanu and Alkins-Koo 1993) from Trinidad, and Amphoropsyche woodruffi Flint & Sykora, 1993 from Grenada (subsequently recorded from northern Venezuela by Flint 1996). Flint (1996) considered Amphoropsyche multispinosa to be a geographical variant of Amphoropsyche woodruffi and changed its status to a subspecies of the latter. In the same paper, Flint (1996) noted the presence of a single female specimen from Tobago with distinctive genitalia probably representing yet another new species; males have still not been collected and the species remains undescribed.

This genus seems to be especially species-rich in mid-elevation streams (e.g., 1500–2500 m) in the northern Andes and more species are expected to be collected and described (Holzenthal 1986b; Flint et al. 1999). Amphoropsyche is characterized by the presence of large glands inside the preanal appendages (probably producing pheromones), and the presence of a tuft of strong hairs near the apex of the inferior appendage, probably involved in dispersing these pheromones (Botosaneanu 1990). In this paper, we describe a new species of Amphoropsyche, the 14th in the genus, and provide a key to the males of the species.

This study is based on a single pinned specimen collected in Ecuador by Dr. Oliver S. Flint, Jr., National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, and kindly loaned to the first author. Techniques and procedures used in the preparation and examination of the specimen are those outlined by Blahnik and Holzenthal (2004) and Blahnik et al. (2007). The illustration of the genitalia was prepared from a pencil sketch made using a camera lucida mounted on an Olympus BX41 compound microscope. The pencil sketch was then scanned and placed into an Adobe Illustrator (version CS5, Adobe Systems, Inc.) document, to serve as a template, and then traced to create a vector graphic illustration. A graphic tablet and pen (BAMBOOTM, Wacom Technology Co.) facilitated careful tracing of the original image.

Terminology used in describing male genitalia follows that of (Holzenthal (1985, 1986b). The taxonomic key was based on published illustrations and descriptions of the male genitalia (Holzenthal 1985, 1986b; Botosaneanu 1990; Flint and Sykora 1993, Botosaneanu and Alkins-Koo 1993; Flint 1996 [these papers can be downloaded from the Trichoptera Literature Database at www.trichoplit.umn.edu to facilitate comparisons]) and was constructed using the DELTA system which facilitated taxonomic data coding via the Delta editor v. 1.04 (Dallwitz 1980; Dallwitz et al. 1999 onwards).

The type is deposited in the United States National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. (NMHN).

Amphoropsyche tandayapa Holzenthal & Rázuri-Gonzales, sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:405CE4BA-B14D-4CEB-827E-BFE295FD12F0

http://species-id.net/wiki/Amphoropsyche_tandayapa

Fig. 1A–D

Description.

This species is characterized by the short, digitate dorsomesal processes of the inferior appendages, the long basoventral projection of the 1st article of the inferior appendages, and the broad, lateral processes of segment X. It is most similar to that group of species also possessing dorsomesal processes on the preanal appendages(i.e., Amphoropsyche woodruffi, Amphoropsyche refugia, Amphoropsyche aragua), but differs in having much shorter processes that are unsclerotized.

Male. Forewing length 4.8 mm. Wings and body color brown. Genitalia as in Fig. 1 A–D. Segment IX annular, sternum with anterior part slightly extended anteriorly. Segment X composed of a single mesal process and pair of lateral processes; mesal process lightly sclerotized, apex broadly acute; lateral process broad, bearing apical spine-like setae. Preanal appendages large, oval, almost completely fused along their midlengths, with pair of short, digitate, membranous dorsomesal processes; preanal appendage with large reticulate internal gland with small ventral opening. Inferior appendage elongate, with long basoventral projection; inferior appendage angulate basally in lateral view, bent inwards in ventral view, bearing very short spine-like setae on slightly protruding apicomesal corner; 2nd article of inferior appendage elongate, thin, sinuate, slightly curved inwards, apex narrow, rounded. Phallic apparatus with phallobase well developed; pair of dorsal parameres present; phallotremal sclerite well developed, elongate, widest apically in lateral view.

Female and larva: Unknown.

Figure 1.

Amphoropsyche tandayapa, sp. n. Male genitalia A lateral B segments IX–X, dorsal C inferior appendages, ventral D phallus, lateral.

Holotype male.

ECUADOR: Pichincha: 2.3 km S Tandayapa, 1800 m, 6.x.1990, O.S. Flint, Jr. (NMNH).

Etymology.

Named after the town of Tandayapa, located near where the holotype was collected.