Sycorax tridentata Curler

Curler, Gregory R. & Jacobson, Amanda J., 2012, New species of Psychodidae (Diptera) from Australasia, with a checklist of the world species of Bruchomyiinae and Sycoracinae, Zootaxa 3552, pp. 43-65 : 56-58

Sycorax tridentata Curler sp. nov.

( Figs. 32–34 )

DIAGNOSIS. Male terminalia: parameres with posterior lobes rounded, hooked apically; dorsomedial process of paramere digitiform, bulbous apically, extending far beyond apices of aedeagus; aedeagus with branches tridentate posterolaterally. Female terminalia: spermathecal ducts inflated, nearly globular, not annulated.

DESCRIPTION. Male ( Figs. 32–34 ): Measurements, head width 0.27 mm, head length 0.20 mm, palpus length 0.09 mm, wings incomplete, R2+3 length 0.31 mm, R3 length 0.30 mm, gonocoxite length 0.09 mm, gonostylus length 0.07 mm, gonostylus spine length 0.04 mm. Head broadly rounded in frontal view, slightly more wide than long. Antennae: scape and pedicel sub-spherical, flagellomeres missing. Wing: radial fork relatively long; R2+3 approximately equal in length to R3. Terminalia: gonostylus with subterminal seta inserted approximately half way between base and apical spine; ejaculatory apodeme laterally compressed; vasa deferentia nearly as long as ejaculatory apodeme; testes ovate difficult to differentiate from vasa deferentia; ejaculatory duct funnel-shaped, expanding from base to apex; aedeagus with branches tridentate posterolaterally; parameres with thorn-like processes internally; posterior lobes tapered, rounded, hooked apically; dorsomedial process of paramere digitiform, bulbous apically, extending far beyond apices of aedeagus; epandrium with setae alveoli sparse, inconspicuous.

Female: head as in male except with ascoids present on at least flagellomeres 1–6, remaining flagellomeres absent; mouthparts undeveloped. Wing as in male Terminalia: spermathecal ducts inflated, nearly globular, not annulated; spermathecae spherical; genital fork lightly sclerotized, with little pigment; sternite 10 bell-shaped in dorsal view.

TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype [male]: New Caledonia. SUD PROVINCE: 17 km NNE Noumeá, Mt. Koghis, 22°10’33”S 166°30’17”E, 550m, 13–24.xi.2000, coll. E. Schlinger and J. Boutin, Malaise trap; deposited MNHN. Specimen dissected, mounted on micro-slide. Paratypes [2 females]: same location as holotype, 1–5.xii.2000, coll. M. Irwin; deposited LACM.

ETYMOLOGY. The species epithet tridentata is Latin, meaning “three teeth”, in reference to the three toothlike projections on the distal branches of the aedeagus.

BIONOMICS. Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION. Collected from one location in New Caledonia.

COMMENTS. Sycorax tridentata was collected from a location that is approximately ½ mile away from the nearest stream. This species is described based on a single male specimen and two tenuously associated female specimens. The practice of describing a species based on an examination of only a single male specimen is generally not satisfactory. However, it is highly unlikely that additional material of S. tridentata will be collected in the foreseeable future, and there is no question that it is a distinct species. It is similar to S. webbi , but differs in the shape of the dorsomedial process of the parameres and the shape of the aedeagus. S. tridentata has a dorsomedial process with a bulbous apex while S. webbi has no bulbous apex. The presumed females of S. tridentata are similar to females of S. spina in the shape and pigmentation of the genital fork, but differ in having spermathecal ducts that are nearly globular as opposed to ovoid. Furthermore, females of S. tridentata are also similar to those of S. webbi in the globular shape of the spermathecal ducts but can be differentiated by comparison of the genital fork, which is darkly pigmented and inverted Y-shaped in S. webbi .

Figures

FIGURES 30 − 34. Sycorax dispar Satchell, male. 30. Parameres and aedeagus, dorsal view. 31. Right gonopod, dorsolateral view. Sycorax tridentata Curler sp. nov., male. 32. Parameres and aedeagus, dorsal view. 33. Genital tract, dorsal view. 34. Left gonopod, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.05 mm.