Gondwanoscurus curleri, Kvifte & Andersen, 2019

Kvifte, Gunnar Mikalsen & Andersen, Trond, 2019, Description of Gondwanoscurus curleri sp. nov. from the West Usambara Mts, Tanzania (Diptera: Psychodidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 59 (1), pp. 59-62 : 60-62

Gondwanoscurus curleri sp.nov.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ♁ ( ZMUB): TANZANIA: Tanga Region, West Usambara Mountains, Mazumbai forest reserve, ”locality H”. 1–2. IV.1991, Malaise trap, ZMB’s Tanzania expedition leg . PARATYPES: 3 ♁♁ ( ZMUB): TANZANIA: Tanga Region, West Usambara Mountains, Mazumbai forest reserve, ”locality G & F”, 2–6.XI.1990, Malaise trap, ZMB’s Tanzania expedition leg.

Diagnostic characters. Gondwanoscurus curleri can be separated from all other described species of the genus on the presence of a protuberance on the first flagellomere, gonostylus with only a single lobe, and surstyli with 8–9 spatulate tenacula with apices not split.

Description. Adult male (n = 4, except when stated otherwise).

Head (n = 3, Fig. 1 ) wider than long, vertex one third of head length, with lateral projections at level of cervix; eyes contiguous by bridge of four facet rows, with single row of 6–7 postocular bristles; frontal scar patch oval with median posterior concavity; clypeus delimited by posterior suture, with deep anterior notch; labellum bulbous, setose.

Palp (n = 1) of four segments, terminal segment less sclerotized, appearing corrugated; length of palp segments 90: 210: 195: 190.

Antennae incomplete in all examined specimens; scape cylindrical, 2.2 times as long as broad; pedicel cylindrical, 1.2 times as long as broad, with weak, rounded medial protuberance; first flagellomere with elongate triangularconical protuberance; ascoids not observed, but ascoid insertion points present in rings on each flagellomere; first flagellomere (n = 3) with 28–34 ascoids, following flagellomeres with 14–18 ascoid insertion points as well as two additional sensilla apical to ascoid row ( Fig. 2 ); shape of ascoids not visible on available material; length of scape, pedicel and first 6 flagellomeres 150: 80: 130: 100: 100: 100: 100: 100 (n = 3, 3, 3, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1).

Thorax with setae alveoli in broad fields on dorsum, scutellum, anepisternum and laterotergite; otherwise bare; posterior spiracle bare; legs with narrow stripes of setae alveoli on coxae; fore coxa 1.5 times length of mid and hind coxa; mid coxa with setose dorsoapical projection; legs without special features.

Wing ( Fig. 3 ) broadly ovoid with expanded anal area; 2.5 mm long, 1.3 mm wide; membrane unicolorous without setae; crossvein r-m present, m-cu absent; radial fork in distal half of wing, medial fork very close to end of basal cells; Sc approaching R1, both Sc and basal part of R1 very narrow; connections between Sc and R1 not observable, but possible; jugum triangular.

Abdomen with 8 pregenital segments, tergites and sternites both with two transverse rows of setae.

Terminalia ( Figs 4–10 ) with hypandrium narrow, bandlike; gonostyli simple, acuminate, curved, about twice length of gonocoxites; gonocoxites tube-shaped, broader at base than apically; parabasal processes meeting under hypandrium; gonocoxal condyles widely separated, with large membranous parameres fused to form partial sheath; parameral sclerites apparently not differentiated from subaedeagal plate; basiphallus elongate, approximately twice length of distiphallus.

Epandrium slightly longer than wide; with two apertures; surstyli elongate, longer than epandrium, carrying distal cluster of 8–9 tenacula with apices complete; two tenacula present subapically to distal cluster; basal process present mesally, shorter than 1/5th basal width; hypoproct triangular with blunt apex; epiproct oval.

Etymology. The species epithet is dedicated to the senior author’s good friend and colleague Greg Curler, in recognition of his many contributions to the taxonomy, systematics and morphology of Psychodidae .

Bionomics. The four specimens of the type series were collected in April and November in primary rainforest at an altitude of approximately 1440 meters above sea level.

Distribution. Known from two localities in the Mazumbai forest reserve in Tanzania.

Figures

Figs 1–2. Gondwanoscurus curleri sp.nov., adult male.1 – head in dorsal view (antennae removed). 2 – scape, pedicel and five first flagellomeres, lateral view.

Fig. 3. Gondwanoscurus curleri sp.nov., adult male, wing.

Figs 4–10.Gondwanoscurus curleri sp.nov., adult male. 4 – gonopods, aedeagal-parameral complex, epandrium and hypoproct, dorsal view.5 – gonopod, lateral view. 6 – epandrium, surstyli and proctiger, ventral view. 7 – surstylus, ventral view. 8 – epandrium, epiproct and surstylus, lateral view. 9 – apex of surstylus, dorsal view. 10 – aedeagal-parameral complex, lateral view.