Five new species of Alisotrichia Flint, 1964 (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae: Leucotrichiinae) from Northeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT Five new species of Alisotrichia Flint, 1964 microcaddisflies are described and illustrated from type material collected in Northeastern Brazil, constituting the first records of the genus to this region, as it was previously known only from Southeastern and Northern Brazil. The number of Brazilian species of Alisotrichia is doubled herein from five to ten, however, likely there are still many other species to be described. The new species described here are all placed in the orophila species group: A. froehlichi sp. nov. (Sergipe State), A. calori sp. nov. (Bahia and Paraíba states), A. penispinata sp. nov. (Ceará and Pernambuco states), A. dilatata sp. nov. (Ceará and Mato Grosso do Sul states), and A. nordestina sp. nov. (Ceará and Sergipe states). These new species are separated mainly by features of male genitalia, particularly the dorsal area of segment X, the shape of the segment VIII, and the phallus morphology. Currently, the orophila species group is composed by 37 species, more than half of the species diversity of Alisotrichia.

LEAq - Laboratório de Entomologia Aquática "Prof. Claudio Gilberto Froehlich" and the task of facing the biodiversity knowledge deficits on Caddisflies (Trichoptera), Bahia, Brazil

ABSTRACT Insects are fundamental to biodiversity conservation in almost all ecosystems, and their population decline, and extinction directly result from environmental impacts. These facts are aggravated by the lack of knowledge of insect biodiversity, the so-called biodiversity deficits, especially the Linnean and Wallacean shortfalls. In freshwater ecosystems, biodiversity loss is higher among aquatic insects, and caddisflies comprise one of the most vulnerable orders. In this way, research focusing on describing new caddisfly species and understanding their distribution ranges will increase knowledge of caddisfly biodiversity. In the past 14 years, the team from the Laboratório de Entomologia Aquática "Prof. Dr. Claudio Gilberto Froehlich" (LEAq, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Brazil) and collaborators have been addressing these issues, resulting in 55 described species of caddisflies. Taxa in other insect orders have also received attention and an additional 16 species have been described (eight mayflies, four stoneflies, four neuropteran spongillaflies, and antlions). Here, eight caddisfly species are described and illustrated (Atopsyche froehlichi sp. nov., Austrotinodes zeferina sp. nov., Cernotina kariri sp. nov., Neoathripsodes froehlichi sp. nov., Notalina claudiofroehlichi sp. nov., Oecetis marcus sp. nov., Phylloicus froehlichi sp. nov., and Polycentropus claudioi sp. nov.), five of them in honor of LEAq's patron. In addition, new distributional data are presented for 10 known species. A checklist of the caddisfly fauna of Bahia state is also presented, with 138 species, around 75% and 30% of them recorded and described by the LEAq team, respectively. Currently, for caddisflies, Bahia is the fifth most species-rich state in Brazil, and the first in the Brazilian Northeast region.

Taxonomic diversity of Ochrotrichiinae (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) from Peru with the description of ten new species, a new distributional record, and an updated checklist.

We describe here ten new species of Ochrotrichiinae from southern Peru in genera Metrichia (7 new species), Ochrotrichia (1 new species), and Rhyacopsyche (2 new species). In addition to describing and illustrating male genitalia of the new species, we also highlight diagnostic features from antennae, head setal warts, and wing venation. These structures have received little attention in taxonomic studies of Hydroptilidae, and we think they may be useful in future morphological studies involving the family. We also record O. puyana for the first time from Peru, which was previously known only from Ecuador. Comments on the distribution of the Peruvian Ochrotrichiinae are also provided, along with a distributional map and an updated checklist of the species recorded in the country. This work revealed a total of 56 species of Ochrotrichiinae from Peru.

The caddisflies from Serra dos rgos National Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the description of two new species of Ochrotrichia Mosely (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae: Ochrotrichiinae).

