Holotype. Brazil, 1 male; Pernambuco, Triunfo, Pinga stream; 7°52'3"S, 38°7'13"W, el. 890 m; 21.ix.2017; Cavalcante-Silva, A. leg.; UV light pan trap (MZSP). Paratypes. Same data as holotype, except 5 males; Grito stream; 7°51'41"S, 38°5'25"W, el. 740 m; 09.viii.2018 (UFBA); same except 3 males; Laje stream; 7°52'13"S, 38°5'18"W, el. 580 m; 07.viii.2018 (DZRJ); same except 6 males; Pinga stream; 7°52'3"S, 38°7'13"W, el. 890 m; 21.ix.2017 (MZSP); same except 6 males (INPA); same except 1 female; 7°52'3"S, 38°7'13"W, el. 890 m; 03.ii.2019 (MZSP); same except 5 females; 7°52'5,5"S, 38°7'15,6"W, el. 870 m; 01.v.2019; Cavalcante-Silva, A, Pereira, R. leg. (MZSP); same except 6 females; 7°52'5,5"S, 38°7'15,7"W, el. 865 m; 01.v.2019 (UFBA); same except 6 females (DZRJ); same except 6 females (INPA).

Figure 2. 

Helicopsyche ralphi sp. nov., male A genitalia, lateral view B segments IX and X and inferior appendages, dorsal view C inferior appendage, ventral view D phallus, lateral view E phallus, ventral view F sternum VI, lateral view. Abbreviations: seg. IX = abdominal segment IX; a.seg. IX = apodeme of abdominal segment IX; sup.a = superior appendage; seg. X = abdominal segment X; bas.l = basomesal lobe; inf.a = inferior appendage; pha.b = phallobase; pha.scl. = phallotremal sclerite.

The new species is distinguished from all other congeners by the following characters of the male genitalia: inferior appendage subtriangular, acuminated in posterior region, basomesal lobe subtriangular ~ 1/2 the length of the inferior appendage, in lateral view, trapezoid, with spine-like setae in posterior margin, in ventral view; abdominal segment X slender, slightly cleft at the apex, in dorsal view. The characters of the genitalia of new species are morphologically similar to Helicopsyche flinti Johanson (1999). The new species presents abdominal segment X with a rounded apex, and a medial row of spine-like setae, in dorsal view (while H. flinti presents abdominal segment X with apex nearly straight, side row of spine-like setae), and inferior appendage with strongly projecting mesal margin, forming a large, rounded lobe, in dorsal view (while H. flinti presents an inferior appendage without a large mesal lobe).

Figure 3. 

Helicopsyche ralphi sp. nov., female A genitalia, lateral view B genitalia, ventral view C genitalia, dorsal view D sternum VI, lateral view. Abbreviations: seg. VIII = abdominal segment VIII; seg. IX = abdominal segment IX; e.seg. IX = external part of abdominal segment IX; pre.a = preanal appendage; Xd = dorsal branch abdominal segment X; Xv = ventral branch abdominal segment X; vag. = vagina; vag. scl. = vaginal sclerite.

Adults (Fig. 4): length of forewing 4.1–5.2 mm (n = 20). Wings: forewing without discoidal cell, without medial cell, with thyridial cells; hind wing without discoidal cell, without thyridial cell. Head: brownish; antennae yellowish, shorter than forewing length, scape yellowish, shorter than head length, covered with long setae (Fig. 4E–G). Thorax: pronotum brownish, with warts, filiform, covered with small and ferruginous setae; mesoscutum brownish, with mesoscutal warts spherical and not covered with setae; mesoscutellum brownish, with mesoscutellar warts spherical and not covered with setae (Fig. 4G); legs yellowish, tibial spur formula 2,2,4.

Figure 4. 

Helicopsyche ralphi sp. nov., adult A male head, dorsal view B male head, frontal view C male habitus, dorsal view D female head, dorsal view E male head, frontal view F female habitus, dorsal view G female habitus, lateral view.

