Pseudacteon reticulatus, Liu & Disney, 2022

Liu, Guang-Chun & Disney, R. Henry L., 2022, Revision of the ant-parasitizing genus Pseudacteon Coquillett (Diptera, Phoridae) from China, Zootaxa 5138 (3), pp. 201-237 : 214-215

7. Pseudacteon reticulatus sp. nov.

( Figs. 9A–F , 24I–J )

Diagnosis. Female. Apical seta longer than maximum width of palpus; fore tarsomere 5 a little longer than fore tarsomere 1; setal palisade 1/2 length of mid tibia; setulae below basal half of hind femur shorter than those of anteroventral row of outer half; tergite VI reduced to narrow anterior strip in middle, but each lateral quarter with 3–4 long setulae at rear margin; sternite VI long and wide, thin in middle, with 3 long setulae each side; dorsum of oviscape with 15 setulae each side, the apical two longer.

Female. Frons ( Fig. 9A ) brown, with 12–16 setulae. Supra-antennal setae as strong as adjacent frontal setae, upper pair being higher on frons than lower fronto-orbital setae. Lower interfrontal seta directly under lower frontoorbital seta. Second row of frontal setae slightly concave, upper interfrontal setae further apart than either is from an upper fronto-orbital seta. Flagellomere 1 brown and subglobose. Palpus pale brown, with 4 long setae, apical one longer than maximum width of palpus. Labrum and labella yellow.

Thorax brown. Scutellum with two pairs of setae, posterior twice length of anterior. Legs brown, fore leg being lighter. Ratios of lengths of fore tarsomeres 0.88: 0.72: 0.64: 0.55: 1, with all five bearing a setal palisade ( Fig. 9C ). Setal palisade terminates more than 1/2 (0.6) along mid tibia ( Fig. 9D ). Setae below basal half of hind femur a little shorter than those of anteroventral row of outer half ( Fig. 9E ). Wing ( Fig. 9B ) length 1.06–1.07 mm, width 0.55–0.56 mm, width/length 0.52. Costal index 0.45–0.46. Costal ratios 1.10: 1. Costal cilia 0.045–0.047 mm long. Costa with 13–14 dorsal setulae. Alula with 3 setae. Veins brown, membrane brownish gray. Haltere brown.

Abdominal tergites brown and tergites 1–5 with sparse minute setulae on posterior margins. Tergite VI ( Fig. 24I ) reduced to a narrow anterior strip in middle but each lateral quarter bears 3–4 long setulae at rear margin. Venter brown. Sternite VI ( Fig. 24J ) long and wide, thin in middle, with 3 long setulae each side. Oviscape brown. The dorsum of the oviscape with about 14 minute setulae each side, apical two longer ( Fig. 9F ).

Male. unknown.

Distribution. China (Liaoning).

Etymology. The species epithet refers to the characters of the apex of oviscape.

Specimens examined. Holotype. ♀, Liaoning, Fushun, Mt. Houshi (41°56′52.03″N, 124°24′25.5″E), 15-Jun-2015, Zhiqiang Cheng . Paratype. 1♀, same data as for holotype .

Remarks. The new species is similar to P. botulpalpatus Disney et Michailovskaya, 2000 , it is distinguished from the latter by less frontal setulae, longer wing vein costa and second costal section, and the shape of abdominal sternite VI.

Figures

FIGURES 9A–F. Pseudacteon reticulatus sp. nov., female. A. head, anterior view; B. wing, dorsal view; C. fore tarsus, posterior view; D. mid tibia, posterior view; E. hind femur, anterior view; F. ovipositor, dorsal view. Scale bar = 0.1mm.

FIGURES 24A–J. Tergite VI and sternite VI of females.A–B. P. quadrisetalis Liu et Cai; C–D. P. trapeziformis Zhang et Liu; E–F. P. inticlinatus sp. nov.; G–H. P. setipalpatus Disney et Michailovskaya; I–J. P. reticulatus sp. nov. Scale bar = 0.1mm.