The Serra dos rgos National Park (PARNASO) is a federal conservation unit located in Rio de Janeiro State, within the Atlantic Forest biome. This biome is one of the worlds biodiversity hotspots and has high diversity and endemism of caddisfly taxa. Here, we present a checklist of caddisflies from PARNASO, including the description of two new species of Ochrotrichia Mosely (Hydroptilidae). Ochrotrichia sino sp. nov. and Ochrotrichia papel sp. nov. are assigned to the O. aldama Species Group due to the divided tergum X in male genitalia, although in the first one tergum X is not simple as in most species in this group. Ochrotrichia sino sp. nov. is recognized by tergum X having a broad basal portion bearing a basodorsal spine-like process on the left side and the apical portion with two elongate processes, one curved and crossing the other one underneath. Ochrotrichia papel sp. nov. is distinguished by the elongate inferior appendages, by tergum IX having its posterior margin obliquely emarginate, and tergum X being divided into two processes, the left one longer and almost straight, the right one curved to the left, slightly upturned in lateral view. The list of PARNASO species is based on isolated records in literature and on specimens in the Coleo Entomolgica Professor Jos Alfredo Pinheiro Dutra, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (Departamento de Zoologia) [UFRJ (DZRJ)], with samples collected since 2009. A total of 95 species were recorded from the PARNASO, of which eight are new distributional records for Rio de Janeiro State. Hydroptilidae (27 spp.), followed by Hydropsychidae (13 spp.), Leptoceridae, and Philopotamidae (12 spp. each) are the families with highest species richness. Before this work, only about 20 species of caddisflies were formally registered from the park area. In this way, this work is an important contribution to fill the gaps of knowledge caused by Wallacean and Linnean shortfalls.

A review of the Neotropical microcaddisfly genus Acostatrichia Mosely, 1939 with description of a new species from Brazil (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae: Leucotrichiinae).

The microcaddisfly genus Acostatrichia Mosely (Leucotrichiinae, Leucotrichiini) is revised. Based on morphological features of the adult male, species assigned to the genus are here divided into three species groups: A. plaumanni Group, A. brevipenis Group, and A. cerna Group. After examination of type specimens, the subjective synonymy of Acostatrichia darda Oláh Flint, A. hosulaba Oláh Flint, and A. pika Oláh Flint is proposed, with the first name being chosen to have priority over the other two. Acostatrichia ketvilla Oláh Flint is considered a junior synonym of Costatrichia nelsonferreirai Santos Nessimian, and another 3 species are removed from Acostatrichia: A. tapada Oláh Flint and A. rovidka Oláh Flint are transferred to Costatrichia; and A. topora Oláh Flint is transferred to Leucotrichia Mosely. A new species, Acostatrichia araca sp. nov. is described and illustrated from northern Brazil; descriptions and illustrations are also provided for the other 11 Acostatrichia species. After these nomenclatural acts, the genus Acostatrichia includes 15 species restricted to South America.

A new species of Smicridea McLachlan 1871 (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) from the Caatinga biome and new distributional records from Brazil.

A new species of Smicridea (Smicridea) McLachlan 1871 is described and illustrated based on specimens collected from the Caatinga biome, in Sete Cidades National Park, Piauí state, and Ubajara National Park, Ceará state, northeastern Brazil. Based on phallus morphology, Smicridea (Smicridea) caatinga sp. nov. belongs to the S. nigripennis Group and can be distinguished from other species in this group due to the phallus having two ventral sclerotized projections and, when expanded, two dorsal membranous lobes and one ventrolateral membranous lobe with two spines on the apex. New distributional records of Smicridea species are provided for different Brazilian states: S. (S.) aequalis Banks 1920 for Ceará and Piauí, S. (Rhyacophylax) coronata Flint 1980 for Rio Grande do Sul and Piauí; S. (R.) jundiai Almeida Flint 2002 for Mato Grosso; S. (R.) marlieri Flint 1978 for Roraima; S. (R.) palmar Sganga 2005 for Goiás; S. (S.) paranensis Flint 1983 for Ceará and Piauí; and S. (R.) spinulosa Flint 1972 for Rio Grande do Sul. Furthermore, S. (S.) erecta Flint 1974b is recorded for the first time for Brazil, in Amazonas state. [Zoobank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3C2892F9-D430-492B-98DA-A48569253A63].