Male (Figs 2, 4A–C): body length ~ 3.3–4.6 mm (n = 20).

Head : interantennal warts present, brownish, spherical, covered with small setae; posteroantennal warts present, brownish, club shaped, covered with long setae; cephalic warts present, brownish, subtriangular, covered with long setae; postocular warts present, filiform, brownish, covered with long setae (Fig. 4A–C); maxillary palps yellowish, with two segments, covered with long ferruginous setae; labial palps yellowish, with three segments, covered with long ferruginous setae. Abdomen: abdominal sternum VI process present, almost same length as segment, tubular, apically rounded, covered with small microtrichiae (Fig. 2F).

Genitalia. Abdominal segment IX with slightly concave anteroventral margin in ventral half; apodeme well developed laterally, located midlaterally on segment; posterior margin nearly straight, in lateral view (Fig. 2A), anterior margin strongly concave, in dorsal view (Fig. 2B); preanal appendages setose, rounded in lateral view (Fig. 2A), clavate in dorsal view (Fig. 2B). Abdominal segment X tubular, dorsal margin slightly curved, in lateral view (Fig. 2A); slender, mesodorsal borders inverted Y-shaped, bearing two rows of short setae, near the center, in dorsal view (Fig. 2B). Inferior appendage subtriangular, acuminated in posterior region, in lateral view (Fig. 2A); anterior margin slightly convex, posterior margin undulated and tapered apex, in dorsal view (Fig. 2B); basomesal lobe of inferior appendage, in lateral view well developed, with ventral margin covered with long setae and dorsal margin with spine-like setae, in ventral view (Fig. 2C). Phallus tubular, phallobase rounded, ventral view (Fig. 2E), acuminate at anteroventral border, in lateral view (Fig. 2D), slightly down curved; phallotremal sclerite conspicuous, moon shaped in lateral view (Fig. 2D).

Female (Figs 3, 4D–G): body length ~ 3.9–5.4 mm (n = 20).

Head : interantennal warts present, brownish, spherical, covered with small setae; postero-antennal warts present, brownish, covered with long setae; cephalic warts present, brownish, subtriangular, covered with long setae (Fig. 4D–F); postocular warts present, filiform, brownish, covered with long setae (Fig. 4F); maxillary palps yellowish, with 5-segments, covered with long and yellowish setae; labial palps yellowish, with 3-segments, covered with long yellowish setae (Fig. 4G). Abdomen: abdominal sternum VI process present, ~ 1/3 segment length, tubular and apically rounded, covered with small microtrichiae (Fig. 3D).

Genitalia. Abdominal segment IX is well separated from abdominal segment VIII and indistinctly separated from abdominal segment X, anterior margin convex, in lateral view (Fig. 3A); external part of abdominal segment IX apically incised, in ventral view (Fig. 3B). Preanal appendage long and filiform, in lateral view (Fig. 3A). Abdominal segment X with two branches; dorsal branch narrow, base with apex broad, rounded and covered with long setae, in lateral view (Fig. 3A), bilobed with U-shaped with apical incision, in dorsal view (Fig. 3C); ventral branch with sinuous margin, in lateral view (Fig. 3A), and apex obtuse in ventral and dorsal view (Fig. 3B, C). Vagina with thick anterior margin, in ventral view (Fig. 3B); vaginal sclerite slender along its length, in lateral view (Fig. 3A), finger-shaped projection on the anterior margin, internal sclerite long, with sclerotized lateral margins, in ventral view (Fig. 3B).

Larva (5^th instar) (Figs 5A–L, 6C): Body total length 2.9–3.6 mm (n = 10).

Figure 5. 

Helicopsyche ralphi sp. nov., larvae A head, dorsal view B head, ventral view C head, left lateral view D mandibles, dorsal view E labrum, dorsal view F notos, dorsal view G proleg, lateral view H mesoleg, lateral view I metaleg, lateral view J lateral hump L anal legs.

