Hydroptila catamarcensis Flint 1983

Hydroptila catamarcensis

This and the preceding species are closely related, but H. catamarcensis is easily recognized by having the subapical process of the aedeagus bent at right angles to the axis of the aedeagus. The females are assigned to this species with some hesitation, as they were taken at a different locality; however, they are similar to those of H. argentinica but differ in possessing only a central, tonguelike process ventrally, whereas those of H. argentinica possess three ventral processes on the eighth sternum.

ADULT.—Length of forewing, 3 mm. Color gray; head with cream-colored hair, legs pale; forewing gray, with scattered cream-colored maculae. Male and female with a short, pointed apicomesal process from seventh sternum.

Male Genitalia: Ninth segment with anterolateral margin semicircular; produced into a posterolateral spur. Tenth tergum divided dorsomesally, semimembranous; in lateral aspect rather broad, with ventral margin most strongly sclerotized. Subgenital plate broadly rounded and with apical margin sclerotized; with a pair of small apicomesal setae. Clasper widest apically, with a pair of apical dark points. Aedeagus with portion beyond neck slightly more than total length; with a well-developed spiral process; apical portion widest basally, tapering apicad, with a process at right angles to tube subapically.

Female Genitalia: Eighth sternum with a well-developed, mesal, goblet-like structure; posterior margin with a ventromesal, tonguelike process, lateral margins produced, middorsally with a broad, rectangular, emargination.

MATERIAL.—Holotype (male): ARGENTINA, PCIA. CATAMARCA, Arroyo El Pintado, near La Viña, 18 Oct 1973, O.S. Flint, Jr., USNM Type 100511.

Paratype: Río Sausemayo, near Dique Sumampa, 8 Sep 1975, D. Cook, 1.

Other: El Rodeo, 18–19 Oct 1973, O.S. Flint, Jr., 2.