Calophytus chazeaui, Irwin & Winterton & Metz, 2020

Irwin, Michael E., Winterton, Shaun L. & Metz, Mark A., 2020, New stiletto flies from New Caledonia (Therevidae, Agapophytinae), ZooKeys 984, pp. 83-132 : 83

Calophytus chazeaui sp. nov. Figs 1 , 5A , 7A , 8A , 9 , 10 , 22 , 31A

Diagnosis.

Scutum with large areas of orange; wing with dark infuscation over discal cell and parts of adjoining cells, as well most of apical third of wing; costal cell with yellow infuscation; male abdomen without silver velutum pubescence; occipital macrosetae black, arranged in single row dorsally in both sexes; legs yellow; flagellum shorter than scape.

Description.

Length 7.8-10.6 mm. Head. Glossy black, smooth. Frons smooth, raised around base of antennae. Eyes separated at narrowest point by 3 × width of median ocellus in both sexes. Parafacial with silver pubescence laterally along eye margin. Occiput silver pubescent laterally and ventrally onto gena, with fine white setae ventrally. Postocular macrosetae black, arranged in a single row dorsally. Scape equal to head length; mostly brown-black, dark yellow basally with numerous short, brown filiform setae along entire length. Basal flagellomere ½× length of scape; with short, black, filiform setae on basal 1/2. Second flagellomere apical, cylindrical, 1/7 × length of basal flagellomere. Third flagellomere ½× length of second. Style subequal in length to third flagellomere, spiculate. Palpus widened subapically; apex slightly acuminate; yellow basally, black at apex; yellow pubescent basally, black pubescent at apex, black setose at apex. Mouthparts yellowish; brown setose. Thorax. Dark yellow to orange, except scutum with dark brown dorsocentral stripes, narrow anteriorly, widening and converging posteriorly; dorsal pleuron dark brown; posterodorsal katepisternum, metanepisternum, metepimeron, meron and metakatepisternum silver pubescent; scutellum brown; macrosetae black (np: 2, sa: 1, pa: 1, dc: 0, sc: 1); scutum with short black setae; katatergite, lateral postpronotum, cervical sclerite, proepisternum, and lateral prosternum with pale setae. Legs. Yellow except with small black spot ventrally at union of femur and trochanter, tarsi brownish; coxae with pale filiform setae anteriorly. Wing. Membrane mostly hyaline; costal cell hyaline with pale yellow infuscation; subcostal and radial cells adjacent to pterostigma and entire wing apex with light brown infuscation with dark microtrichia; membrane with extensive areas bare of microtrichia; pterostigma brown. Venation brown, cell m3 widely open at wing margin. Haltere completely yellow. Abdomen. Dark yellow and brown, proportions highly variable. Tergites II and III yellow with brown medial stripe, brown laterally; tergites IV-VII dark brown; sternites I-VI yellow, sternite VII brown; sparse short, black, fine setae on all segments, longer laterally. Genitalia. Male: tergite VIII emarginated posteriorly; setose laterally. Sternite VIII ovate; posterior margin setose. Epandrium with posterolateral corners extending posteriorly level with end of cerci; setae uniformly short and dark. Cercus subtriangular, rounded apically. Subepandrial sclerite narrow, half width of epandrium; partially sclerotised, lateral margins more strongly so. Gonocoxites elongate, rounded with large subtriangular outer gonocoxal process, dark setae erect and sparse, longer ventrally; inner gonocoxal process very narrow, curved medially; gonostylus robust, spatulate, forked as pair of tooth-like lobes apically. Aedeagus with distiphallus relatively straight, fine spines apically; dorsal apodeme forked, ‘T’ -shaped; ventral apodeme forked, arms narrow and divergent; lateral ejaculatory apodemes narrow and band-like around anterior of basiphallus; ejaculatory apodeme relatively small, roughly cylindrical, basiphallus subcordate. Female: acanthophorite spines light brown. Sternite X triangular, truncate posteriorly. Furca rounded anteriorly, elongated and acuminate posteriorly. Spermathecal duct equal to four furcal lengths. Spermathecal sac duct two furcal lengths; spermathecal sac ovoid, longer than wide; 2.0 × length of spermathecal sac duct. Variation. Some individuals with apical 2/3 of scape brown; notum dark with dorsocentral stripes evident; amount of dark brown colour on pleuron varying with most of pleuron dark; wing infuscation variable from slightly tinged to intensely dark; abdominal colouration variable, tergites III-VII from completely brown to lighter; sternite VII brown on posterior margin.

Etymology.

This species is named after Dr Jean Chazeau, for his gracious hospitality during the visits to New Caledonia by MEI.

Comments.

Calophytus chazeaui sp. nov. is known only from the southern province. It is often found associated with sclerophyll and maquis scrub habitats (e.g., Fig. 31A ). Based on collecting records it is a more commonly encountered species relative to other members of the genus. GenBank sequences for this species (see Winterton et al. 2016: table S1): KT290077 (16S rDNA), KM884999 (28S rDNA), KM879116 (EF1a).

Specimens examined.

Holotype male, New Caledonia: Province Sud: Chutes de Madeleine, Malaise trap (-22.226, 166.854), 28.XI.2000, J.H. Skevington (MEI123120, MNHN).

