Hemerodromia alphalutea, Plant, Adrian R., 2015

Plant, Adrian R., 2015, Diversity of Hemerodromia Meigen, 1822 (Diptera: Empididae) in Thailand, the tip of a tropical iceberg?, Zootaxa 4039 (1), pp. 1-56 : 10-11

Hemerodromia alphalutea sp. nov.

( Figs 11–13 , 74 )

Diagnosis. A species with scutum and scutellum yellow with mediotergite, laterotergite and metanepisternum on ventral part black. Sct present. Cell bm+dm long. Characteristically elongate pv spines on F1. Male terminalia with complex cercus and epandrium with narrow dorsoapical process bearing long setae.

Description. Male: Body length 2.5 mm; wing length 2.3 mm. Head. Black, dusted greyish; antenna and mouthparts pale whitish yellow, all setae pale; one pair reclinate ocl; postocular setae uniseriate, becoming 2–3 serial below, merging above with 1–2 pairs small vtl hardly distinguishable from fine setulae on vertex and upper occiput; frontal setulae apparently absent. Antenna with postpedicel ~1.8–2.0X long as wide, a few minute outstanding setulae subapically, stylus slightly shorter than postpedicel; scape with distinct fine dorsal seta. Thorax. Dusted greyish. Ground colour yellow with mediotergite, laterotergite and metanepisternum on ventral part black; scutum with vague indications of lateral stripes on posterior 0.4–0.5; prothoracic ‘collar’ yellow, narrowly blackish medially with suture between it and anterior margin of scutum dark; scutellum yellow, sutures at anterior and lateral margins dark. All setae yellowish; minute apart from a pair of distinct sct and one npl. Legs. Whitish yellow. C1 ~1.2X longer than distance between C1 and C2, all setulae minute excepting a few slightly longer apicals and a posterior ciliation of fine proclinate hairs ~0.3X long as limb is deep. F1 ~ 1.2X long as C1, ~ 6X long as wide, evenly inflated, slightly constricted on proximal 0.2; femoral formula ~ 5– 6 /17–19/16–19+1/5–6, denticles black, rows converging apically; spines yellow, pv row with ~3 spines between 0.2 and 0.7 obviously longer than limb is deep, av row shorter, becoming stronger proximally. T1 ~ 0.8X long as F1, evenly curved, ventral face shallowly concave; with one row of ~ 17 sharply pointed spinose setae ventrally; a very small yellow ventroapical spur with distinct erect ventroapical blackish seta arising from near its base; a short ciliation of distinct proclinate hairs dorsally on distal 0.2. Mid and hind legs slender with only small pale setulae, somewhat longer dorsally on distal 0.3 of T3. Wing. Membrane slightly tinged brownish by rather even covering of greyish brown microtrichia but hyaline basally. Veins brownish yellow to brown but whitish near base; cell bm+dm distally and veins R2+3 and R4+5 basally somewhat darker. Marginal setulae pale. R2+3 linear on proximal 0.5, gently curved beyond, joining C ~ 0.6X distance between end of R1 and R4; length of C between ends of R2+3 and R4 ~1.7X long as R4; R4 almost linear, very faintly curved (slightly convex in second submarginal cell, R4); R5 ~ 2.0–2.2X long as R4, almost linear; R4+5 fork distal to M1+2 fork by ~ 0.8–1.1X length of R4. M1 almost linear beyond base, convergent distally with R5; cell bm+dm moderately long, ending distinctly beyond tip of R1. Halter yellowish white. Abdomen. Yellow with tergites 2–6 black. Terminalia. Black. Cercus ( Figs. 11, 12 ) of complex structure; extending slightly beyond epandrium; distally spatulate in lateral view with strong apical setae; a dorsally projected semitransparent subovate process on inner margin near base, bearing close ciliation of fine even-sized hairs at margin; immediately distal to this and originating from beneath it, a small inwardly directed club-shaped process bearing mostly lateroventrally and anteroventrally directed short spines; slightly distal to this a short rod-like process, inwardly directed, with 2 strong bristles apically. Epandrium rather rhomboid with distinct apical setae; a small narrow irregularly shaped lobe dorsoapically bearing long setae ( Fig. 11 ). Hypandrium somewhat bluntly pointed apically in ventral view ( Fig. 13 ); divided ventrobasally, fused ventroapically. Female: Unknown.

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♂, THAILAND: Chiang Mai Province, Doi Phahompok, Doi Phaluang, 1,449 m, 20°1.06'N, 99°9.581'E, 28.xi.–5.xii.2007, MT, P. Wongchai [T6211]( QSBG). PARATYPES: 1♂, same data as holotype, ( QSBG); 1♂, Kamphaeng Phet Province, Mae Wong NP, 1,306 m, 16°5.212'N, 99°6.576'E, 12– 19.xi.2007, C. Piluek & A. Inpuang ( NMWC).

Etymology. The specific epithet is a concatenation of the Latin luteus and the first letter of the Greek alphabet (alpha). It is used as a noun in apposition.

Remarks. This species may be separated from other predominantly yellow species by its characteristically elongate pv spines on F1 and male terminalia with complex cercus and epandrium with narrow dorsoapical process bearing long setae. It is only known from hill evergreen forests at 1,306–1,449 m in Khamphaeng Phet and Chiang Mai provinces in northern Thailand ( Fig. 74 ). All specimens were captured in the cool dry season during November and December.

Figures

FIGURES 11 – 13. Male terminalia of Hemerodromia alphalutea sp. nov. 11, lateral view of terminalia; 12, dorsal view of cerci; 13, ventral view of hypandrium. Abbreviations: cer = cerci, epa = epandrium, hyp = hypandrium.

FIGURES 73 – 81. Distribution of Hemerodromia spp. in Thailand at a resolution of 0.25 ° and symbols sized to 0.5 ° of latitude and longitude. 73, H. acutata Grootaert, Yang & Saigusa; 74, H. alphalutea sp. nov.; 75, H. anisoserrata sp. nov.; 76, H. anomala sp. nov.; 77, H. attenuata sp. nov.; 78, H. betalutea sp. nov.; 79, H. conspecta sp. nov.; 80, H. deltalutea sp. nov.; 81, H. deminuta sp. nov.