Ascodipteron wenzeli, Hastriter, 2007

Hastriter, Michael W., 2007, A review of Ascodipterinae (Diptera: Streblidae) of the Oriental and Australasian regions with a description of three new species of Ascodipteron Adensamer and a key to the subfamily, Zootaxa 1636 (1), pp. 1-32 : 22-24

Ascodipteron wenzeli sp. nov.

( Figs. 8–9 )

Type material. Holotype, dealate female; Vietnam: Tuyen Quang Province, Na Hang Nature Reserve , 22°20'N, 105°25'E, ex. Rhinolophus paradoxolophus ( V) ( F42598 ), 16 V 1997, J. Eger, B. Lim and L. Mitchell, urogenital area, ROM-107622 / F42598 C ( ROM) . Paratypes: 12 dealate females; Vietnam: Tuyen Quang Province, Gam River tributary, 7 km NE Pac Ban, 22°25'N, 105°25'E, ex. R. paradoxolophus ( V) ( F38470 ), 11–13 V 1997 , M. Theberge and E. Muzzatti, urogenital area, ROM-106192 / F38470 A-C, ( ROM); Tuyen Quang Province, Na Hang Nature Reserve , 22°20'N, 105°25'E, ex. R. paradoxolophus ( V) ( F42566 ), 15 V 1997 , J. Eger, B. Lim and L. Mitchell, urogenital area, ROM-107622 / F42566 A, DNA voucher ( BYU) and F42566 B–C ( ROM); Tuyen Quang Province, Na Hang Nature Reserve , 22°20'N, 105°25'E, ex. R. paradoxolophus ( V) ( F42598 ), 16 V 1997 , J. Eger, B. Lim and L. Mitchell, urogenital area, ROM-107622 / F42598 D ( ROM) and F42598 A-B ( FMNH); Tuyen Quang Province, Na Hang Nature Reserve , 22°20'N, 105°25'E, ex. R. paradoxolophus ( V) ( F42601 ), 16 V 1997 , J. Eger, B. Lim and L. Mitchell, wing, ROM-107624 / F42601 A ( ROM); same data except ex. Rhinolophus macrotis Blyth ( V) ( F42613 ), urogenital area, ROM-972530 / F42613 C–D ( MWH) .

Other material examined. Malaysia: Kedah, Kodiang area , ex. Rhinolophus affinis Horsfield (RH-115, RH-131–135), 26 II 1968, (3, urogenital area, ROM-6000 C–D, ROM-6001 , ROM) . Vietnam: Tuyen Quang Province, Gam River tributary, 7 km NE Pac Ban, ex. R. paradoxolophus ( V) ( F38470 ) , 11–13 V 1997, J. Eger, B. Lim and L. Mitchell, [3, urogenital area, ROM-106192 / F38470 D–F, 1 cleared ht/g.a. in alcohol, F38470 G, ROM] ; Tuyen Quang, Province, Na Hang Nature Reserve , ex. R. paradoxolophus ( V) ( F42627 ) , 17–19 V 1997, J. Eger, B. Lim and L. Mitchell, (1, urogenital area, ROM-107647 / F42627 C, ROM) ; Tuyen Quang Province, Na Hang Nature Reserve , 22°20'N, 105°25'E, ex. R. paradoxolophus ( V) ( F42601 ) , 16 V 1997, J. Eger, B. Lim and L. Mitchell, (2 uncleared ht/g.a. in alcohol, wing, ROM-107624 / F42601 B–C, ROM) ; Tuyen Quang Province, Na Hang Nature Reserve , 22°20'N, 105°25'E, ex. R. paradoxolophus ( V) ( F42565 ) , 15 V 1997, J. Eger, B. Lim and L. Mitchell, (3 cleared ht/g.a. in alcohol, urogenital area, ROM- 107591 / F42565 A–C, ROM) ; Tuyen Quang Province, Na Hang Nature Reserve , 22°20'N, 105°25'E, ex. R. paradoxolophus ( V) ( F42597 ) , 16 V 1997, J. Eger, B. Lim and L. Mitchell, (2 cleared ht/g.a. in alcohol, urogenital area, ROM-107621 / F42597 B-C, ROM) ; Tuyen Quang Province, Na Hang Nature Reserve , 22°20'N, 105°25'E, ex. R. paradoxolophus ( V) ( F42651 ) , 17–19 V 1997, J. Eger, B. Lim and L. Mitchell, (1 uncleared partial thorax and g.a. in alcohol, urogenital area, ROM-107669 / F42651 A, ROM). These specimens were excluded from the type series based on their extralimital collection locality (Malaysia) and their condition of preservation (some specimens were received from ROM in fragments and others could be identified only tentatively in alcohol) .

Diagnosis. Distinguished from all other species by the diameter of the terminal spiracles that are less than 25 microns, the presence of only 2 annular rings of setae on genital aperture, and the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the labial theca densely covered with robust pigmented peg-like spiniform setae.