Paratypes. New Caledonia: Province Sud: 1 males, 2 females, Parc Territorial de la Rivière, 23.5 km NNW Plum, Malaise trap [-22.049, 166.654], 213 m, 28.X-21.XI.2000, D.W. Webb, E.I. Schlinger, M.E. Irwin (MEI125567-69, CSCA); 1 male, Parc Territorial de la Rivière, 23.5 km NNW Plum, hand collected [-22.049, 166.654], 213 m, 28.XI.2000, D.W. Webb, E.I. Schlinger, M.E. Irwin, (MEI125566, CSCA); 14 males, Chutes de Madeleine, malaise trap (-22.226, 166.854), 28.XI.2000, J.H. Skevington (MEI123114-23, 123349, 123493-96, CNC); 5 males, Parc Territorial de la Rivière Bleue, Malaise trap (-22.100, 166.66), 28.XI.2000, J.H. Skevington (MEI123497-501, CSCA); 5 males, Plaine des Lacs, S of Grand Lac, hand netted, high shrub [-22.275, 166.900], 280 m, 14.X.1985, P. Bouchet (MEI028279-80, 30098, 30100-02, MNHN); 6 males, Rivière Bleue National Park, Malaise trap, (-22.251, 166.872), 20.IX-11.IX.2000, J. & A. Skevington (MEI125623-28, CNC); 1 male, 5 females, Rivière Bleue Provincial Park, 30 km NW Yate, Malaise trap, scrub on ridge [-22.117, 166.658], 310 m, 13.X-28.X.1986, L.B. de Larbogne, J. Chazeau, A. & S. Tillier (MEI030097, 030125-30, MNHN); 18 males, 16 females, Rivière Bleue Provincial Park, 25.8 km Rivière Bleue Road, Malaise trap across forest path [-22.11, 166.65], 213 m, various dates: 30.X-28.XI.1992, D.W. Webb, E.I. & M. Schlinger (MEI030103-17, 030122-23, 030138-9, 030141-54, CSCA); 5 males, 1 female, Rivière Bleue Provincial Park, Rivière Bleue, trail to Vallée de Pourina, Malaise trap across forest path, [-22.017, 166.733], 850 m, 19-28.XI.1992, D.W. Webb, E.I. & M. Schlinger, (MEI030118-21, 030133, 030132, CSCA); 3 males, 1 female, Upper Boulari River [La Coulee] [-22.180, 166.593], 17.XI.1968, C.R. Joyce, (MEI129018, 030096, 030099, 030127, BPBM); 1 female, Rivière Bleue Provincial Park, Rivière Bleue, Rivière Bleue Road, Malaise trap across forest path [-22.11, 166.65], 290 m, 16-19.XI.1992, D.W. Webb (MEI030156, CSCA); 3 females, Rivière Bleue Provincial Park, Rivière Bleue, 25.8 km Rivière Bleue Road, Malaise trap in maquis (scrub) [-22.117, 166.658], 290 m, various dates: 30.X-3.XI.1992, D.W. Webb, E.I. & M. Schlinger (MEI030134-6, CSCA); 9 females, Rivière Bleue Provincial Park, Rivière Bleue, 25.8 km Rivière Bleue Road Malaise trap across forest path, [-22.11, 166.65], 213 m, various dates: 5-28.XI.1992, D.W. Webb, E.I. & M. Schlinger, (MEI030131, 030137, 030140, 030148, 030150-54, CASC); 3 females, Rivière Bleue Malaise trap, scrub near ridge (maquis sur crête) [-22.098, 166.630], 310 m, 12-25.XI.1986, L.B. de Larbogne, J. Chazeau, A. & S. Tillier (MEI028277-8, 030124, MNHN).

Figures

Figure 1. Calophytus chazeaui sp. nov., male habitus (specimen: MEI 123497) (artistic rendering by J. Marie Metz).

Figure 5. Lateral view of antennae of Calophytus gen. nov. A C. chazeaui sp. nov. B C. grandiosus sp. nov. C C. schlingeri sp. nov. D C. matilei sp. nov. E C. webbi sp. nov. (figures not to scale) (drawings by J. Marie Metz).

Figure 7. Wings of Calophytus gen. nov. and Jeanchazeauia gen. nov. A C. chazeaui sp. nov. B C. schlingeri sp. nov. C C. grandiosus sp. nov. D C. matilei sp. nov. E C. webbi sp. nov. F C. monteithi sp. nov. G J. amoa sp. nov. H J. nubilosus sp. nov. (female) (figures not to scale).

Figure 8. Calophytus spp. Wing detail showing cell br bisected with stripe of dark microtrichia along wing fold A C. chazeaui sp. nov. B C. webbi sp. nov.

Figure 9. Calophytus chazeaui sp. nov. A adult male (MEI 125624), lateral view B same, oblique view C adult female (MEI 030131), oblique view D same, lateral view. Body length: male: 8.3 mm; female: 9.0 mm.

Figure 10. Calophytus chazeaui sp. nov., cleared male genitalia A epandrium B gonocoxites with aedeagus, lateral view C same, dorsal view with epandrium removed. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

Figure 22. Distribution of Calophytus spp. collecting records throughout New Caledonia. Provinces are labelled and ecoregions delineated by colour.

Figure 31. Natural habitats of New Caledonian agapophytine stiletto flies A Riviere Bleue Reserve, sclerophyll forest and maquis scrub, habitat of C. chazeaui sp. nov., C. grandiosus sp. nov., C. schlingeri sp. nov., and J. nubilosus sp. nov. B Pindai Peninsula, tropical dry forest, habitat of C. webbi sp. nov. C Mount Dzumac, rainforest, habitat of J. nubilosus sp. nov. D Mount Dore, rainforest and dry sclerophyll forest E Mount Dore, Malaise trap in flyway (photographs by Michael E. Irwin).