Head : oval, with anterior margin 1.3 × broader than posterior margin, in dorsal view (Fig. 5A), mostly light brown, with pale region on anterolateral margin of the head capsule until antenna region, around stemmata, medial region of frontoclypeus margin, and posteromedial region of head capsule, in dorsal view (Fig. 5A), with lateral region light brown, in ventral view (Fig. 5B), cardo and anterior ventral apotome dark brown, six and eight brown muscle scars in left and right, respectively, in dorsal view (Fig. 5A), head capsule with muscle scar light brown in posterolateral region, in dorsal view (Fig. 5A), with frontal area flattened, muscle scars in basal region, cardo and ventral apotome sclerotized, ventral view (Fig. 5B); with muscle scar light brown in posterior region, in lateral view (Fig. 5C); frontoclypeus and adjacent areas nearly flat and margined with semicircular carina, frontoclypeal suture with strongly delimited margin, frontoclypeal with one muscle scar brown in medial region, and three in posterior region, in dorsal view (Fig. 5A); labrum translucent, with short setae covering the anterior margin, in ventral view (Fig. 5B); mandibles asymmetrical, each internal margin with pale, long, thin setae; left mandible with three teeth, the apical tooth trilobed, mesal and basal tooth acute; right mandible with three teeth, the apical tooth trilobed, mesal and basal tooth obtuse, in dorsal view (Fig. 5D–E); chaetotaxy of head as in Figure 5A–E. Thorax: pronotum brown with dark muscle scars, anterior region with row of long setae at margin, covered long setae to near medial region, posterior margin sinuous and lighter with few and scattered setae, in dorsal view (Fig. 5F), trochantin almost as long as foreleg coxae, finger shaped with one spinelike setae in apex (Fig. 5G); mesonotum lighter than pronotum, with pale regions in medial region, muscle scars in dark brown shades, four pairs in anterior region and one pair in posterior region, posterior margins angulate, in dorsal view (Fig. 5F); metanotum with three pairs of sclerites, two pairs of anteromesal (sa1) sclerites small, one pairs anterior subtriangular, and one pairs irregular bearing one setae and one pair of posterior subtriangular sclerites (fused sa2 and sa3 sclerites), each bearing single seta posteromesally (sa2) and several setae anterolateral (sa3), in dorsal view (Fig. 5F); lateral hump oval, apical region mostly dark, one short setae in anteromedial region (Fig. 5J); thoracic legs with chaetotaxy as in Figure 5G–I; The foreleg has a length equivalent to 2/3 of the midleg and 1/2 of the hindleg, foreleg segments robust and short, mid and hind leg segments filiform and long (Fig. 5I). Abdomen: anal prolegs each with lateral sclerites curved, anal claw elongates, with accessory parallel teeth pectinate, arranged like comb (Fig. 5L).

Larval case (Figs 6A–B, 7I–J): length 2.9–3.6 mm (n = 10). Made with cemented sand grains, forming a snail–like, helical case, case with two 1/2 whorls at the end of the phase, with umbilicus open and deep.

Figure 6. 

Helicopsyche ralphi sp. nov., larvae and case A larval case, dorsal view B larval case, ventral view C larval lateral habitus.

Figure 7. 

Helicopsyche ralphi sp. nov., pupa and case A pupa front B abdominal segment IX and anal processes, dorsal view C pupa lateral habitus D–H abdominal segments I–V, dorsal, with details of dorsal hook plates I pupa case, ventral view J pupa case with sieve membrane highlighted, ventral view.