Description. Head ( Figs. 8A–C ). Labial theca short, broad, angulate at posterior lateral margins; dorsal and ventral surfaces densely covered with sharply pointed spiniform setae to include medial areas. Spiniforms on anterior dorsal theca smaller, with canaliculi running postad; sparse slender seta restricted along anterior margin. Ventral theca with slender setae at anterior margin, some distributed postad medially; thin plate extending beyond ventral apex. Four ventral, 6 dorsal, and 4 lateral (2 each side) cheliceral blades. Vinculum broad basally. Anterior margin of frons bifurcate; posterior dorsal margin with medial projection. Arista of antenna finely plumose; first segment with single strong seta. Lateral vertex with clear membranous area at anterior lateral margin; surface with 26–27 alveoli (setae not noted), some with canaliculi. Lateral margins sclerotized. Gena with 42–45 sharp, peg-like spiniform setae, ventral 1/4 without setae; posterior margin sclerotized. Occipital sclerite with two broadly rounded anterior lobes. Thorax ( Figs. 8A , 9A–D ). Scutum lacking setae medially, with 32–35 minute setae laterally. Quadrate depression at posterior medial area of scutum. Scutellum broadly quadrate; two to three setae on each side. Prespiracular group of setae on mesopleuron with 4–5 setae (3–4 spiniform, 1–2 slender); postspiracular group of 3–6 ventral spinforms and dorsal group of 15– 17 slender setae. Dorsal margin of pteropleuron angular; group of 2–3 spiniform setae and dorsal group of 12– 14 setae. Hypopleuron and sternopleuron without setae. Prosternum absent medially, present laterally; without setae. Mesosternum divided by suture. Metasternum with partial suture anteriorly. Both with short, sharp, peglike spiniform setae. Coxa 1 three times as long as wide, with 13–14 sharp spiniform setae, two thin setae at base. Coxa 2 with two to three thin setae. Coxa 3 broader than long, with thin setae on medial and lateral margins. Trochanters 1 and 2 with 7–8 and 4 spiniform setae, respectively, 3 with 3–4 slender setae. Genital Aperture ( Figs. 10F–G ). Spiracles small (15µ, inside diameter). Setae on genital aperture overall extremely minute. Annular rows reduced to three rows (R3, R4, and R5), each difficult to distinguish (presumably R1 and R2 missing). R3 comprised of a few papillae with minute setae, R 4 and R5 with short setae (length 2x or less width of alveoli); R5 all ventral to spiracle #5. DSS of 6 minute setae; MSS of 1 minute seta each side, and VSS with 6 minute setae. Cercus 37µ in diameter; 6–8 short setae (less than diameter of cercus).

Dimensions. Head and thorax: 1141µ (n = 4, range: 1116–1167µ); Labial theca, length: 467µ (n = 9, range: 439–493µ), width: 517µ (n = 9, range: 491–555µ); Genital aperture, diameter: 919µ (n = 8, range: 759–1026µ) ( Table 1).

Etymology. This species is named in honor of the late Rupert L. Wenzel, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, for his significant contributions as a noted North American dipterist and specialist of the families Nycteribiidae and Streblidae .

Remarks. Twenty-four specimens of A. wenzeli were collected from eight R. paradoxolophus examined from Vietnam. With the exception of three dealate females collected from the urogenital area of a single R. affinis from Malaysia, the species appears quite specific to Bourret’s Horseshoe bat, R. paradoxolophus , also from the urogenital area where there is little fur. This is the first record of an Ascodipteron species collected from R. paradoxolophus . In one instance, it was also collected on the same host animal with a single specimen of M. stomalata . Its occurrence on R. affinis in Malaysia was unexpected, since many R. affinis from Vietnam were examined that were negative for A. wenzeli and R. paradoxolophus has been documented neither in northern Kedah State, Malaysia, nor in southern Thailand. Although recorded herein only from Vietnam and Malaysia, it most likely occurs in unison with R. paradoxolophus , which also occurs in Thailand, Laos, and southwest China ( Eger and Fenton 2003). Scanning electron micrographs of this species presented as “ Ascodipteron species A ” in Hastriter et al. (2006) can be compared with digital images ( Figs. 8–9 ).

Figures

FIGURE 8. A–C. Ascodipteron wenzeli sp. nov., ex. R. paradoxolophus, Vietnam. A. Head and thorax, dorsal view (F- 42598, holotype). B. Labial theca, dorsal view (holotype). C. Labial theca, ventral view (F-42566B, paratype). Scale = 200µ.

FIGURE 9. A–D. Ascodipteron wenzeli sp. nov., ex. R. paradoxolophus, Vietnam. A. Sternites, coxae and trochanters (F-38470B, paratype). B. Lateral thorax (F-38470A, paratype). C. Enlargement of mesopleuron and pteropleuron (F- 38470A, paratype). D. Lateral vertex (F-38470C, paratype). Scale A–B = 200µ, C–D = 100µ.

FIGURE 10. A–G. Genital aperture. A. Ascodipteron phyllorhinae (AMNH-5006A, ex. H. diadema, Australia. B. Short, thick setae in R4 and thin setae in R5, A. phyllorhinae (AMNH-5006A). C. Short, thick setae in R1 and R2 (R3 not illustrated are thin setae), A. phyllorhinae (AMNH-5006A). D. Ascodipteron speiserianum (A-103B, lectotype, ex. M. schreibersi, Amboina, Indonesia). E. Five terminal annular rows of setae, A. speiserianum (Leiden-4019A, ex. Miniopterus sp., Java). F. Ascodipteron wenzeli sp. nov. (F-38470A, paratype, ex. R. paradoxolophus, Vietnam). G. Two thin setae in R4 and three thick setae in R3, A. wenzeli sp. nov. (F38470A, paratype).