New species of the endemic Neotropical caddisfly genus Contulma from the Andes of Ecuador (Trichoptera: Anomalopsychidae)

PeerJ. 2017 Nov 3:5:e3967. doi: 10.7717/peerj.3967. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

The genus Contulma Flint (Trichoptera: Anomalopsychidae) is composed mostly of regionally endemic species occurring above 2,000 m, with a few more widespread species and some that are found at lower elevations. Adults of three new species of Contulma are described and illustrated from the Andes of Ecuador, Contulma lina, new species, Contulma quito, new species, and Contulma sangay, new species. These species are similar to previously described species from the region, including C. paluguillensis, C. nevada, and C. lancelolata. New provincial records are provided for C. bacula, C. cataracta, and C. echinata. Contulma duffi Oláh, 2016 is considered a junior, subjective synonym of C. penai, Holzenthal & Flint, 1995. Also, we provide an identification key to males of the 30 Contulma species now known.

Keywords: Andean streams; Aquatic macroinvertebrates; Caddisflies; Endemism; Morphology; Neotropics; Species description; Taxonomy.