A review of the New Guinea species of Chimarra Stephens (Trichoptera: Philopotamidae)
Author
Cartwright, David
text
Memoirs of Museum Victoria
2020
2020-12-31
79
1
49
http://dx.doi.org/10.24199/j.mmv.2020.79.01
journal article
54679
10.24199/j.mmv.2020.79.01
7598304c-4491-4bf1-ad80-903346fd76cd
1447-2554
8065297
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:28679CF3-B7AF-47D9-AE0B-DC16F6DA3C4F
Chimarra
Stephens
Type
species
.
Chimarra marginata
by monotypy.
General features of males of New
Guinea
Chimarra
No formal key is provided for several reasons – primarily because many characters varied considerably between species (e.g. Rs sinuous or curved, thickened ranging to straight and not thickened basad of discoidal cell in forewing, ventral process on segment IX ranged from elongate and pole-like to absent). Because of the poor condition of many of the specimens (including the wings) and at times inadequate clearing of the genitalia, some features were difficult to discern with confidence.
Species are progressively separated throughout this paper on the basis of the L/W ratio of the ventral process on segment IX. Species were identified secondly by small differences in the shape of the inferior appendages (especially in lateral view) and the shape and position of the pair of lateral lobes on segment X.
The first feature used was the ventral process on segment IX. The relative length and the L/W ratio are used as a basic means of separating the New
Guinea
Chimarra
species.
The L/W ratio varies from
20 in
C. pertica
to 0 (absent) in many species. Having a similar ratio does not necessarily imply a relationship between the species. Only a few species (mostly from the
C. papuana
group) such as
C. pertica
,
C. guentheri
and
C. ukarumpana
have an elongate and slender ventral process. Most species have a triangular or rounded keel or no obvious process. In the region, most Australian species have no obvious keel or only a small triangular one (
Cartwright, 2002
). Of the nearby
Solomon Islands
species, most have no obvious keel but
Chimarra talinensis
Johanson and Espeland
has an elongate and robust ventral process (
Johanson and Espeland, 2010
), while in 24 species from
Fiji
(
Johanson and Oláh, 2012
) and three species from
Vanuatu
(
Johanson et al., 2011
), none has an obvious ventral process. Of the south-east Asian species, most have no obvious process or only a small keel; a few have a more pointed and elongate process, including
C. chiangmaiensis
Chantaramongkol and Malicky
,
C. khamuorum
Chantaramongkol and Malicky
,
C. demeter
Malicky (
Malicky, 2010
)
. In Borneo, species in
East Kalimantan
(
Indonesia
) and
Sabah
(
Malaysia
) have elongate ventral processes, including
Chimarra devogeli
Blahnik et al.
,
C. drepane
Blahnik et al.
,
C. fuilianae
Blahnik et al.
and
C. xiphosella
Blahnik et al. (
Blahnik et al., 2009
)
.
The second character used here for species separation is the shape of the inferior appendages (predominantly as viewed laterally). The worldwide range of variation in this structure is remarkable among
Chimarra
species.
Although most New
Guinea
species have distinctively shaped inferior appendages, several exhibit slight variations on a pattern of otherwise almost uniformly elongate sub-triangular inferior appendages (in lateral view), making it difficult to distinguish them from each other using this character. Many of the species have inferior appendages with acute apices that are inflexed or directed posteromesally and so are hidden in the lateral view; instead, these appendages may appear slightly truncate or abbreviated.
Other characteristics of interest include the form of the lateral lobes of segment X, the shape of preanal appendages on segment IX, the
variety and
shape of phallic structures, the presence or absence of obvious sensilla on the lateral processes of segment X, and variations in wing venation.
General characteristics of the New
Guinea
Chimarra
. General body colour and wings brownish (unless faded with time in alcohol). Spur formula 1:4:4. Small to medium-sized adults. Forewing length range, males: 3.5–
7 mm
, more commonly
4–6 mm
. Forewing often with Rs sinuous or curved, thickened (sometimes straight and not thickened) basad of discoidal cell, occasionally with small, clear, depressed window (fig. 63), forks 1, 2, 3 and 5 present; hind wing with forks 1 (usually), 2, 3 and 5 present (fig. 7). At least two species –
C. cyclopica
and
C. aliceae
– appear to have fork 1 absent on the hind wing, as originally noted by Kimmins for
C. cyclopica
(
Kimmins 1962
)
.
Male
. Segment IX anterior margin ventral basally usually welldeveloped, often rounded or V-shaped; ventral process usually present, rarely very long (figs 1, 4), more usually short, keel-like (figs 70, 78, 132) or without obvious process (figs 155, 158). Preanal appendages usually short, rounded. Segment X with mesal lobe membranous, reduced and pair of more heavily sclerotised lateral lobes, mostly adpressed to phallus and without short hair-like sensilla discerned. Phallus generally tubular, phallobase expanded, rounded, usually with a pair of short, slender, straight or slightly curved spines included subapically, more rarely with only one or without obvious spines. Inferior appendages one-segmented, shape highly variable.
Female
. Females have rarely been associated for any New
Guinea
species and were not examined during this study.
Remarks
. No new material was seen for most of the previously described New
Guinea
species. During this study, new material was examined for the following nine species:
C. aiyura
,
C. biramosa
,
C. cyclopica
,
C. falcata
,
C. goroca
,
C. kokodana
,
C. sedlaceki
,
C. sinuosa
and
C. ulmeri
. These are re-described and significant parts are figured here.
A
papuana
species group comprising eight species –
C. agasa
Oláh
,
C. bobita
Oláh
,
C. kalija
Oláh
,
C. kozela
Oláh and Mey
,
C. papuana
Kimmins
,
C. porsen
Oláh
,
C. tompa
Oláh
and
C. tulok
Oláh
– was recognised by
Mey (2006)
and further refined by
Oláh (2014)
. In this study, four new species (
C. bintang
sp. nov.
,
C. mendiana
sp. nov.
,
C. milneana
sp. nov.
and
C. ukarumpana
sp. nov.
) are aligned with the group, primarily on the basis of the unique characteristic of the long and curved filiform dorsoapical process on the inferior appendages, supported by the generally elongate ventral process on segment IX. Due to the poor condition of many of the dried BPBM specimens examined during this study, it is not possible to check and confirm all of the group characters, especially some characters discussed by
Mey (2006)
and
Oláh (2014)
. No clear groupings were discerned among most of the New
Guinea
species; therefore, none of the species below are formally or informally grouped.