Culoptila cascada Blahnik & Holzenthal, 2006, new species

Culoptila cascada, new species

Fig. 19 A, B

This species shows an evident similarity to Culoptila hamata, C. tapanti, and C. unispina, all also new species from Costa Rica. All of these species have a single phallic spine and a phallobase with a relatively elongate, extended dorsal apex. Culoptila cascada differs from any of those species by the shape of the phallobase, which is short and rounded in C. cascada, but elongate and parallel­sided in the other species. It also differs from these other species by the shape of tergum X (short and subtruncate in C. cascada, but short and acute or subacute in C. unispina, elongate and acute in C. hamata, and elongate and deeply incised mesally in C. tapanti).

Adult. Length of forewing: male 2.5–3.2 mm; female 3.5 mm. Color dark brown; fore wing unmarked, marginal setae with bluish highlights at some light angles. Mesothorax of male not noticeably modified; mesothoracic wart and tegular structures not modified or not apparently so (only pinned specimens available).

Male genitalia. Sternum VI process short, subtruncate. Tergum IX ventral margin rounded, tapered from anterolateral margin, distinctly produced posteroventrally. Inferior appendages short, subacute apically. Tergum X short, about as long as wide, apex in ventral view truncate to subtruncate; ventrolateral processes with apices incurved and posteriorly bent, bluntly rounded, as viewed ventrally. Phallobase short, rounded in lateral view, apicodorsal projection moderately elongate, straight, apex acute. Phallic apparatus with 1 phallic spine, elongate, about 3/4 length of phallobase, narrow, strongly recurved basally.

Material examined

Holotype male: COSTA RICA: Cartago: Reserva Tapantí, Quebrada Palmitos & falls, ca. 9 km (road) NW tunnel, 09°43’12"N, 083°46’48"W, 1400 m, 1–2.viii.1990 (Holzenthal, Blahnik, & Muñoz) (UMSP 000000495) (UMSP).

Paratypes: COSTA RICA: Cartago: same data as holotype, except 8–9.vi.1988 (C. & O. Flint, Holzenthal) — 3 males, 4 females (NMNH); same data as holotype— 2 males (UMSP, INBIO); Reserva Tapantí, waterfall, ca. 1 km (road) NW tunnel, 09°41’24"N, 083°45’36"W, 1600 m, 24.iii.1991 (Holzenthal, Muñoz, Huisman) — 1 male, 1 female (UMSP).

Etymology

The name cascada, Spanish for falls, was given to this species because all of the type material was collected in the vicinity of small falls or cascades.