Capnia s. lat. cordata, 1841

Definition of the Capnia s. lat. cordata View in CoL species group

Diagnosis

Both the male and female are macropterous, the forewing having a curved A1 and R1 and a quadrangular cubital cell ( Fig. 3 View Fig ). The mesothoracic postfurcasternum is separated from the furcasternum and furcasternal pit ( Murányi et al. 2014: fig. 53). The male epiproct has a large basal sclerite that is weakly divided from the smaller laterobasal sclerites. The main epiproct sclerite is laterally entire and fully divided on the ventral surface. The caudal setae are absent and the inner sclerite is weak but long. The epiproct tip lacks an eversible crest ( Murányi et al. 2014: figs 11–12). The male paraprocts are long and widely separated at the apex ( Murányi et al. 2014: fig. 26). The fusion plate is long and narrow, the small retractoral plate not fused ( Murányi et al. 2014: fig. 37). The male tergum IX has a single posteromedial process that lacks scales or a sensilla basiconica. Tergum X is subdivided and posteriorly connected. A vesicle is usually present on the sternum IX and the subgenital plate is divided from sternum and tergum IX ( Figs 4 View Fig , 10 View Fig ). The female subgenital plate is large and its lateral portions are often weakly sclerotized. The posterior lobe is distinct and variable with the lateral and anterior sclerites being distinct. The inner sclerite and postgenital plate are lacking ( Fig. 8 View Fig ).

Affinities

The Cox 1 based molecular analyses well support both the monophyly of the group, and its distinction from Capnia s. str. ( Murányi et al. 2014). It deserves definition as a new genus, as it will be described in the ongoing genus level revision of the Capniidae being conducted by Dávid Murányi. Morphologically, males are closely related to the genus Zwicknia Murányi, 2014 , though molecular analyses do not suggest a close relationship ( Murányi et al. 2014). The species of Zwicknia differ by the presence of a distinct eversible crest on the apicolaterally divided main epiproct sclerite; alternatively, the C. cordata group lacks the eversible crest. Females of the cordata group are distinctive among Palaearctic Capniidae by the distinct posterior lobe of the large but usually laterally weakly sclerotized subgenital plate, combined with the lack of an inner sclerite of the vaginal complex, a normal anal field of the hind wing, and a quadrangular cubital cell of the forewing. The larva is known only for two species ( Zwick & Sivec 1980; Rehman et al. 2022); the tuft of hairs on the tip of the galea ( Zwick & Sivec 1980) is a possible distinctive character for the group.

Distribution

Members of the C. cordata group are distributed in High Asia, where they are the most common and diverse Capniidae . Species are known from the Tien Shan, Hindukush, Pamir, Himalayas and the eastern ranges, sloping from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau ( Fig. 1 View Fig ). The morphologically similar Zwicknia has a mainly West Palaearctic distribution, extending eastwards to the Central Asian high mountains. This distribution pattern elucidates the geographically vicariant relationship between Zwicknia and the C. ordata group.