Elaphropeza wetsii, Grootaert & Shamshev, 2014

Grootaert, Patrick & Shamshev, Igor, 2014, New Tachydromiinae (Diptera: Empidoidea: Hybotidae) from different types of forests along the Congo river (D. R. of the Congo), Belgian Journal of Entomology 18, pp. 1-34 : 1-34

Elaphropeza wetsii sp. nov.

( Figs 24–26 )

ETYMOLOGY. This species is dedicated to Drs Jean Lambert Wetsi Lofete (UNIKIS) specialist of saturniid silk moths. He was our very helpful companion during the expedition of 2012 and 2013 in Yangambi.

TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype, ♂: D. R. CONGO, Yangambi , 8 June 2012 (reg. 32007, leg. P. Grootaert as EC27). Mid leg in tray Congo 2 at F4 with barcode AB42405530 was extracted for DNA.

Paratype: 1♂, D. R. CONGO, Yangambi , 8 June 2012, mixed primary forest near WWF, (reg. 32007, leg. P. Grootaert as EC25), leg in tray Congo 2 at position F5 with barcode AB42405566 extracted for DNA .

DIAGNOSIS. Species of E. biuncinata group. Thorax reddish yellow but scutellum with brown central mark, postnotum brown, meron brownish below. Hind tibia without long bristles.

DESCRIPTION.

Male. Occiput entirely black, densely pollinose (including vertex); with yellowish brown to yellow setation; inner verticals long inclinate, outer verticals short. Anterior ocellars long proclinate and cruciate, posterior ocellars short. Frons shining, rather narrow, above antennae about as broad as anterior ocellus. Antenna with scape and pedicel yellow, postpedicel and stylus brownish; pedicel with circlet of subequally short setulae; postpedicel subtriangular, short, 2.3 times longer than wide; stylus with short pubescence, long, 4.5 times longer than postpedicel, 2.5 times as long as scape, pedicel and postpedicel combined. Proboscis yellow, labrum brown apically. Palpus yellow, small, rounded, bearing scattered dark setulae, subapical seta thin, moderately long.

Thorax almost entirely reddish yellow, scutellum with brown mark, postnotum brown, meron (= hypopleuron) with indistinct brownish mark on lower part; longer setae brownish. Prothoracic episterna with long upturned seta just above fore coxa. Postpronotal seta not prominent. Mesonotum with 2 long notopleurals, 1 short postalar and 4 scutellars (apical pair long, cruciate; lateral pair very short); acrostichals and dorsocentrals undifferentiated, scutum entirely covered with uniform setulae, 1 pair of long prescutellars (nearly as long as notopleurals).

Legs quite robust, entirely yellow, hind femur somewhat paler basally. Coxae and trochanters with ordinary setae. Fore femur thickened, with rows of minute anteroventral and somewhat longer posteroventral setae, 2 long setae near base, and short subapical seta anteriorly. Fore tibia lacking prominent setae (except circlet of subapicals). Mid femur slender, with row of very short yellowish anteroventrals, row of stronger and longer posteroventrals, 1 long dark seta near base and 1 short subapical seta anteriorly. Mid tibia with black ventral spinules, lacking prominent setae (except subapicals). Hind femur and tibia somewhat thickened. Hind femur with short anteroventrals and 3 short erect dorsal setae near base. Hind tibia lacking prominent setae; apical projection rather large, truncate, brownish yellow. Tarsi of all legs unmodified.

Wing normally developed, finely uniformly infuscate. Costal vein with moderately long setulae along anterior margin. Costal seta moderately long, brownish. Costal index: 43/37/30. Vein Rs somewhat longer than crossvein bm­cu. R 1 of uniform thickness throughout. Vein R 2+3 evenly bowed. Veins R 4+5 and M 1+2 somewhat divergent near wing apex, both slightly bowed. Crossvein bm­cu oblique. Crossvein r­m near middle of cell bm. Halter darkened.

Abdomen. Tergite 1 represented by very small narrow lateral stripes; tergite 2 broadly concave anteriorly, with unmodified short setae, subtriangular viewed laterally; tergites 3–7 subrectangular; tergite 3 broadest, tergites 4–7 of subequal width; tergites 3–5 brown, with squamiform setae; tergites 6 and 7 yellowish brown, with unmodified setation; tergite 7 with moderately long posteromarginal setae. Sternites 3–4 divided medially. Gland­like structures present between tergites 3–4 and 4–5, plate­like. Terminalia ( Figs 24–26 ) moderately large, yellow. Cerci separated; right cercus very narrow, short, with ordinary setae; left cercus long, branched apically, with ordinary setae. Epandrium completely divided. Right epandrial lamella as in Fig. 24 , deeply concave apically. Left epandrial lamella fused to hypandrium, with numerous setulae apically; left surstylus rather small, narrow at base, otherwise somewhat broadened, with several long setae closer to base. One rod­shaped apodeme. Length (mm). Body 2.5, wing 2.2.

Female unknown.

COMPARISON. Since the new species has a yellow thorax and has no long bristles on the hind tibia it could be compared only with E. baeloi Grootaert & Shamshev and E. albistylus sp. nov. The latter species can be readily distinguished from E. wetsii sp. nov. by largely yellow occiput and by white stylus. In E. baeloi Grootaert & Shamshev described from D. R. Congo, the scutellum and meron are entirely yellow.

DISTRIBUTION. D. R. Congo.

Figures

Figs 24–26. Elaphropeza wetsii sp. nov., 24. Right epandrial lamella, lateral view; 25. Terminalia, dorsal view; 26. Left surstylus, lateral view.