Halictophagus forthoodiensis Kathirithamby & Taylor

Kathirithamby, Jeyaraney & Taylor, Steven J., 2005, A new species of Halictophagus (Insecta: Strepsiptera: Halictophagidae) from Texas, and a checklist of Strepsiptera from the United States and Canada, Zootaxa 1056, pp. 1-18 : 2-5

Halictophagus forthoodiensis Kathirithamby & Taylor , new species

Type. Holotype ♂: USA, Texas, Coryell County, Fort Hood, UTM zone 14 R (NAD 1983) 607873mE 3451198mN, malaise trap (30.9.04 10am– 1.10.04 2pm. J. Kathirithamby, S. J. Taylor, C. E. Pekins (deposited in Oxford Museum of Natural History, Oxford).

Locality Description: Vegetation at the site was savannah grassland ( Fig. 1 ) dominated by King Ranch bluestem ( Bothriochloa ischaemum ), side­oats grama ( Bouteloua curtipendula ), Texas winter grass ( Nassella leucotrica ), and silver bluestem ( Bothriochloa laguroides ) with scattered plateau live oak ( Quercus fusiformis ) mottes; drainage from a sediment control pond outlet, just upslope of the malaise trap, was dominated by sedge ( Carex spp.) and short ragweed ( Ambrosia artemisiifolia ).

Description. Male. Total length, 1.12mm. Head width, 0.36mm, head length, 0.06mm. Antennae 7­segmented with 5 flagellomeres on segments 3–7. Scape and 2nd segment of equal length (0.03mm), flagellomeres on segments 3–5 (3rd & 4th = 0.21mm, 5th = 0.19mm, 6th & 7th = 0.13mm) ( Fig. 2 a).

Mandibles short (0.05mm) not meeting medially. Basal segment of maxilla one third

length of palpi (base = 0.03mm, palpi = 0.09mm) ( Fig 2 b).

Prenotum length, 0.05mm; scutellum narrower (0.10mm) than postlumbium (0.13mm); postnoum long (0.55mm) and longer than rest of mesothorax ( Fig 2 c).

Wing length, 0.89mm. R2 half the length of R3; R5; MA and CuA touching wing margin ( Fig 2 d).

a. antennae; b. mandible (left) maxilla (right); c. thorax (dorsal view); d. wing; e. foreleg with pseudoplatella on tibia; f. tarsus on mid leg; g. tarsus on hind leg; h. lateral view of VIII, IX and X abdominal segments. Scale 1a, b, e­h = 0.2mm; c, d = 0.3mm.

ae=aedeagus; a3=antennal segment III; cx=coxa; md=mandible; mn= mentum; mx=maxilla; pc=parascutum; ps=pseudopatella; psl=postlumbium; psn=postnotum; sc=scutum; sct=scutellum; st=sternite; t=tergite; ti=tibia; tf= trochanterofemur; ts=tarsus; vi­x=6th ­10th abdominal segments. Wing veination follows standard notation.

Legs: Fore coxa as long as femur (0.12mm), tibia (0.0.8mm) with pseudoplatella ( Fig. 2 e), 1st tarsomere large and round ( Fig 2 f); mid femur slightly longer (0.15mm) than tibia (0.13mm); hind femur and tibia of equal length (0.15mm) ( Fig. 2 g). Fine hairs on tibia and tarsus.

Projection on VIIIth abdominal sternite large (0.11mm) ( Fig 2 h).

Abdominal segment IX long (0.15mm), and Xth nearly as long (0.12mm).

Aedeagus, as most other strepsipterans, crescent shaped with pointed apex.

Female: unknown.

Host: unknown.

Diagnosis. The pseudopatella on the fore­tibia is present only in three species of Halictophagus described so far: H. forthoodiensis sp. n., H. mackayi Bohart (1937) from Canada and H. languedoci Abdul­Nour (1969) from France. H. forthoodiensis differs from H. mackayi and H. languedoci by the shape of the anterior margin of the head which on dorsal aspect is straight and not v­shaped; mandibles very short, not meeting medially; maxilla with a very short basal segment and long palpi (curved upwards); antennal flabella on segments 3 and 4 distinctly longer 6 and 7, 5 intermediate in length; postlumbium large and two thirds longer than width (at widest point); 1st tarsomere on foreleg rounded; VIII abdominal sternite with a ventral projection, and Xth and IXth segments both extend equidistant.

Etymology. This species is named for the type locality, Fort Hood, Texas.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Malaise trap at type locality for Halictophagus forthoodiensis Kathirithamby & Taylor, at Fort Hood, Coryell County, Texas.

FIGURE 2. Halictohagus forthoodiensis Kathirithamby & Taylor, adult male.