Leucotrichia pictipes (Banks 1911)

Leucotrichia pictipes (Banks)

Orthotrichia pictipes Banks, 1911, p. 359.—Betten, 1934, p. 152.—Milne, 1936, p. 77.

Ithytrichia confusa Morton.—Lloyd, 1915, p. 117.—Nielsen, 1948, p. 11 [misidentification].

Stactobia pictipes (Banks).—Ross, 1938, p. 10.—Fischer, 1961, p. 110.

Leucotrichia pictipes (Banks).—Ross, 1944, p. 120.—Denning, 1947a, p. 170; 1947b, p. 145.—Leonard and Leonard, 1949, p. 12.—Denning, 1956, p. 255.

This species and the following, fairchildi, have the most highly modified heads in the genus. The details of the structure of the heads in the two species, however, are quite different, the seventh sternum lacks the apicomesal point in pictipes, and there are many differences in the male genitalia between the two.

The larvae of pictipes resemble those of sarita very closely (larvae of fairchildi are unknown). The anterolateral seta of the mesonotum and metanotum of pictipes is not much enlarged and is pale, whereas the same seta in sarita is much enlarged and generally dark.

ADULT.—Length of forewing, 3–4 mm. Color reddish brown (old specimens); marked with white hairs on face and tegulae; antenna annulate beyond basal segments; tarsi indistinctly annulate; forewing with a white basal spot, a white transverse band at midlength, apex with a series of pale marginal spots. Ocelli 2; anteromesal part of head deeply depressed with a dark, hirsute, goblet-shaped structure, posterior warts large, bearing from beneath a large hirsute lobe, anterolateral lobes elongated anteromesally, partially open beneath, densely hirsute, clypeal region densely hirsute; antenna with basal segment globose, next five segments compressed, narrow, segments beyond progressively more elongate and terete. Male genitalia: Seventh sternum with an apicomesal brush of setae. Eighth sternum with a broad apicomesal excision. Ninth segment with a slight anterolateral lobe, dorsal margin anteriorly shallowly concave, with a short row of stout setae posterolaterally. Tenth tergite with mesal face tridentate; lateral penis sheath small, indistinct. Subgenital plate extending as a narrow sclerite from ventral angle of tenth tergite, ventral arm elongate, inflated basally, pointed apically. Clasper in lateral aspect about 3 times as long as broad, with a dorsal subapical spine, apex rounded. Aedeagus with a pair of apicolateral sclerites, subapically with a pair of caliperlike ventral sclerites, midlength complex with basal rods and a complete basal loop.

LARVA.—Length to 4.5 mm. Head yellow brown; posterior half of frontoclypeus coarsely rugose, anterior margin of frontoclypeus truncate. Thoracic nota yellowish, posterior margins darker; anterolateral seta of mesonotum and metanotum pale, but slightly enlarged. First, eighth, and ninth abdominal tergites dark brown, other tergites pale brown.

CASE.—Length 5 mm. by 3 mm. Silken; oval in outline, slightly domed; circular openings at each end, each with a small rim.

MATERIAL.—U.S.A.: VIRGINIA : Fauquier Co., Broad Run, Thorofare Gap, 27 March 1962, O. S. Flint, Jr., many larvae. WEST VIRGINIA: Pendleton Co., Smoke Hole Camp, 28–29 Aug. 1963, R. and O. Flint, 2 2 . ILLINOIS : Apple River Canyon State Park, 6 June 1940, Mohr and Burks, 2d (INHS). MICHIGAN: Big Rapids, Muskegon River, 22 May 1936, Frison and Ross, 2 (INHS). WISCONSIN: Hayward, Chippewa River bridge, Moose Lake, 12 Aug. 1938, T. H. Frison and T. H. Frison, Jr., 1 (INHS). WYOMING: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Junction, 19 Aug. 1962, P. J. Spangler, 1 . UTAH: Juab Co., Gandy, 6 May 1937, Rees, larvae, pupae. NEW MEXICO: Jemez Springs, 4 July 1953, W. W. Wirth, 1 . ARIZONA: Cochise Co., Southwest Research Station, 4 miles west Portal, 5,400 feet, 29 July 1965, V. D. Roth, 1 . OREGON : Klamath Lake, 27 July, Dyar and Caudell, 3 2 . NEVADA: Reno, 3 Aug. 1916, H. G. Dyar, many . CALIFORNIA : Kern Co., Kern Canyon, 15 miles east Bakersfield, 6 Aug. 1964, R. L. Nelson, 4 . Recorded from Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, and New York (Johnstown, type locality).