Trichotoca edentula Jaschhof & Jaschhof, 2008

Jaschhof, Mathias & Jaschhof, Catrin, 2008, Catotrichinae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) in Tasmania, with the description of Trichotoca edentula gen. et sp. n., Zootaxa 1966 (1), pp. 53-61 : 56

Trichotoca edentula Jaschhof & Jaschhof sp. n.

( Figs 1 , 2 )

Diagnosis. This species differs from Trichotoca fraterna (see below) as follows. The necks of the mesal antennal flagellomeres are longer than the nodes ( Fig. 1A ), but not quite as long as in fraterna . The clypeus is asetose. The maxillary palpus has a vestigial, asetose basal segment and is thus seemingly 4-segmented ( Fig. 1C ). The thoracic pleura are asetose. The costa and its cover with setae are not interrupted, i.e. the costal break is missing ( Fig 1D ). Male terminalia: The gonocoxites are wider than long, tapered towards the base, and have a shallow, broadly U-shaped emargination ventrally ( Fig. 2A ); the gonocoxal apodemes are apparently not connected by a transverse bridge; the gonostylus is wide basally, tapered in the distal half, and has a rounded, unmodified apex ( Fig. 2A ); the ejaculatory apodeme is strongly sclerotized, long, rod-like, very slightly widened apically, and completely mantled by the tegmen ( Fig. 2B ); the tegmen is membranous, large, as long as the gonocoxites, tapered in the distal half, and has innumerable tiny, hook-like spines apicoventrally and -laterally ( Fig. 2B ); the sternite 10 is very weak and sparsely pubescent. Body length is subequal to wing length, 3.2–4.5 mm. The female is unknown.

Variation. CuA1 either coalesces at one point with CuA2 and the longitudinal vein ( Fig. 1D ), or joins the longitudinal vein somewhat distal to that juncture. The apex of CuA2 is either strongly ( Fig. 1D ) or only slightly reflexed.

Etymology. The name is from the Latin, edentulus, toothless, referring to the outline of the gonostyli.

Types. Holotype. Male, Australia, Tasmania, Warra Long Term Ecological Research Site, Mt Weld (43.07S, 146.67E), 100 m a.s.l., in mixed forest, 27 April 2001, by Malaise trap (sample FT#199), N. Doran & R. Bashford [in AMS] . Paratypes. 1 male, same data as the holotype ; 1 male, same data but 30 March 2001 (sample FT#109) ; 1 male, same data but 18 Dec. 2001 (sample FT#5743) [all in AMS] ; 1 male, Tasmania, Sheffield, Dasher River , near road C159 (41.24.720S, 145.26.100E), 90 m a.s.l., 24 Feb.–4 March 2006, by Malaise trap, N. Jönsson, T. Malm & D. Williams [in NHRS] .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Trichotoca edentula sp. n., male. A: Fourth flagellomere, lateral view (holotype). B: Apical flagellomeres, lateral view (holotype). C: Maxillary palpus, lateral view (paratype from Mt Weld). D: Wing (paratype from Mt Weld). Scale = 0.05 mm for A–C, 1.0 mm for D.

FIGURE 2. Trichotoca edentula sp. n., holotype male. A: Terminalia, ventral view. B: Ejaculatory apodeme and tegmen, ventral view. Scale = 0.1 mm for A, 0.05 mm for B.