Taxonomic study of the genus Oxyethira Eaton 1873 (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) from Northeast Brazil: Eleven new species and distributional records.

The genus Oxyethira comprises over 200 species distributed worldwide. In Brazil, 23 species have been recorded, mostly from the North Region, but this number is still an underestimate. To date, six species have been recorded from the Northeast Region of Brazil (from Ceará, Piauí, and Pernambuco states). In this work, we describe and illustrate 11 new species from this region: Oxyethira calori sp. nov., O. diplospissa sp. nov., O. guariba sp. nov., O. iannuzzae sp. nov., O. maranhensis sp. nov., O. rafaeli sp. nov., O. gracilianoi sp. nov., O. retrosa sp. nov., O. septentrionalis sp. nov., O. singularis sp. nov., O. una sp. nov. Additionally, new distributional records for five other species are given. These results increase the number of Oxyethira species in Brazil from 23 to 35.

Aquatic Insects from the Caatinga: checklists and diversity assessments of Ubajara (Ceará State) and Sete Cidades (Piauí State) National Parks, Northeastern Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Diversity and distribution of Neotropical aquatic insects is still poorly known, with many species to be recorded and many others to be described, due to the small number of taxonomists and sparse faunistic studies. This knowledge is especially poor in the Caatinga Domain in Northeastern Brazil, even though, this region may have played an important historical role in the spatial evolution of faunas of forested areas in northern South America. NEW INFORMATION: Aquatic insect checklists of 96 species from Parque Nacional de Ubajara (Ceará State, Brazil) and 112 species from Parque Nacional de Sete Cidades (Piauí State, Brazil) are presented, representing the following taxa: Elmidae, Epimetopidae, Hydrophilidae, and Torridincolidae (Coleoptera), Hemerodromiinae (Diptera: Empididae), Ephemeroptera, Gerromorpha and Nepomorpha (Hemiptera), Odonata, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera. Because of the scarce number of biological inventories in Northeastern Brazil, several new distributional records (of species, genera, and families) for Brazil, Northeastern Brazil, and Ceará and Piauí states are provided. In addition, several undescribed species were detected, being 26 from Ubajara and 20 from Sete Cidades. Results represent a significant increase to the known fauna of these states, ranging from 13%-70% increase for Ceará and 41% to 91% increase for Piauí. Although both parks are relatively close to each other and within the Caatinga domain, their aquatic fauna display a very high complementarity (89% species), possibly due to structural differences of water bodies sampled in each park. Rarefaction curves based on quantitative light trap samples suggest a much higher expected species richness of aquatic insects at Sete Cidades than at Ubajara National Park. Discussion on biogeographical affinities of this sample of the Caatinga fauna is provided.

Description of a new species of Betrichia Mosely 1939 from Brazil and edescription of the type-species (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae: Leucotrichiinae).

Betrichia Mosely 1939 was erected to include a single species, B. zilbra Mosely 1939 from Brazil. The genus has a complicated taxonomy mainly because of the lack of diagnostic characteristics in the original description. Marshall (1979) stated that some features of the antennae, wing venation, and male genitalia are presumably diagnostic, but it remained without a precise diagnosis. Currently, Betrichia comprises 11 Neotropical species (Flint et al. 1999; Oláh & Johanson 2011; Thomson 2012; Oláh & Flint 2012), six of which have been recorded from Brazil (Santos et al. 2015): B. alibrachia Thomson 2012 (Rio de Janeiro State), B. hamulifera Flint 1983 (Pernambuco, São Paulo, and Santa Catarina states), B. kagyla Oláh & Flint 2012 (Amazonas State), B. longistyla Flint 1983 (Santa Catarina State), B. varratlana Oláh & Flint 2012 (Rondônia State), and B. zilbra Mosely 1939 (Santa Catarina State). Herein, we describe and illustrate a new species of the genus and redescribe the type-species of the genus based on topotypical specimens. We also provide new distributional records for Betrichia zilbra, reported here for the first time from Argentina (Misiones) and Bahia and Sergipe states (Brazil), and for Betrichia bispinosa Flint 1974, representing the first record of this species in Brazil (Amapá and Pará states).