Pupa (Fig. 7A–J): body length 3.3–4.1 mm (n = 10). Generally dark brown, almost black, with yellowish abdomen; Head: mandibles curved with wide bases, each with length 2.5 × basal width, apex pointed and internal margin smooth (Fig. 7A). Abdomen: paired anterior dorsal hook plates on segments II–V, pair of posterior dorsal hook plates on segment IV asymmetrical; general morphology of dorsal hook plates as in (Fig. 5C–H); terminal abdominal segment rounded, with two divergent digitate processes, each process bearing one subapical and three apical setae (Fig. 7B).

This species is named in honor of Dr. Ralph W. Holzenthal, for his outstanding contribution to the study of Neotropical caddisflies, and also as an acknowledgment for collaboration and his contributing to the training of young researchers.

A1 (1 female), C6 (643 males); C7 (10 larvae, 10 pupae); D2 (34 males); D7 (1 male); D17 (14 males); D18 (379 males); D18 (49 females); D20 (32 females); D22 (1 larvae); E1 (1 male); F2 (30 males); F3 (17 males) (UFBA) (Table 1).

Brazil (Pernambuco state).

Brazil: Pernambuco: B2 (71 males, 9 females); C1 (4 males, 2 females); C5 (4 males); C6 (2 males, 3 females); D4 (1 female); D5 (1 female); D6 (4 males, 3 females); D7 (27 males, 15 females); D10 (1 female); D11 (3 males, 1 female); D15 (1 male); D17 (1 male); D18 (3 males); D19 (3 males, 2 females); D20 (6 males, 10 females); F1 (1 female).

Brazil (AL, ES, MA, MT, MG, PB, PE, RJ, RO), Grenada, and Venezuela.

This species differs from all other species in the Smicridea nigripennis group due to the presence of a simple aedeagus, with only a sclerotized spine, and large rounded lobe in segment X (Flint 1981). Smicridea (Smicridea) palifera presents a wide distribution in Brazil, except in the south of the country (Santos et al. 2022). In the Northeast region it has been registered in four states (altitude range of 53 m and 814 m) (Souza et al. 2013a; Desidério et al. 2017; Desidério et al. 2020). It was recorded in the Caatinga domain, Pernambuco state (Souza et al. 2013a) and later the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest domains (Desidério et al. 2017; Desidério et al. 2020). This is the first record in Brejo de Altitude.

Brazil: Pernambuco: B2 (1 male, 1 female); B3 (1 male); C1 (2 males, 8 females); C3 (1 male); C5 (1 male); D3 (17 males); D5 (1 female); D9 (20 females); D10 (1 male); D11 (1 male, 2 females); D12 (16 males, 4 females); D21 (1 female); E1 (1 male).

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil (BA, CE, GO, MS, MT, PA, PB, PE, RN, SP), Mexico, Paraguay, and Venezuela.

The examined specimens match the description of Ulmer (i.e., tibial spur formula 1,2,2), unlike specimens examined by Quinteiro and Calor (2015), for states of Bahia, Mato Grosso, Paraíba, and Rio Grande do Norte, which presented tibial spur formula 0,2,2. This species is widely distributed in Brazil, including several records in the Northeast region (Quinteiro and Calor 2015; Desidério et al. 2017). Souza et al. (2013a) recorded the occurrence of the species in the Caatinga domain, Amaraji municipality, Pernambuco state (altitude 320 m). This study provides the first record of species in Brejo de Altitude.

Brazil: Pernambuco: C1 (4 males, 17 females); C2 (1 male); C4 (2 males); C5 (5 males); C6 (7 males, 4 females); D1 (3 males); D2 (54 males, 55 females); D7 (6 males, 7 females); D10 (6 males, 5 females); D11 (2 males, 2 females); D12 (2 females); D13 (1 female); D14 (2 females); D16 (1 male, 3 females); D17 (2 males, 2 females); D18 (39 males, 18 females); D19 (28 males, 10 females); D20 (52 males, 42 females); D21 (4 males, 3 females); E1 (11 females); E2 (2 females).

Brazil (RN, PE [new record]).

