Allometopon bharetum, Owen Lonsdale, 2016

Owen Lonsdale, 2016, Revision of the genus Allometopon Kertész (Diptera: Clusiidae), Zootaxa 4106 (1), pp. 1-127 : 18

Allometopon bharetum spec. nov.

Figs 24–28

Description. General: ( Figs 24, 25 ) Body length approximately 3.5mm. Scutum densely setulose postsuturally. Aristae missing. M1+2 ratio 3.1. First flagellomere slightly elongate, enlarged ventrally, dorsum somewhat reduced and flat with pedicel and insertion of arista anterodorsal, not medial. Female unknown.

Chaetotaxy: Apparently three fronto-orbital setae [missing, glue obscuring posterior region of frons, but two closely spaced sockets present anteriorly]. Ocellar and postvertical setae not visible. Interfrontal seta absent. Frons apparently bare. Two dorsocentral setae, widely spaced, with anterior seta approximately 3/5 length. Acrostichal seta absent. One lateral scutellar seta.

Colour: Setae brown with ventroapical seta on mid tibia black. Head mostly yellow, light yellowish-white below antennae; first flagellomere yellowish-white with brown stripe above projection of pedicel that is faded on inner surface; gena, parafacial and postgena whitish and pilose; back of head whitish below foramen, dorsal stripes appear to be absent. Scutum yellow in ground colour, postsutural scutum and medial stripe extending to midpoint of presutural region brown; postpronotum with light brown spot. Scutellum brown with apex light yellow. Metanotum brown. Pleuron yellow with anepisternum entirely dark brown and anepimeron light brown with posterior region darker. Legs whitish-yellow. Abdomen brown with tergite 1, surstylus, cercus and distal margin of epandrium yellow.

Male terminalia: ( Figs 26–28 ) Annulus well-developed with seventh spiracle nearly separate from sclerites. Epandrium broadly rounded. Cercus projecting. Surstylus slightly longer than epandrium, narrow (especially medially), arched anteriorly, truncated distally, and with very narrow posterobasal process; tubercles absent. Ventral lobe of hypandrium long, pointed; with one minute distal and two short medal setae. Phallapodeme rodlike, narrowed medially. Pregonite small, elongate, with three small setulae. Postgonite small and lobate. Basiphallus and epiphallus well-developed. Distiphallus approximately half length of phallapodeme. Paraphallus smooth with two lateral processes (medial and basal). Dissection heavily faded.

Etymology: The specific epithet originates from the name Bhārata, the sandskrit name for India, which is the collection locality of the type.

Distribution: India.

Holotype: INDIA. Cinchona, S. India, Anamalai Hills, 3500′, x.1955, P.S. Nathan (1♂, CNC).

Comments: Allometopon antennalis , A. atribatum ( Figs 19, 20 ) and A. bharetum ( Figs 24, 25 ) are characterized by a number of features including only two fronto-orbitals and long, widely spaced dorsocentrals (see introduction). Allometopon bharetum can be differentiated from these by an apically yellow scutellum, an entirely brown postsutural scutum, a brown anepisternum and a long, narrow, curved and slightly subrectangular surstylus. The internal male genitalia are reminiscent of Sobarocephala in that the hypandrium has a developed ventral lobe with two medial and one apical seta and the paraphallus has two small “thumbs” (the basal thumb is not typical of Sobarocephala ), but there is no additional sclerite at the base of the distiphallus.

Figures

FIGURES 24 – 28. Allometopon bharetum spec. nov., holotype; 24: photo, dorsal; 25: photo, lateral; 26: external genitalia, left lateral; 27: same, posterior; 28: internal genitalia, left lateral.

FIGURES 19 – 23. Allometopon atribatum spec. nov., holotype; 19: photo, dorsal; 20: photo, lateral; 21: external genitalia, left lateral; 22: same, posterior; 23: internal genitalia, left lateral.