Empidideicus socotrae, Greathead & Evenhuis, 2001

Greathead, D. J. & Evenhuis, N. L., 2001, Bombylioidea (Diptera: Bombyliidae; Mythicomyiidae) from the island of Sokotra, Zootaxa 14, pp. 1-11 : 3-4

Empidideicus socotrae sp.nov.

This new species belongs in the group of species (mostly undescribed) that is distinguished by having the mesonotum without contrasting pale and dark longitudinal vittae. Undescribed species of Empidideicus from Yemen and Oman fit in this group and are similar to E. socotrae , but have the colouration of the mesonotum solid black (as opposed to the mostly brown colour in socotrae with black restricted to the lateral areas of the mesonotum).

Female. Length: 0.96­1.08 mm. Head longer than high, occiput well developed posteriorly; eyes dichoptic, separated at vertex by 1.5 x distance between lateral ocelli; occiput and postgena black; front slightly depressed medially, white; face and tip of oral margin white; antennae ( Fig. 1 ) black; scape short, subtrapezoidal; pedicel subconical, wider than long; first flagellomere ovoid­triangular, length slightly longer than width; second flagellomere slightly shorter than first flagellomere, with small transparent apical style; mentum black; proboscis black, length slightly longer than head length; labrum sclerotised, stiff, pointed apically; palpus not evident.

Thorax ( Figs. 2­3 ). Mesonotum pale yellowish, uniformly brown dorsally, darker brown only above postalar calli; scutellum brownish with paler brown colour apically; pleura yellow except for brown on lower anepisternum, anterior portion of anepimeron, most of katepisternum, and lower portion of meron; coxae and legs yellow; halter stem and knob white.

Wing ( Fig. 4 ). Subhyaline; veins brown, well sclerotised except vein separating basal cells, M1, M2, M1+2, and CuA1; costa ends slightly beyond end of R4+5; vein Sc incomplete; Rs evanescent at connection with R1; R4+5 slightly curved to wing margin; vein M1 curved toward wing margin; M2 slightly sinuous to wing margin; length of M2 slightly longer than M1+2; crossvein dm­cu closing cell dm absent; A1 slightly sinuous to wing margin; fringe of hair on posterior margin of wing well developed.

Abdomen. Dorsum brown, concolorous with central mesonotal colour, posterior margins of tergites pale yellow to white, dorsal brown colour of tergites gradating to pale yellow laterally; tergites with sparsely scattered minute hairs; venter yellowish white.

Genitalia ( Fig. 11 ). Spermatheca spheroid­ellipsoid with large indentation, length subequal to height of spermatheca; spermatheca with basal conical area leading to apical duct; apical spermathecal duct ca. 1.5 x length of spermatheca, thin, transparent; sperm pump subequal in length to apical duct, transparent, not sclerotised apically or basally; basal duct slightly sclerotised brownish, thin, length slightly less than apical duct.

Male. Unknown.

Remarks. Upon wetting, a mesonotal pattern becomes apparent in which there is a short longitudinal median dark stripe from the midpoint of the mesonotum to the prescutellar area and a dark spot of brown lateral to the median stripe leading toward the postalar callus; otherwise the rest of the mesonotum is a pale brownish yellow colour.

Types. Holotype female and 1 female paratype from SOKOTRA: Noghed , cca. 13°N 54°E, 27.ii–1.iii.2000, K. Stástny & V. Bejcek. Holotype in NMSA. Paratype in NLE .

Etymology. The specific epithet derives from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 1 ­ 4. Empidideicus socotrae sp. nov. 1. Antenna; 2. Thorax and anterior part of abdomen, dorsal view; 3. Thorax and anterior part of abdomen, lateral view; 4. wing.

FIGURES 11 ­ 12. Empidideicus spermatheca and ducts. 11. E. socotrae sp. nov.; 12. E. variegatus sp. nov.