Two new species of Smicridea (Rhyacophylax) Muller 1879 (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) from Atlantic Forest, Brazil

Smicridea (Rhyacophylax) Muller 1879 contains 106 species, 41 of which occur in Brazil, mainly in the Atlantic Forest biome. Despite its diversity, it is estimated that many undescribed species are believed to be housed in scientific collections, waiting to be described. Smicridea specimens housed in two Brazilian insect collections (Colecao Entomologica Professor Jose Alfredo Pinheiro Dutra, Rio de Janeiro and Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo) were examined and two new species of S. (Rhyacophylax) were detected. The objective of this study is to describe and illustrate these species. Smicridea (Rhyacophylax) boraceia sp. nov. and Smicridea (Rhyacophylax) dumasi sp. nov. inhabit the Atlantic forest biome and can be recognized mainly by the morphology of tergum X and the phallic apparatus. Six species groups are recognized in S. (Rhyacophylax); however, the two new species described here cannot be placed in any of these groups.

Automated summary

This study describes two new species of Smicridea (Rhyacophylax), boraceia sp. nov. and dumasi sp. nov., inhabiting the Atlantic Forest biome. These species can be distinguished by the morphology of tergum X and the phallic apparatus, and do not fit into any of the six recognized species groups within S. (Rhyacophylax).