Thinophilus asiobates Evenhuis & Grootaert, 2002

Grootaert, Patrick, 2018, Revision of the genus Thinophilus Wahlberg (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) from Singapore and adjacent regions: A long term study with a prudent reconciliation of a genetic to a classic morphological approach, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 66, pp. 413-473 : 419-421

Thinophilus asiobates Evenhuis & Grootaert, 2002

(Figs. 6, 7)

Thinophilus asiobates Evenhuis & Grootaert, 2002: 303 ( Figs. 1–5 ). Type locality: Singapore, Mandai .

Material examined. Holotype male and 19 male, 16 female paratypes from: SINGAPORE: Mandai mangrove, 9 October 2000, (20036, leg. P. Grootaert & N. Evenhuis, holotype in ZRC, paratypes in RBINS, BPBM); 5 males, 3 females, Labrador beach, sandy beach, base of cliffs, 7 October 2000 (20034, leg. P. Grootaert & N. Evenhuis, RBINS).

Fig. 6. Thinophilus asiobates Evenhuis & Grootaert, 2002 , male habitus.

New material. SINGAPORE: 1 male, Chek Jawa, mangrove, 2 December 2003, (reg. 23096, Si267, leg. PG) ; 2 males, Chek Jawa , mangrove, 26 March 2005, (reg. 25031, Si533, leg. PG) ; 1 male, 1 female, Chek Jawa , mangrove, 15 December 2005, (reg. 25451, Si1332, leg. PG) ; 2 males, 4 females, Labrador Park, beach, 31 July 2005, (reg. 25275, Si931, leg. PG) ; 11 males, 11 female, Pulau Ubin, beach, 11 December 2002, (reg. 22058, Si792, leg. PG) ; 1 males, 2 females, Semakau Island, beach, 26 June 2005, (reg. 25184, Si839, leg. PG) ; 1 male, 3 females, Sungei Buloh, mangrove, 28 March 2005, (reg. 25036, Si537, leg. PG) ; 8 males, 6 females, Sungei Buloh , mangrove, 28 March 2005, (reg. 25035, Si539, leg. PG) ; 1 male, Sungei Buloh , mangrove, 22 June 2005, (reg. 25122, Si798, leg. PG) ; 1 male, West Coast Park, sandy beach, 7 December 2003, (reg. 23112, Si242, leg. PG) .

The records of the SMIP & MIP material are available in Annex 1.

Diagnosis. (Fig. 6) A medium-sized species (body 3–3.3 mm) with yellow palpus and antenna. Fore coxa yellow, posterior four coxae black. Legs yellow, but tarsomeres 1–4 of fore leg contrastingly paler. 6 dc almost equally long; mesonotum greyish brown dusted without dull black spots. Propleural bristles pale. Wings unspotted. Fore femur ventrally at base

BRUNEI: 1 male, Tutong (leg. C. Damken; in ZRC LKCNHM) with the NGS barcode reference ZRC _ BDP0055121 _260714_TUT01 .

Etymology. The name refers to the dense bristling on fore femur and tibia.

Diagnosis. A large species with yellow palpus. Antenna yellow but dorsally and apically darkened. 7–9 dc, anterior 7 dc very short, 8 th dc longer, prescutellar bristle the longest. Notopleura and alar callus dull black. Fore coxa yellow with a black streak near base, posterior four coxae black; Apical tarsomere of all legs entirely black. Fore femur with a double row of long ventrals, near middle densely set with paler hairs and additional posteroventrals. Fore tibia with a row of anteroventral spinules, and a double row of long, diverging ventral bristles. Hind femur with four black anterodorsal bristles. Sternites without bristles, only a very short white pubescence.

Fig. 7. Thinophilus asiobates Evenhuis & Grootaert, 2002 : Phenology during a 2-year survey (MIP).

with a single long fine hair-like bristle, no ventral bristles on the mid and hind femur. Cerci fused medially, brown, with dark hairs.

Bionomics. Thinophilus asiobates is mainly found on sandy beaches bordering mangrove. During the long term survey (MIP) it was only found in the replanted mangrove of Semakau Island and indeed the mud flat in front of the Malaise trap contained a high percentage of sand.

Distribution. Singapore.

Phenology. (Fig. 7) Thinophilus asiobates is present all around the year, but seems less active in periods of heavy rain fall. Very low numbers were found from December 2012 to February 2013 when there was exceptional heavy rain fall even in February 2013. However this tendency is hardly confirmed in 2014. Numbers are too low to do any statistical analysis.

Figures

Fig. 1. Present extension of Singapore’s mangroves (in green). The numbers indicate the sites that were sampled during the 1-month Singapore Mangrove Insect Project (SMIP 2009); and the 2-year Mangrove Insect Project (MIP 2012-2014). 1, Mandai mangroves; 2, Kranji Nature Trail; 3, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve; 4, Lim Chu Kang; 5, Sarimbun mangroves; 6, Berlayer Creek; 7, Pulau Semakau original or old mangrove (SMO); 8, Pulau Semakau, replanted or new mangrove (SMN); 9, Changi creek; 10, Pulau Tekong; 11, Pulau Ubin, Chek Jawa; 12, Pasir Ris; 13, Pulau Seletar; 14, Sungei Cina.

Fig. 2. Thinophilus apicatus sp. nov., male habitus.

Fig. 3. Thinophilus apicatus sp. nov., male. A, Mid femur; B, Hind femur; C, Posterior view of fore leg; D, Anterior view of fore coxa.

Fig. 4. Thinophilus apicatus sp. nov., male. A, Detail of surstyli ventrally; B, Tips cerci dorsally; C, Ventral view of epandrium; D, Lateral view of epandrium.

Fig. 5. Thinophilus apicatus sp. nov. Phenology during a 2-year survey (MIP).