Neotrichia aguirrei, Armitage & Harris & Rodriguez, 2025

Armitage, Brian J., Harris, Steven C. & Rodriguez, Viterbo, 2025, The Trichoptera of Panama XXVIII. Nine new species of microcaddisflies (Trichoptera, Hydroptilidae), Neotropical Biology and Conservation 20 (2), pp. 125-147 : 125-147

Neotrichia aguirrei sp. nov.

Fig. 4

Type locality.

Panama: Veraguas Province, Soná District, Canales de Afuera Island off the Soná Peninsula nr. Pixvae; 7.69494°N, 81.62649°W; 29 m a. s. l.

Type specimen.

Holotype • ♂, in alcohol. Original label: “ Panama: Veraguas Province, Soná District, Canales de Afuera Island off the Soná Peninsula nr. Pixvae ; 7.69494°N, 81.62649°W; 29 m a. s. l.; 6–22 Mar 2023; leg V. Rodriguez; Malaise trap ”; MUPADI . Paratype • ♂, in alcohol; same as holotype .

Other material examined.

♂, in alcohol; Panama, Veraguas Province, Cuenca 116, Soná District, Río Limon ; 7.87182°N, 81.49397°W; 67 m a. s. l.; 18 Apr 2023; leg V. Rodriguez; UV light trap; MUPADI .

Diagnosis.

Neotrichia aguirrei sp. nov. is a member of the N. canixa group of Keth et al. (2015), based on the sclerotised apical horns of tergum X and the bifid bracteoles with similarity to N. palitla Harris & Flint , which also has the dorsal horns asymmetrical in shape. The new species is separated by the ventral portion of the bracteole being greatly reduced and the subgenital plate being trifid in ventral view, rather than acute as in N. palitla .

Description.

Male. Total length 1.8 mm (n = 3), 18 antennal segments, wings and body brown in alcohol. Genitalia (Fig. 4 ). Abdominal segment VIII annular. Segment IX wide ventrally and rounded, narrowing dorsally, anteriorly rounded; ventrally broadly incised, rounded posteriorly, deeply incised anteriorly; dorsally square. Segment X broad and shelf-like, rounded distally with apical horn narrowing; in dorsal view, rectangular basally, apically with pair of sclerotised horns which are asymmetrical in shape, left horn longer than right, lateral margin incised basally. Subgenital plate in lateral view wide basally, tapering distally to acute apex, thin seta sub-basally; in ventral view rectangular, apically trifid, lateral lobes each bearing a thin seta, inner lobe with sclerotised point apically. Bracteole in lateral view bifid, dorsal process elongate, narrowing distally, ventral process vestigial; in dorsal and ventral views, upper process elongate, tapering distally, lower process short. Inferior appendage in lateral view short, tapering distally, elongate, thin setal-bearing process dorsally; in ventral view, wide basally, tapering distally, rounded apically and rugose on inner margin, inner process thin and elongate bearing seta apically. Phallus in dorsal view tubular, constricted at mid-length and bearing thin paramere encircling shaft, apex divided into pair of processes, one elongate and tapering to acute apex, which is bent, other process short and tapering apically, sclerotised, phallus base serrated in appearance.

Female and immature stages.

Unknown.

Etymology.

Named for Yusseff P. Aguirre Espinoza, Panamanian biologist at the Museo de Peces de Agua Dulce e Invertebrados of the Universidad Autónoma de Chiriquí in recognition of his intensive and extensive involvement with our studies of aquatic insects in Panama. The name is a noun in the genitive case.

Figures

Figure 4. Neotrichia aguirrei sp. nov., male holotype, genitalia A left lateral B dorsal C ventral D phallus, dorsal E phallus apex, lateral.