Elaphropeza aseta, Grootaert & Shamshev, 2014

Grootaert, Patrick & Shamshev, Igor, 2014, New Tachydromiinae (Diptera: Empidoidea: Hybotidae) from different types of forests along the Congo river (D. R. of the Congo), Belgian Journal of Entomology 18, pp. 1-34 : 1-34

Elaphropeza aseta sp. nov.

( Figs 27–29 )

ETYMOLOGY. The specific epithet refers to the absence of anterodorsal setae on the hind tibia.

TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype, ♂: D. R. CONGO, Yangambi , 11 June 2012, mixed primary forest near administration building IFA (reg. 32023, leg. P. Grootaert, MS reference “near EC23”) ( RBINS).

DIAGNOSIS. A small black species of the E. ephippiata group; postpedicel long, almost 4 times as long as wide. Legs almost entirely yellow, only tarsomere 5 brown; hind tibia without anterodorsal setae.

DESCRIPTION.

Male. Occiput entirely black, subshining; with yellowish setation; inner verticals long inclinate, outer verticals short. Anterior ocellars long proclinate and cruciate, posterior ocellars short. Frons shining, narrow, above antennae narrower than anterior ocellus. Antenna with scape and pedicel yellow, postpedicel and stylus brown; pedicel with circlet of subequally short setulae; postpedicel subtriangular, long, nearly 4.0 times longer than wide; stylus with longer pubescence basally, otherwise short pubescent, nearly 1.5 times longer than postpedicel, about as long as scape, pedicel and postpedicel combined. Proboscis yellowish brown. Palpus pale yellow, small, rounded, bearing scattered pale setulae.

Thorax entirely black; longer setae yellow. Postpronotal seta not prominent. Mesonotum with 2 long notopleurals, 1 short postalar and 4 scutellars (apical pair long, cruciate; lateral pair very short); acrostichals and dorsocentrals undifferentiated, scutum entirely covered with uniform setulae, 1 pair of long prescutellars (nearly as long as notopleurals).

Legs quite robust, almost entirely yellow, only tarsomere 5 of all legs brown. Coxae and trochanters with ordinary setae. Fore femur thickened, with rows of minute anteroventral and posteroventral setae, 1 long seta near base, and short subapical seta anteriorly. Fore tibia lacking prominent setae (except circlet of short subapicals). Mid femur slender, with rows of anteroventral and posteroventral setulae, 3 moderately long anteroventral subapicals, and 1 long seta near base. Mid tibia covered with ordinary setulae ventrally, lacking prominent setae (except subapicals). Hind femur and tibia somewhat thickened. Hind femur with short anteroventrals, near base bearing 5–6 brownish yellow ventral spinule­like setae and 3 short erect dorsal setae. Hind tibia without anterodorsal setae; apical projection rather small, rounded, brownish yellow. Tarsi of all legs unmodified.

Wing normally developed, finely uniformly infuscate. Costal vein with moderately long setulae along anterior margin. Costal seta moderately long, brownish. Costal index: 29/16/28. Vein Rs longer than crossvein bm­cu. R 1 of uniform thickness throughout. Vein R 2+3 rather strongly bowed. Veins R 4+5 and M 1+2 somewhat divergent near wing apex, both slightly bowed. Crossvein bm­cu perpendicular. Crossvein r­m near middle of cell bm. Halter darkened.

Abdomen. Tergite 1 represented by very small narrow lateral stripes; tergite 2 broadly concave anteriorly, with unmodified short setae, subtriangular viewed laterally; tergite 3 somewhat broader than tergite 2, with scattered squamiform and more numerous ordinary setae; tergite 4 broadest, with squamiform setae; tergite 5 very narrow, with squamiform setae; tergites 6 and 7 with unmodified short setae. Sternite 3 deeply concave posteriorly, sternites 4–5 divided medially. Gland­like structures present between tergites 4–5, plate­like. Terminalia ( Figs 27–29 ) large, brown. Cerci separated; right cercus digitiform, moderately long, with short projection on apical part, bearing ordinary setae (2 subapicals longer); left cercus nearly as long as right cercus, digitiform, with ordinary setae. Epandrium completely divided. Right epandrial lamella rather subglobular, with numerous ordinary setae; right surstylus digitiform (dorsal view), with numerous short ordinary setae. Left epandrial lamella fused to hypandrium, with 4 moderately long setae apically; left surstylus moderately large, rather subtriangular, broad at base, with numerous ordinary setae. Two rod­shaped apodemes.

Length (mm). Body 1.6, wing 1.5.

Female unknown.

COMPARISON. The new species is similar to E. pulchra sp. nov. described below. The main differences between these species have been noted in the key.

DISTRIBUTION. D. R. Congo.

Figures

Figs 27–29. Elaphropeza aseta sp. nov., 27. Right epandrial lamella and right surstylus, lateral view; 28 Terminalia, dorsal view; 29. Left surstylus, lateral view.