The occurrence of this species was recorded only for the Brejo de Altitude de Portalegre, Rio Grande do Norte state (altitude of 642 m) (Queiroz et al. 2020). The record in Brejo de Altitude de Triunfo (altitude range 580–940 m) is also the first record for Pernambuco state.

Brazil: Pernambuco: C3 (1 male); D2 (4 males); D7 (1 male); D11 (3 males); D12 (4 males); D13 (4 males); D14 (7 males); D16 (8 males); D17 (1 male); D21 (1 male).

Argentina, Brazil (AM, BA, ES, MA, MG, MS, MT, PA, PE [new record], PI, PR, RJ, SC), Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Cyrnellus Banks contains 12 species in the Neotropical region, and is widely distributed in North, Central, and South America (Morse 2022). Cyrnellus fraternus has a distribution from the USA to Argentina, being the most widely distributed caddisfly on the continent (see Holzenthal and Calor 2017). Currently, it has a known distribution in several regions of Brazil and in the Northeast is registered for the Caatinga and Cerrado domains (Dumas et al. 2010; Takiya et al. 2016; Desidério et al. 2017). In this study the species distribution is extended, representing the first record for the state of Pernambuco.

Brazil: Pernambuco: B2 (6 males); D12 (3 males).

Argentina, Brazil (AM, MA, MG, MS, PA, PE, PI, PR, RJ, SP), Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.

In the Northeast of Brazil, the occurrence of this species was recorded for the Caatinga and Cerrado domains (altitude range 60–448 m) (Souza et al. 2013a; Desidério et al. 2017; Moreno et al. 2020). This study expands its occurrence for rainforest islands of higher elevations (altitude range 580–940 m) on Brejo de Altitude.

Brazil: Pernambuco: D14 (1 male).

Argentina and Brazil (PE [new record]).

Previously recorded only for Argentina (type locality) (Oláh 2016). This study extends the known distribution of this species and provides the first record for Brazil. This disjunct distribution may be the result of omission errors, the article describing the species is difficult to access and the illustration provided lacks details. In order to avoid future the errors, omission we provide an illustration richer in details.

Brazil: Pernambuco: D3 (7 males); D7 (1 male).

Brazil (PE [new record], RJ).

Previously recorded only from the type locality, domain of the Atlantic Forest (Southeast region of Brazil), the known distribution of this species is extended into the Northeast region with this study.

Brazil: Pernambuco: D3 (2 males).

Brazil (AM, PE) and Venezuela.

This species was previously recorded only for the Amazon rainforest (Northern region of Brazil) and Venezuela (Santos et al. 2022). Subsequently, Souza et al. (2013b) recorded it for the Caatinga, Northeast Brazil. This study reports this species for the first time in Atlantic Forest (Brejo de Altitude).

Brazil: Pernambuco: B2 (9 males); C1 (2 males); D3 (32 males); D7 (2 males).

Brazil (AL, AM, BA, CE, MA, MG, PB, PE, PI, RJ, SE), Costa Rica, Dominica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad, and Venezuela.

Holzenthal and Harris’ (1992) description matches the specimens examined, except for the number of segments in the antennae (33 segments) in the specimens observed. Previously reported for the North and Southeast regions of Brazil Takiya et al. (2016) recorded the presence of the species for the Northeast region, Caatinga domain (Ceará state) and Souza and Santos (2017) extended the distribution for the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado domains (states of Alagoas, Bahia, Maranhão, Paraíba, and Sergipe) and Brejo de Altitude de Bonito (Pernambuco state).

Brazil: Pernambuco: B1 (1 male); B2 (26 males); C1 (243 males); C3 (1 male); D7 (2 males); D8 (1 male).

Brazil (AL, BA, PE).

Previously recorded only in the Brazilian Northeast region, Caatinga and Atlantic Forest domains (states of Alagoas, Bahia, and Pernambuco) (Souza et al. 2014). This study expands its occurrence to the Brejos de Altitude.