Triphleba simovi, Langourov & ., 2020

Langourov, Mario & ., 2020, A new species of Triphleba Rondani (Diptera: Phoridae) from Kyrgyzstan with some other scuttle flies from the region, Ecologica Montenegrina 29 (2020), pp. 34-39 : 35-37

Triphleba simovi n. sp.

(Figs 1-8)

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9105D183-1313-4CCC-90EF-1ADBD83EB75D

Diagnosis. In the keys to Palaearctic species ( Schmitz, 1943) males runs to couplet 20, lead 1 to T. dudai ( Schmitz, 1918) on page 139 and females to couplet 19 at the same page. The males clearly differ on the hypopygium (Figs 3-4) and the females – on the sternite 7 ( Fig. 7 ), plus in both sexesof the new species costa thickens apically (C2 and C3).

Male. A brown species. Head dark brown. Frons brown, little broader than long (1.2:1), with about sixteen hairs and dense, very fine, microsetae. Supra-antennals less than half length of antials. Anterolateral bristles a little higher on frons than antials. Pre-ocellars slightly lower on frons than mediolaterals and all four bristles about equidistant. Antenna: postpedicel brown, rounded; arista subapical, short pubescent. Palps brown, with about 5-6 bristles, apical one longer and stronger. Thorax brown. 3 notopleurals (Fig. 1). Scutellum with a single pair of long bristles only. Wing brownish, veins brown (Fig. 2). Costa thickens apically (sections 2 and 3 of costa - C2 and C3). Sc reaches vein 1. Vein 2 complete. One hair at base of R4+5. Anal vein short, not reaching wing margin. A single axillary bristle. Haltere brown. Costal index = 0.45, costal ratios = 1.8:0.8:1. Legs brown, fore tibia with 1 short anterodorsal proximal bristle, mid tibia with 2 proximal bristles (anterodorsal one twice long than posterodorsal), hind tibia with 1 anterodorsal proximal bristle. Abdomen brown, tergites with short hairs. Venter brownish.

Hypopygium (Figs 3-4): left epandrial process (Fig. 3) large, elongated, pointed apically, haired with 3 stronger hairs near the base; right epandrial process (Fig. 4) about twice shorter, haired. Body length 1.5- 1.8 mm.

Female. Head similar to male, but the labrum is slightly larger ( Fig. 5 ). Thorax as male ( Fig. 6 ). Abdominal tergites brown with short hairs. Venter paler brown with hairs below on segments 3-6 near the rear margin and on flanks, especially on segments 4-5. Sternite 7 as Fig. 7 . Legs similar to male. Wing as Fig. 8 , similar to male. Haltere brown. Costal index = 0.46, costal ratios = 1.5:0.8:1. Body length 3.0- 3.2 mm.

Material examined. Holotype female, Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyz Republic), Tien Shan Mts , Kakshaal-Too Range, Kok-Kyya River Valley, 40.883444N, 76.532944E, 3050 m, 17 August 2010, high-mountain grass society near a river, N. Simov . Paratypes (same collector): male, Tien Shan Mts , Kakshaal-Too Range, above Kok-Kyya River Valley, 40.804750N, 76.471861E, 3600 m, 16 August 2010, high-mountain grass society/rocks ; 2 males, 1 female, Tien Shan Mts , Kakshaal-Too Range , Kol-Suu Lake, 40.704694N, 76.389389E, 3500 m, 15 August 2010, high-mountain grass society. All the material deposited in the author’s collection in the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia .

Etymology. Named after the Bulgarian entomologist Dr Nikolay Simov who collected the material.

Habitat. The type specimens were collected from high-mountain grass societies (above 3000 m: Figs 9-10 ).

Distribution. Known only from its type locality, the Tien Shan Mts, Kakshaal-Too Range, At-Bashi District, Kyrgyz Republic. It is likely that this species can also be found in surrounding areas of the mountain.

Figures

Figures 5-8. Triphleba simovi sp. n. female: 5: general view; 6: head and thorax; 7: sternite 7; 8: wing.

Figures 9-10. Pictures of habitats. 9: Tien Shan Mts, Kakshaal-Too Range, above Kok-Kyya River Valley, 40.804750N, 76.471861E, 3600 m, 16 August 2010, high-mountain grass society/rocks. Photo by N. Simov; 10: Tien Shan Mts, Kakshaal-Too Range, near Kol-Suu Lake, 40.704694N, 76.389389E, 3500 m, 15 August 2010, highmountain grass society. Photo by N. Simov.