Achelipoda kharkhema, Plant, Adrian R., 2009

Plant, Adrian R., 2009, Revision of the east Asian genus Achelipoda Yang, Zhang & Zhang, 2007 (Diptera: Empididae: Hemerodromiinae) including designation of a neotype for Achelipoda pictipennis (Bezzi, 1912) and descriptions of six new species, Zootaxa 2020, pp. 37-50 : 42-43

2. Achelipoda kharkhema , sp.n.

[ Fig. 1 ]

Type material. Holotype 3: Thailand, Phetchaburi, Kaeng Krachan NP, Phanoen Thung subst’n, 27.vi.2008, 12°49’25’’N, 99°21’54’’E, c 660 m, TIGER Project leg. [ QSBG]. Paratype Ƥ: Chiang Mai, Doi Inthanon NP, campground pond, 18°32.657'N 98°31.482'E, 1200 m, Malaise trap (site code T379), 26.x–2.xi.2006, Y. Areeluck leg. [ QSBG]. Holotype deposited in QSBG.

Etymology. The specific epithet derives from the Thai ‘khar’ meaning ‘leg’ and ‘khem’ meaning ‘needle’ and refers to the strong needle-like spines on the fore femora.

Diagnosis. A black species with wings blackish (only tip paler) and vein CuA2 ending abruptly well before the wing margin. Male with hind coxa inflated and distinctive genitalia. Female with hind coxa somewhat inflated, hind tibia slender and without posteroapical spur.

Description. Male: length 2.5 mm.

Head: black with conspicuous whitish dusting, especially on face above mouth; all setae dark and short but pile on lower occiput pale. Antenna dark brown; postpedicel 3X as long as wide, gradually narrowing apically, stylus 2X as long. Proboscis shining black, palpus dark.

Thorax: black with whitish dusting. Dorsocentral setae minute becoming slightly longer behind; sa distinct, black; npl apparently absent. Scutellar setae small and fine. Laterotergite with a few minute setulae.

Legs: blackish but rather yellowish brown on C1, F1, T1, C2 and on mid and hind trochanters. C1 as long as thorax, a line of small setae anteriorly becoming longer distally. C3 rather inflated, ovate, of same length as C2 but distinctly broader. F1 inflated ventrally, longest 0.15 from base, femoral formula approximately 1/24/18 /2 +1 (distal spines of av and pv series completely undeveloped). F2 slightly inflated about middle.

Abdomen: blackish, paler laterally, bare apart from a few minute setulae on sternites 6 and 7. Hypandrium + epandrium about as long as high in lateral view, rather transparent whitish through which the dark grey internal structure is visible and with an external more strongly sclerotized irregularly ovate dark area laterally, the same colour as pre-genital segments. Cercus very narrow and deep black posteriorly, becoming wider and paler anteriorly with median lobe bearing a single strong setae and anterior lobe apically widened, bearing several small but distinct setae. Subepandrial process black, narrow basally, broadened apically with a sharply upturned tip. Phallus strongly reflexed forwards, very narrow, yellow.

Wing: with blackish veins. Membrane blackish with only apex paler. Vein Sc extremely weak apically, hardly reaching costa. Crossveins closing cells bm and br not strictly linearly aligned, cell br slightly longer than bm. Vein CuA2 terminated abruptly well before wing margin.

Description. Female: Differing from male as follows.

Head: antenna with postpedicel rather more abruptly narrowed 0.3 from base, stylus 1.5X as long as postpedicel.

Legs: yellowish brown with apical tarsomeres darker. Femoral formula approximately 1/19/18 /2 +1. C3 less broad than in male but still noticeably broader than C2. T3 simple, lacking posteroapical spur.

Abdomen: brownish, terminalia darker.

Wing: with crossvein closing cells bm and br more strictly aligned, cell br equal to cell bm; vein CuA2 longer than in male but not reaching wing margin.

Comment. Achelipoda kharkhema is known from a moist forest biotope in the Tenasserim Mountains near the Thai – Burma ( Myanmar) border in western Thailand’s Petchaburi Province at the start of the wet season in late May and from near a small pond in a disturbed area on the mid slopes of the mountain Doi Inthanon, in Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand. Doi Inthanon is located in the Thanon Thongchai Range, a northern offshoot of the Tenasserim Mountains and it is possible that A. kharkhema may prove to have a distribution centred along the north-south axial mountains along the Thai – Burma border.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. 3 genitalia of Achelipoda spp., lateral view. 1. Achelipoda kharkhema sp. n. 2. Achelipoda kanaklua sp. n. 3. Achelipoda pictipennis (Bezzi). 4. Achelipoda subobscura sp. n. Abbreviations: cal, anterior lobe of cercus; cml, median lobe of cercus; ej apod, ejaculatory apodeme; go apod, gonocoxal apodeme; ph, phallus; subep, subepandrial process.