Elaphropeza asquamata, 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 asquamata sp. nov.

( Figs 30–32 )

ETYMOLOGY. The specific epithet refers to the absence of squamiform bristles on the abdominal tergites.

TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype ♂: D. R. Congo, Yangambi , 13 June 2012, mixed primary forest MIX3 (reg. 32036, leg. P. Grootaert as EC24).

Paratypes: 2♀, same provenance as holotype; 1♀, Yangambi , 7 June 2012, mixed primary forest MIX3 (reg. 32004) ; 1♀, 7 June 2012 (reg. 32004) as EC21 mid leg in tray Congo 2 at position A4 with barcode AB42405537 extracted for DNA ; 1♀, Yangambi , 7 June 2012 (reg. 32004) as EC 24 in tray Congo 2 at position A7 with barcode AB42405543 ; 1♂, Yangambi , 9 June 2012, mixed primary forest near WWF (reg. 32010, leg. P. Grootaert as EC24 mid leg in tray Congo 2 at position D1with barcode AB42405534 extracted for DNA; 1♂, Yangambi, 8 June 2012 (reg. 32007) as EC 24 in tray Congo 2 at position F6 with barcode AB42405551 extracted for DNA. The genetic variation between the four specimens was very low.

DIAGNOSIS. A small species of E. ephippiata group. Thorax yellow but scutellum, postnotum and meron brown. Hind tibia with 1 anterodorsal bristle. No squamiform setae on abdominal tergites.

DESCRIPTION. Male. Occiput entirely black, finely pollinose (including vertex); with yellowish brown to yellow setation; inner verticals long inclinate, outer verticals short. Anterior ocellars long proclinate and cruciate, posterior ocellars short. Frons shining, rather narrow, above antennae nearly as broad as anterior ocellus. Antenna with scape and pedicel yellow, postpedicel and stylus brown; pedicel with circlet of subequally short setulae; postpedicel subtriangular, short, nearly 2.5 times (2.3 in holotype) longer than wide; stylus with short pubescence, long, nearly 4.0 times longer than postpedicel, about 2.5 times as long as scape, pedicel and postpedicel combined. Proboscis brownish yellow, labrum brown apically. Palpus yellow, small, rounded, bearing scattered dark setulae, subapical seta thin, moderately long.

Thorax almost entirely yellow, scutellum, postnotum and meron (= hypopleuron) (except lower part) brown; longer setae brown. Prothoracic episterna without long upturned seta just above fore coxa. Postpronotal seta not prominent. Mesonotum with 2 long notopleurals, 1 postsutural supra­alar, 1 short postalar and 4 scutellars (apical pair long, cruciate; lateral pair very short); acrostichals arranged in 2 irregular rows, broadly spaced rows, short, lacking on prescutellar depression; dorsocentrals arranged in 1–2 rows, short, 2 pairs of long prescutellars.

Legs long, slender, entirely yellow. Coxae and trochanters with ordinary setae. Fore femur with rows of anteroventral and somewhat longer posteroventral setulae, 1 long seta near base, and short subapical seta anteriorly. Fore tibia lacking prominent setae (except circlet of subapicals). Mid femur slender, with rows of dark spinule­like anteroventral and posteroventral setae, 1 long seta near base and 1 long subapical seta anteriorly. Mid tibia without black ventral spinules, lacking prominent setae (except subapicals). Hind femur with short anteroventrals and 3 short erect dorsal setae near base. Hind tibia with 1 anterodorsal seta near middle; apical projection rather small, rounded, brownish yellow. Tarsi of all legs unmodified.

Wing normally developed, finely uniformly infuscate; crossveins r­m, bm­cu and basal section of M pale. Costal vein with rather short setulae along anterior margin. Costal seta moderately long, brownish. Costal index: 49/23/38. Vein Rs somewhat longer than crossvein bm­cu. R 1 of uniform thickness throughout. Vein R 2+3 evenly bowed. Veins R 4+5 and M 1+2 divergent near wing apex, both almost straight. Crossvein bm­cu somewhat oblique. Crossvein r­m before middle of cell bm. Squama brownish black, with brown setae. Halter darkened.

Abdomen. Tergite 1 represented by two very narrow, lateral stripes; tergites 2–3 broadly divided dorsally, represented by lateral subtriangular brownish marks, with ordinary short setae tergites 4–7 of subequal width, with ordinary setae; tergites 4 and 5 brownish, without squamiform setae; tergites 6–7 yellow, weaker sclerotised, tergite 7 with moderately long posteromarginal setae. Gland­like structures absent. Terminalia ( Figs 30–32 ) moderately large, left surstylus brown, right epandrial lamella yellowish brown, otherwise yellow. Cerci entirely fused forming short broad lobe bearing ordinary setae (more numerous on left side); Epandrium completely divided. Right epandrial lamella rather elongate ovate, with numerous ordinary setae longer along ventral margin; right surstylus not prominent. Left epandrial lamella fused to hypandrium, with 3 moderately long setae apically; left surstylus rather large, elongate ovate, attenuated apically, with numerous short ordinary setae on apical part. Two rod­shaped apodemes.

Length (mm). Wing 2.3.

Female. Similar to male, but all tergites brownish. Segment 8 with separated sclerites. Cercus small, rounded, brownish yellow.

COMPARISON. Elaphropeza asquamata sp. nov. should be compared only with E. monoseta Grootaert & Shamshev, 2013 . The latter species has however squamiform setae on tergites 4 and 5 and a brown triangular mark on each side of the scutum. In E. asquamata sp. nov. abdominal tergites 4 and 5 bear squamiform setae and the scutum is completely yellow.

DISTRIBUTION. D. R. Congo.

Figures

Figs 30–32. Elaphropeza asquamata sp. nov. holotype male, 30. Right epandrial lamella, lateral view; 31. Terminalia, dorsal view; 32. Left surstylus, lateral view.