Rhipidia (Rhipidia) spinosa, Zhang, Xiao, Li, Yan & Yang, Ding, 2014

Zhang, Xiao, Li, Yan & Yang, Ding, 2014, A review of the genus Rhipidia Meigen from China, with descriptions of seven new species (Diptera, Limoniidae), Zootaxa 3764 (3), pp. 201-239 : 232-233

Rhipidia (Rhipidia) spinosa sp. nov.

( Figs. 75–80 )

Diagnosis. Male antenna with seven bipectinate flagellomeres. Pleuron brown with a indistinct brownish black longitudinal stripe. Wing pale gray with pale brown gray spots; four spots on costal region large and dark; Sc1 ending near one-third length of Rs; basal section of CuA1 proximad of fork of M. Lobe of gonostylus with seven or eight rostral spines.

Description. Male. Body length 6.0 mm, wing length 7.0 mm.

Head (fig. 76). Brownish black, dusted with grayish white. Hairs on head brown. Antenna 1.6 mm long. Scape and pedicel brown, flagellomeres one to eleven pale yellow with basal enlargements and branches brown, remaining flagellomeres brown. First flagellomere stout basally; each of flagellomeres two to eight inclusive with two branches which are the longest at fourth or fifth flagellomere and one-half longer than corresponding flagellomere; flagellomeres nine to eleven with single branches (longest at ninth flagellomere and nearly as long as corresponding flagellomere); terminal flagellomere longated, exceeding penultimate. Labellum and palpus brown with brown hairs.

Thorax (fig. 75). Generally brown, dusted with grayish white. Pronotum and prescutum brown. Scutum brown, middle area paler, each lobe with pale yellow spot. Scutellum and mediotergite brown. Pleuron brown with a indistinct brownish black longitudinal stripe extending from cervical region to base of abdomen. Hairs on thorax white. Coxae brownish yellow; trochanters pale yellow; femora and tibiae brownish yellow with tips darker; tarsi brownish yellow. Hairs on legs brown. Wing (fig. 77) pale gray; all cells with pale brown gray spots; four spots on costal region large and dark: spot over basal of cell Sc, over middle area of cell Sc, over fork of Sc and origin of Rs, and over R2 and tip of R1; veins pale yellow, darker in clouded areas. Venation: Sc1 ending near one-third length of Rs, Sc2 near its tip; basal section of CuA1 proximad of fork of M. Halter 0.8 mm long, white with knob slightly darker.

Abdomen (fig. 75). Tergites and sternites brown to brownish yellow. Hairs on abdomen white.

Hypopygium (figs. 78–80). Posterior margin of tergite nine gently emarginate. Gonocoxite with a single simple ventromesal lobe. Clasper of gonostylus arched at 2/3 length, suddenly narrowed to apical spine. Lobe of gonostylus large; rostral prolongation small with seven or eight spines immediately beyond midlength, lengths of spines very unequal, the longest one about three times as long as the shortest. Paramere with mesoapical lobe blackened, tip acute.

Female. Body length 6.5 mm, wing length 7.3 mm. Similar to male, but flagellomeres peach-shaped. Cercus and hypogynial valve yellow.

Type material. Holotype male ( CAU), China: Tibet, Linzhi, Bayizhen, Gadinggou, 2011. VIII. 1, Lihua Wang. Paratypes: 1 female ( CAU), China: Tibet, Linzhi, 2012. IX; 2 males 3 females ( CAU), China: Tibet, Lulang, 3800m, 2009. IX. 12, Sheng Maoling.

Distribution. China (Tibet).

Etymology. The specific epithet is an adjective and refers to the more spines on rostral prolongation than that in most other species (form Latin spinosus meaning “spinous”).

Remarks. This new species is somewhat similar to R. (R.) maculata Meigen, 1818 and R. (R.) synspilota (Alexander, 1935) from India in having a similar clouds of wing, but it can be easily distinguished from them by the male antenna with seven bipectinate flagellomeres (fig. 76), Sc1 ending near one-third length of Rs (fig. 77), and male hypopygium with seven or eight very unequal rostral spines (figs. 78–80). In R. (R.) maculata , the male antenna has nine bipectinate flagellomeres (fig. 47), Sc1 ends just distad of origin of Rs (fig. 48), and the male hypopygium has six rostral spines (figs. 49–51). In R. (R.) synspilota , the male antenna also has nine bipectinate flagellomeres (fig. 83), Sc1 ends near one-fourth length of Rs (fig. 84), and the male hypopygium has only two rostral spines (fig. 85).

Figures

FIGURES 75 – 77. Rhipidia (Rhipidia) spinosa sp. nov. 75: Habitus of male, lateral view; 76: Head of male, lateral view; 77: Wing. Scale bar: 75 = 2.0 mm; 76 = 0.5 mm; 77 = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 78 – 80. Rhipidia (Rhipidia) spinosa sp. nov. 78: Hypopygium, lateral view; 79: Hypopygium, dorsal view; 80: Hypopygium, ventral view. Scale bar: 78 – 80 = 0.2 mm.