Caddisflies, Trichoptera, are a widespread and numerous group of Insects closely related to the Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths). Like Butterflies and Moths, Caddisflies undergo a complete metamorphosis upon reaching maturity, with a long-lived caterpillar-like larvae, and a shorter-lived flying adult stages (which typically live one-to-two weeks). However, unlike the larvae of Butterflies and Moths, Caddisfly larvae are entirely aquatic, with only the winged adults emerging above the water surface. Most larval Caddisfly inhabit cases which they make out of silk, which some species are noted for covering with small stones, pieces of plant matter, shells or other matter they find in their environment. The larvae may be herbivorous or carnivorous, adult Caddisfly generally do not eat at all. They have a fossil record dating back to the Triassic, with about 12 000 living species described. Of these, the most diverse subgroup are the Hydroptilidae, or Microcaddisflies, with about 2500 described living species, although this is probably an underestimation of the size of this group, as these Insects are often overlooked in surveys due to their small size.
In a paper published in the journal PeerJ on 24 December 2021, Allan Santos of the Departamento de Zoologia at the Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, and Daniela Maeda Takiya of the Departamento de Zoologia at the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, describe three new species of Microcaddisflies from Cusco and Puno provinces, Peru.
All three species belong to the genus Byrsopteryx, a distinctive group of Microcaddisflies, restricted to the Americas, which can be distinguished by a pattern of white dots on a black or dark coloured background. Unlike other Microcaddisflies, Byrsopteryx spp. tend to be active in the daytime, making the conventional way method of capturing samples (nocturnal light traps) useless. Instead, these Insects can be found running fast over rocks or large leaves of riparian vegetation under bright sunlight, in a zigzag or in a more erratic way, flying away when disturbed. Thus, members of the genus Byrsopteryx are generally best collected aspirators or directly with a finger moistened in alcohol, though they can occasionally be collected with Malaise traps.
The first new species is named Byrsopteryx inti, in reference to the Inca Sun God, Apu Inti, and the area where the species was discovered would have been at the centre of the Inca Empire. The species is described from six male secimens, all collected by a stream that forms a tributary of the Río Araza, about 19 km to the west of the town of Quincemil in Cusco Province, Peru.
These Microcaddiflies are dark brown in colour with numerous white hairs, and two distictive white spots on each wing. They range from 2.4 to 2.6 mm in length. This species also has a distinctive dom-like structure on the forewing, formed by a thickening of the wing membrane, something not seen preciously in any Caddisfly, but present n two of the new species described by Santos and Tayika.
The second new species described is named Byrsopteryx mamaocllo, in reference to the Inca fertility goddess Mama Ocllo, the daughter of Apu Inti and Mama Quilla, who, along with her brother and husband Manco Capac, founded Cusco and guided the people, enabling the beginning of the Inca civilization. This species is described from a range of male, female, and larval specimens collected in Cusco and Puno provinces, Peru.
Males of this species are 2.6-3.0 mm long and dark brown in colour, with numerous white hairs and wingspots close to the margins of the wings. They share the dome-like structure seen on the wings of Byrsopteryx inti. Females are slightly larger, at 2.8-3.8 mm long, and have a similar colouration to the males, but lack the wing-dome structures.
The final instar larvae (i.e. the final stage of the larvae, before they metamorphose into adults) of Byrsopteryc mamacllo are 1.8-2.5 mm long, with head that is dark brown, but lacks pigment around the eyes, a dark brown sclerotized thorax, and a white, slightly compressed abdomen with sclerotized tergites (dorsal plates) on some segments.
The final new species described is named Byrsopteryx mancocapac, in reference to Manco Capac, the son of Inti and Mama Quilla, who, along with Mama Ocllo, his sister and wife, was sent to Earth to begin a civilization. This species is described from adult male and larval specimens collected in Cusco and Puno provinces, Peru.
The males of this species are 2.6-3.6 mm long and dark brown in colour, which a dense covering of black hairs. They have three pairs of white spots on their wings, and lack the wing-domes seen in the other two new species. The final instar larvae are 2.0-3.8 mm long, with heavily sclerotized brown heads and thoraxes, and slightly compressed abdomens with lightly sclerotized tergites on some segments.
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