Alterosa falcata Blahnik Table Of Contents 2005, new species
Creators: name: Blahnik Table Of Contents, Roger J.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2005
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Trichoptera
Philopotamidae
Alterosa
Alterosa falcata

description: Alterosa falcata, new species   
Fig. 10A–D  
 This species is most similar to Alterosa jordaensis, resembling that species in the elongate, curved intermediate appendages and enlarged phallic spines. It differs in that the intermediate appendages in A. falcata are more nearly sickle­like. The differences are relatively minor and it is possible that the two will eventually be found to be not specifically distinct. The mesal, crest­like development of tergum X in A. falcata is variably developed in different populations and sometimes absent, or nearly so.   
Adult. Color overall, dark brown; legs, palps, and antennae slightly paler, wings irregularly mottled with small light brown spots. Male forewing 5.9–6.8 mm.; female 6.2–6.4 mm.  
Male genitalia. Tergum VIII with posteromesal margin moderately emarginate, emargination V­shaped and extending no more than halfway to anterior margin. Sternum IX with anterolateral margin broadly rounded; posteroventral margin greatly produced, extending in broad arc or nearly linearly from dorsum; tergum IX greatly reduced, membranous or fused to base of tergum X. Tergum X tapered from base; dorsally with small preapical projection (variably developed), and sometimes with crest­like projection at slightly past midlength (absent in some populations); apex sensillate, rounded as viewed dorsally, rounded and slightly enlarged in lateral view, shape somewhat variable; tergum midlaterally with patch of adpressed seta­like spines. Intermediate appendage heavily sclerotized, elongate, extending past preanal appendages, sickle­shaped, arched, apex curved downward; apex acute. Preanal appendage narrow, constricted basally, moderately elongate, not greatly modified, with scant setae and numerous minute seta­like spines; apex abruptly narrowed, forming subacuminate projection, without apical seta. Inferior appendages elongate, linear, flattened on mesal surface; 1st article, in lateral view, about 2x as long as wide, tapering apically; 2nd article subequal in length to 1st article, relatively narrow, especially at midlength, only slightly narrower basally than apex of 1st article; apex rounded, with prominent pad of short, stiff apicomesal setae. Phallobase tubular, relatively short and wide, slightly curved; endotheca longer than phallobase when extended, with large sclerotized, nail­like spines (8–13 in specimens available) in about 3 tracts (distinguishable in specimens with endotheca expanded): basal tract of 4 or more spines, usually slightly shorter than others, apical tract(s) arranged as more or less paired spines, extended into 2 (or 3) regions, with middle region most variable in number of spines (2–6).  
 Holotype male: BRAZIL: Minas Gerais: Ibitipoca, sitio of Anestis Papadopoulos, cachoeira, 21°43.441'S, 43°54.537'W, el 1125 m, 4–5.v.1988, Holzenthal & Paprocki, (UMSP000033071) (MZUSP).   
 Paratypes: BRAZIL: Minas Gerais: — 1 male, 1 female, same locality data as holotype (UMSP); Rio de Janeiro: — 1 male, 1 female, Rio Macacú (2nd order), on RJ 116, km 62, 22°23.201'S, 42°33.945'W, el 840 m, 17.iii.1996, Holzenthal, Rochetti, Oliveira, (MZUSP); — 1 male, 1 female, Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, Rio Campo Belo, 22°27.003'S, 44°36.818'W, el 1300 m, 7.iii.2002, Holzenthal, Blahnik, Paprocki, Prather, (MZUSP); — 1 male, Km 54, 26 km E of Nova Friburgo, 410m, 19.iv.1977, C. M. & O. S. Flint, Jr., (NMNH); São Paulo: — 2 males, Parque Nacional do Serra do Bocaina, Cachoeira dos Posses, 22°46.437'S, 44°36.250'W, el 1250 m, 3.iii.2002, Holzenthal, Blahnik, Paprocki, Prather, (UMSP); — 3 males, 2 females, Lajeado, Serra do Bocaina, Cachoeira do Lajeado, 22°43.208'S, 44°37.782'W, el 1590 m, 4.iii.2002, Paprocki & Muniz, (UMSP).   
 Etymology. This species is named falcata for shape of the intermediate appendages, which are somewhat falcate or sickle­shaped.
description: Published as part of Blahnik Table Of Contents, Roger J., 2005, Alterosa, a new caddisfly genus from Brazil (Trichoptera: Philopotamidae), pp. 1-60 in Zootaxa 991 (1) on pages 22-24, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.991.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5046283