Leuctra Pinhoti, A New Species Of Stonefly (Plecoptera: Leuctridae) From Alabama, U. S. A.
Author
Grubbs, Scott A.
Author
Sheldon, Andrew L.
Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula, Montana, U. S. A. 59812 & Current address: 16 Bryant St., Crawfordville, FL, U. S. A. 32327 E-mail: andylsheldon @ comcast. net
andylsheldon@comcast.net
text
Illiesia
2009
5
19
195
198
journal article
http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4758171
25f169b1-2226-40d4-a56e-1c2dbcfbd3c9
1854-0392
4758171
Leuctra pinhoti
sp. n.
(
Figs. 1–8
)
Material examined.
Holotype
♂
,
U.S.A.
,
Alabama
,
Cleburne Co.
, unnamed tributary to
South Fork Terrapin Creek
,
Talladega National Forest
,
33°52.671N
,
085°33.282W
,
22 May 2006
,
A.L. Sheldon
(
INHS
).
Additional
paratypes
: same as
Holotype
but
3 ♂
(
INHS
,
WKU
); unnamed tributary to
South Fork Terrapin Creek
,
Talladega National Forest
,
33°52.790N
,
085°34.026W
,
11 May 2005
,
1 ♂
,
A.L. Sheldon
(
WKU
);
unnamed tributary to
South Fork Terrapin Creek
,
Talladega National Forest
,
33°53.059N
,
085°34.520W
,
22 May 2006
,
1 ♂
,
A.L. Sheldon
(
WKU
);
unnamed tributary to
South Fork Terrapin Creek
,
Talladega National Forest
,
33°53.188N
,
085°33.352W
,
17 May 2008
,
5 ♂
,
S.A. Grubbs
(
WKU
)
.
Male.
Forewing length 5.5–6.0 mm. General body color and wings brown, typical of the genus. Cerci tubular and unmodified, typical of genus. Abdominal terga 1–7 unmodified. Abdominal tergum 8 with mesal portion unsclerotized, lateral margins lightly sclerotized; a darkly sclerotized anterior band expanded medially into a narrow dorsal process ca. 1/6
th
of segment width, extending beyond middle of segment, process narrowing slightly beyond base before expanding posteriorly to a slightly medially concave tip, appearing arcuate when viewed anterodorsally due the presence of small lateroapical lobes (
Figs. 1
,
5–6
). Specilla thickened and broad basally, in lateral view, proximal 2/3
rd
subrectangular in shape with subtriangular distal 1/3
rd
and rounded tip, toothed posteriorly along distal half (
Figs. 2–3
,
7–8
). Lateral styles flattened and subtriangular basally, sinuate and tapering to an apically acute, anterdorsallydirected tip (
Figs. 2–3
,
7–8
). Vesicle simple and gourd-like, with long hairs directed posteroventrally (
Fig. 4
).
Female.
Unknown.
Larva.
Unknown.
Etymology.
The specific name, used as a noun in apposition, refers to the
type
locality positioned at a crossing of the Pinhoti National Recreation Trail. Pinhoti was an Upper Creek (= Muskogean) Native Americans village located in this region. The common name, Pinhoti Needlefly, is proposed for this species (
Stark et al. 1998
).
Figs. 1–4.
Leuctra pinhoti
, male. 1. Terminalia, lateral view; 2. Lateral view of specillum and lateral style; 3. Caudal view of specillum and lateral style; 4. Terminalia, ventral view.
Diagnosis.
According to the Nearctic species groups defined recently by
Harper & Harper (1997)
,
Leuctra pinhoti
belongs to the
L. biloba
Claassen
group with
L. alexanderi
Hanson
,
L. biloba
,
L. mitchellensis
Hanson
,
L. monticola
Hanson
and
L. nephophila
Hanson. The
male of
L. pinhoti
possesses a well-developed process on the 8
th
abdominal tergum, the specilla (= subanal lobes) are broadened basally with toothed outer margins, and the lateral styles (= paraprocts) are flattened and recurved anterodorsally.
Leuctra pinhoti
can be distinguished from the other members of the
L. biloba
group mainly by the width and shape of the 8
th
abdominal dorsal process (
Hanson, 1941a
,b;
Harper & Harper, 1997
). The dorsal process of
L. pinhoti
is only ca. 1/6 the width of the 8
th
tergum, contrasting markedly from
L. alexanderi
(ca. 1/3),
L. biloba
(1/3),
L. mitchellensis
(ca. 1/3),
L. monticola
(ca. 1/2) and
L. nephophila
(ca. 1/4). Although the shape of the dorsal process of
L. pinhoti
(i.e. narrow beyond base, but expanding slightly distally) is similar to
L. alexanderi
,
L. mitchellensis
and
L. monticola
, it is easily distinct from these three species due to the clearly narrower profile as seen in dorsal view. The strongly bilobed dorsal process of
L. biloba
and the presence of the broad subapical shoulders of the dorsal process prior to the tear-drop shaped apical portion of
L. nephophila
are both distinct from
L. pinhoti
.
Remarks.
The
type
locality is an unnamed headwater stream draining the eastern flanks of Dugger Mountain, Alabama’s second highest peak at
650 m
A.S.L. that is located in the Dugger Mountain Wilderness Area in Talladega National Forest. Despite intensive collecting efforts throughout the Talladega region we have yet to collect this species from other drainages.
Alloperla chloris
Frison
,
A. usa
Ricker
,
Amphinemura nigritta
(Provancher)
,
Beloneuria jamesae
Stark & Szczytko
,
Eccoptura xanthenes
(Newman)
,
Hansonoperla cheaha
Kondratieff & Kirchner
,
Leuctra grandis
Banks
,
Sweltsa onkos
(Ricker)
,
Tallaperla laurie
(Ricker)
and
T. maria
(Needham & Smith)
have been collected with
L. pinhoti
.