Leucotrichia melleopicta Mosely 1934

Leucotrichia melleopicta Mosely

Leucotrichia melleopicta Mosely, 1934, p. 46; 1937, p. 151.— Ross, 1944, p. 120.—Fischer, 1961, p. 83.

This species is apparently quite closely related to viridis, but because the type abdomen is slightly crushed on a slide, it is impossible to be certain of its exact relationship. The ninth segment seems proportionately much broader and with both the dorsal and ventral margins almost equally indented in melleopicta, in addition the aedeagus, especially with its paired, long apical spines, seems very different.

ADULTS.—Length of forewing, 2 mm. Forewing with a central area of whitish hairs (possibly green when fresh). Ocelli 3; head dorsally wholly seta bearing, unmodified; antenna simple. Male genitalia: Seventh sternum with a long process, slightly enlarged apically. Eighth sternum with a deep V-shaped ventromesal excision, lateral angles with long setae. Ninth segment short, about as long as broad in ventral aspect; anterodorsal indentation about as deep as ventral; posterior margin ventrolaterally with a row of stout setae. A heavily sclerotized apicolateral plate, quadrate in ventral aspect; from basomesal angles giving rise to a plate with a large, circular, basal opening. Claspers indistinct, but apparently about twice as long as broad, fused mesally, with a strong dorsolateral seta. Aedeagus with a pair of strong, elongate apicomesal spines; a dorsal structure with a U-shaped apicomesal excision and deeply divided basomesally; subapically a collarlike ventral structure, laterally with a lightly sclerotized enlargement bearing basally a slender loop.

MATERIAL.—MEXICO: TABASCO: Teapa, March, H. H. Smith, holotype, BM (NH).

Leucotrichia melleopicta Mosely

Leucotrichia melleopicta Mosely, 1934:157.—Fischer, 1961: 83.—Flint, 1970:5.

Heretofore this species has been known only from the holotype from Tabasco, Mexico. The male recorded here agrees closely with the figures of the genitalia of the type (Flint, 1970, figs. 9, 10), and I have little hesitation concerning the use of the name.

MATERIAL.—VENEZUELA, ARAGUA: Estacion Piscicultura, 19–20 May 1975, 1 3–6 Feb 1976, 1.