Rhyacophila schmidirossia Ivanov & Melnitsky, 2013, new species
Creators: name: Ivanov, Vladimir D.
name: Melnitsky, Stanislav I.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Trichoptera
Rhyacophilidae
Rhyacophila
Rhyacophila schmidirossia

description: Rhyacophila schmidirossia, new species
Figs. 1, 2
“ Rhyacophila schmidi Ross (1969). Malaisie.” Schmid 1970: 84, 131, pl. XL, fig. 1–3; nomen nudum. “ Rhyacophila rossoschmidia Ivanov & Melnitsky (2009) ” Malicky 2010: 8; nomen nudum.
Although the name “ Rhyacophila schmidi ” was attributed by Schmid (1970) to Ross, it seems never to have been published as an available name. Schmid’s bibliographic entry stated simply, "Ross, H.H., 1969, publication inconnue" apparently indicating that he had seen (courtesy of H. Ross?) the material intended for publication but not yet submitted. It does not appear in any of Ross’ publications (Morse 2007, personal communication; 2012) nor in Nimmo’s Bibliographia Trichopterorum (1996) for that period. A search in the Index to Organism Names (ION) provided by Thomson Scientific Company (2012) did not give any reference to this species, thus indicating that it has never been mentioned in the referred issues, namely Zoological Record, BIOSIS Previews, and Biological Abstracts. According to Article 13.1.1 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, this name is not valid. We, therefore, consider it a nomen nudum and provide a new name and description for the species, supplemented by our own illustrations. We intended to provide a description of R. schmidi several years ago and let Dr. Hans Malicky know that we were involved in this work. With this notion, Malicky (2010) included in his book the old figure by Schmid (1970) with the name Rhyacophila rossoschmidia Ivanov & Melnitsky 2009. Unfortunately, the proposed publication was delayed and that new substitute name also is invalid. To avoid confusion, we have described our material here as a new species, R. schmidirossia sp. n. and consider all previously published names for this species, R. schmidi and R. rossoschmidia, as nomina nuda. Our specimen (Fig. 1) has some differences from the drawings by Schmid (1970) (Fig. 2) in the shape of segment X and parameres, but we consider these differences to be a result of Schmid’s subjective and artistic drawing technique and individual variation among specimens. On the contrary, these differences might be a result of speciation and hence the lost type referenced by Schmid could represent a second, cryptic species from the Cameron Highlands. We have no information on the collecting dates of Ross' specimen so these two species could also have different flight periods, further facilitating ecological separation. Continuing sampling efforts in different seasons may eventually permit re-evaluation of this hypothesis.
Holotype. Body and wings brown, wing veins dark brown, head yellowish, legs yellow. Fore wing length 6.0 mm, body length 5.2 mm. Abdominal segment V with external openings of pheromone glands and corresponding sternal sutures present, not modified. Sternal spine on abdominal segment VII small.
Male genitalia (Fig. 1) generally matching figures and notes by Schmid (1970) for species cited as Rhyacophila schmidi Ross 1969. Segment IX in lateral view with straight dorsal half of anterolateral margins abruptly projecting anterad above small lateral excision and straight anterolateral margins of ventral half, posterolateral margins almost straight except for protruding dorsal part. Preanal appendages fused with segment X; in dorsal and lateral views posterior apex of this segment truncate with small, acute, dorsal, lateral, and ventral projections; in dorsal view outline of posterior part of this segment subtrapezoid with sides of anterior part parallel; in lateral view dorsal surface of this segment concave. Basal segments of inferior appendages (gonocoxites) with paired mesoventral sclerotized projections nearly touching each other; in lateral view ventral margin of each gonocoxite slightly concave, in ventral view internal surface concave with curved ventromesal ridge. Distal segment of each inferior appendage (gonostyle) shorter than its gonocoxite, ovoid in lateral view and flattened. Phallic structures as follows: short phallobase hidden in segment IX and firmly connected with needle-like and immobile aedeagus; phallus provided with paired parameres bearing stout lateral spines.
Diagnosis. This species is included in the R. curvata Group (Schmid 1970) and most closely resembles R. anakbuah Malicky 1995, known from West Malaysia (Perak) where it was found at lower altitudes. These species have the following differences: Abdominal segment X in R. anakbuah in dorsal view is almost rectangular and with a rather deep apical incision flanked by sclerotized areas, whereas in R. schmidirossia this segment has a narrowing apical half, making it roughly pentagonal with a truncate apex possessing small sclerotized dorsal, lateral and ventral teeth. The configuration of the sutures on the dorsal side of segment X is different in these species, also. The aedeagus in R. schmidirossia is longer and the parameres have more-developed spines than in R. anakbuah. The ventral subbasal projections of the gonocoxites in the two species are similar, although these projections in R. schmidirossia almost touch each other at rest and in R. anakbuah they are widely separate.
Holotype male: Malaysia, Pahang, Cameron Highlands, 2 km SW Brinchang, small left tributary brook of River Barum, 4º 30' 02" N, 101º 24' 16" E, h= 1626 m, 6 February 2006, leg. Ivanov, Melnitsky.
Distribution. West Malaysia (Pahang).
Etymology. The species name is derived from the names of Fernand Schmid and Herbert Ross, the famous trichopterologists who previously studied this species.
Biology. This new species occurs very locally in the in Cameron Highlands. Our sample has been made in a single locality, a small brook near River Barum (Fig. 4 A). The waters of this brook are transparent and clean, with temperatures above 16˚C. The sampling time is the dry winter season. (The subequatorial climate of the Cameron Highlands has minimal rainfall in winter and summer, and maximal in spring and autumn, hence 2 weakly
description: Published as part of Ivanov, Vladimir D. & Melnitsky, Stanislav I., 2013, New data on Rhyacophila (Trichoptera: Rhyacophilidae) from West Malaysia and Indonesia (Lombok and Bali) with descriptions of two new species, pp. 476-484 in Zootaxa 3635 (4) on pages 477-479, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3635.4.8, http://zenodo.org/record/216474