Three new species of Stactobiinae (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) with the first record of Orinocotrichia Harris, Flint & Holzenthal from Brazil.

Approximately 300 species are assigned to Stactobiinae, most of them occurring in the Old World. Seven species have been recorded from Brazil, six of Flintiella and one of Bredinia. Herein, three new species are described and illustrated based on specimens collected in Maranhão and Piauí states from Northeastern Region of Brazil: Orinocotrichia angelus sp. nov. (Holotype male deposited in CZMA: Maranhão State) can be distinguished by the subgenital plate conspicuous, mesally divided; Flintiella pallida sp. nov. (Holotype male deposited in CZMA: Maranhão State), differs from its cogeners by the process of the subgenital plate; and F. harrisi sp. nov. (Holotype male deposited in CZMA: Piauí State), recognized by the short process of the phallus. The new species of Orinocotrichia is the third species described in this genus and represents the first record of Orinocotrichia from Brazil. Orinocotrichia angelus sp. nov. and F. pallida sp. nov. are the first microcaddisflies species described from Maranhão State, Brazil.

First records of Ochrotrichia Mosely, 1934 (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) in Northeastern Brazil: Five new species and two new geographical records.

About 170 species have been assigned to the New World genus Ochrotrichia, only two of which were previously recorded from Brazil. Material collected in Bahia and Ceará states represent the first records of this genus from Northeastern Brazil and reveal five new species of Ochrotrichia. These are described and illustrated in this paper: O. caatinga sp. nov. (O. aldama group, from Ceará), O. priapo sp. nov. (O. aldama group, from Bahia); O. limeirai sp. nov. (O. aldama group, from Ceará), O. constricta sp. nov. (undetermined group, from Bahia), and O. igrapiuna sp. nov. (O. xena group, from Bahia). Ochrotrichia manuensis Flint & Bueno-Soria 1999 is firstly recorded from Brazil and O. patulosa (Wasmund & Holzenthal 2007) is firstly recorded from Northeastern Brazil. 

A new species and new records of microcaddisflies (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) from northeastern Brazil.

The Hydroptilidae constitute the most diverse and widespread family of Trichoptera in the world. About 90 species of microcaddisflies have been recorded from Brazil, but the northeastern region is one of the least-sampled. In this work we describe a new species of Metrichia from Pernambuco State. Furthermore, we present the first records of Flintiella andreae Angrisano 1995 and Oxyethira bettyae Thomson & Holzenthal 2012 from Brazil, and four other new records from the northeastern region.

New species and records of Chimarra Stephens (Trichoptera, Philopotamidae) from Central Amazonia, Brazil / Nova espécie e registros de Chimarra Stephens (Trichoptera, Philopotamidae) da Amazônia Central, Brasil

Chimarra (Curgia) paucispina sp. nov., of the aurivittata group Flint, 1998 is described and illustrated from specimens collected in Amazonas State. The key to species of Chimarra (Curgia) Walker, 1860 presented by Flint was modified to include the new species. Chimarra (Chimarrita) chela Blahnik, 1997 and Chimarra (Curgia) jugescens Flint, 1998 are for first time reported for the Amazonas State. This is the first record of C. chela in Brazil.

Chimarra (Curgia) paucispina sp. nov., do grupo aurivittata Flint, 1998 é descrita e figurada a partir de exemplares provenientes do Estado do Amazonas. A chave para as espécies de Chimarra (Curgia) Walker, 1860 apresentada por Flint foi modificada para inclusão da nova espécie. Chimarra (Chimarrita) chela Blahnik, 1997 e Chimarra (Curgia) jugescens Flint, 1998 são pela primeira vez registradas para o Estado do Amazonas, sendo também o primeiro registro de C. chela para o Brasil.