Hemineurina unguicauda ( Malloch, 1923 )

Vilkamaa, Pekka & Menzel, Frank, 2019, Re-classification of Lycoriella Frey sensu lato (Diptera, Sciaridae), with description of Trichocoelina gen. n. and twenty new species, Zootaxa 4665 (1), pp. 1-67 : 11

Hemineurina unguicauda ( Malloch, 1923) restit. et comb. n.

Literature. Lycoriella (Hemineurina) riparia (Holmgren) — Mohrig et al. (2013): 214, fig. 38 a, b [misidentification]. Sciara unguicauda Malloch—Malloch (1923) : 180, pl. 13, fig. 3. Bradysia (Bradysia) unguicauda (Malloch) — Stone & Laffoon (1965): 234. Bradysia unguicauda (Malloch) — Steffan (1966): 37, 54.

Discussion. When the figure of the lectotype of Sciara riparia Holmgren in Menzel & Mohrig (2000: 407 , fig. 375) is compared with the figure of the holotype of S. unguicauda Malloch by Mohrig et al. (2013: 215: fig. 38 a), it is clear that the species are distinct. Hemineurina riparia ( Holmgren, 1883) comb. n. has a narrower gonostylus and a slightly impressed part on the basal side of the apical tooth, where there are three megasetae [two very close to the apical tooth, one of which on its dorsal, one on its ventral side and one megaseta medially at the apical third]. The medial part of the gonostylus between the two groups of megasetae has only short setae, the apical tooth is not on a lobe-like process, and the whiplash seta is on the middle of the medial side. Furthermore, all megasetae are narrow, hyalinous, and on short basal bodies. In comparison, Hemineurina unguicauda ( Malloch, 1923) restit. et comb. n. has a more voluminous gonostylus, the medial side of which is strongly impressed ventrally, and the medial margin between the apex of gonostylus and the medial megasetae has strikingly long setae. Of the four megasetae, three are much stronger than those of H. riparia and two of the megasetae are close to each other on high basal bodies at the middle of the gonostylus. Furthermore, the whiplash seta of H. unguicauda is more basally placed (on the basal third of the gonostylus), one slender megaseta is on the margin of the impressed area and one, stronger, megaseta just on the basal side of the apical tooth. Strikingly, the long apical tooth and the subapical megaseta are at the apex of a long non-setose lobe, which is absent from H. riparia (Holmgren) .