Amblypsilopus milleri, Grichanov, 2022

Grichanov, Igor Ya., 2022, Six new species of Amblypsilopus Bigot (Diptera: Dolichopodidae: Sciapodinae) and a key to species of the Afrotropical mainland, European Journal of Taxonomy 789 (1), pp. 49-80 : 65-67

Amblypsilopus milleri sp. nov.

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Fig. 4

Diagnosis

Amblypsilopus milleri sp. nov. is close to A. bevisi in habitus, differing from the latter in the fore tibia and tarsus without erect pectination; the mid femur with at least 3 strong ventral bristles, as long as height of femur ( Fig. 4E ); the cercus elongate, with comb of regular dorsal setae except for distal fifth, with flattened area at tip covered ventrally with microscopic white hairs ( Fig. 4G–H ). Amblypsilopus bevisi is distinguished by the fore tibia and tarsus with erect pectination ( Fig. 3D ); the mid femur with short ventral hairs; the cercus broader at base, narrow apically, with sparse long black setae along entire length, without flattened area at tip (see above) ( Fig. 3F–G ).

Etymology

The species is named for one of the collectors of the types, Dr R.M. Miller (NMSA).

Material examined

Holotype SOUTH AFRICA • ♂; S Cape, Diepwalle Forest ; 33°57ʹ S, 23°10ʹ E; alt. 400 m; 13 Jan. 1983; R.M. Miller leg.; NMSA.

Paratypes SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀; Western Cape, Keurbos Forest ; 33°54.435ʹ S, 23°43.714ʹ E; alt. 500 m; 28–30 Mar. 2009; A.H. Kirk-Spriggs and S. Otto leg.; indigenous montane forest; Malaise trap; BMSA .

Description

Male ( Fig. 4A )

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 6.4 mm; antenna length 5.1 mm; wing length 6.3 mm; wing width 2 mm.

HEAD ( Fig. 4B ). Frons greenish black, white pollinose; 1 anterior vertical hair; 1 strong postvertical bristle; upper postocular setae black, short; lateral postocular setae white, uniserial; ventral postcranium covered with long irregular white hairs; face densely silvery-white pollinose, broadest above middle, wider than frons (5/4), bulging, 1.4 times as wide as high, under antennae about 5 times as wide as postpedicel; clypeus densely covered with short white hairs, projected, wider than high (4/3), separated from eyes; antenna ( Fig. 4C ) 5/6 as long as body, with orange-brown scape and pedicel; scape swollen, vase-like; pedicel rounded, with ring of short bristles; postpedicel brown, small, conoid, 1.3 times as long as high, with short hairs; arista-like stylus black, apical, glabrous, one-segmented; length (mm) of scape, pedicel, postpedicel, stylus, 0.12/0.11/0.16/4.76; proboscis orange; palpus blackish, with white and brown hairs.

THORAX. Mesonotum orange with metallic reflection; scutellum shining greenish blue; pleura brownish orange, white pollinose; metepimeron yellow; 2 strong posterior dorsocentral bristles and 3 hair-like setae anteriorly with strongest posterior pair; acrostichals long and strong, 5 pairs gradually decreasing in size anteriorly; scutellum with 2 strong bristles and 2 minute setae laterally.

LEGS. Mostly yellow; tarsi brownish to brown from tip of basitarsi; fore and mid coxae with white hairs and 2–3 brownish subapical setae; hind coxa with 4–5 fine yellow setae at middle; fore ( Fig. 4D ) and hind legs simple, without remarkable setae or hairs; mid femur ( Fig. 4E ) with posteroventral row of 5–6 fine dark setae, at most as long as femur height; mid tibia with 2 short anterodorsals and 2 short posterodorsals, without ventral setae; mid tarsus simple, cylindrical; femur, tibia and tarsomere (from first to fifth) length ratio (mm): fore leg: 1.63/1.96/3.06/0.74/0.56/0.29/0.13, mid leg: 1.82/2.67/2.31/0.75/0.49/0.29/0.15, hind leg: 2.38/3.54/1.55/0.9/0.54/0.3/0.14.

WING ( Fig. 4F ). Almost hyaline, veins brown; R gently curved to M 1 on apical third; M 1+2 almost straight; M 1 with strong elbow, forming obtuse angle with M 2; ratio of parts of costa between R 2+3 and R 4+5 to those between R 4+5 and M 1, 4/1; crossvein dm-m almost straight; ratio of crossvein dm-m to apical part of M 1+2 (fork-handle) to apical part of M 4, 73/125/54; anal vein and lobe distinct; anal angle acute; alula present; lower calypter yellow with black apex, with fan of white setae; halter yellow with brownish knob.

4+5

ABDOMEN. Thin, 1.8 times as long as head and thorax combined, with short white hairs and long black marginal setae; segment 1 yellow, with white hairs and setae; unmodified segments mostly orange-brown (holotype) or brownish yellow (paratype), becoming darker posteriorly, black posteriorly along sutures, shining green dorsally; segments 7 and 8 brownish yellow; segment 8 with short hairs; hypopygium ( Fig. 4G ) yellow; hypandrium brown; cercus yellow, broader at base, narrow apically, about 2 times as long as epandrium, with comb of regular dorsal setae except for distal fifth, with flattened area at tip covered ventrally with microscopic white hairs; surstylus projected, broad and relatively short, subtriangular, with few long dorsal and distal setae; 3 long pedunculate epandrial setae ( Fig. 4H ).

Female

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 4.2 mm; antenna length 1.8 mm; wing length 4.5 mm; wing width 1.6 mm.

Similar to male except lacking male secondary sexual characters. Frons with strong and long anterior vertical seta; face under antennae about 2 times as wide as postpedicel; mesonotum with 6 strong dorsocentrals, without acrostichals; fore basitarsus as long as fore tibia and 2.5 times as long as tarsomere 2.

Ecology

According to type specimen labels, imagos inhabit mountain forests at 400–500 m above sea level at the southern border of Eastern Cape and Western Cape Provinces of the Republic of South Africa.

Figures

Fig. 4. Amblypsilopus milleri sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (A–G: NMSA); paratype, ♂ (H: BMSA). A. Habitus. B. Head. C. Antenna.D. Fore femur and base of fore tibia. E. Mid femur. F. Wing. G. Hypopygium, left lateral view, dry. H. Hypopygium after maceration, left lateral view.

Fig. 3. Amblypsilopus bevisi (Curran, 1927), ♂, Natal, Edendale (NMSA). A. Habitus. B. Head. C. Antenna. D. Fore tarsus. E. Wing. F. Hypopygium, left lateral view, dry. G. Hypopygium, dorsal view, dry.