Rhipidia (Rhipidia) synspilota (Alexander, 1935)

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 : 234-236

Rhipidia (Rhipidia) synspilota (Alexander, 1935)

( Figs. 81–85 )

Limonia (Rhipidia) synspilota Alexander, 1935b: 548 . Type locality: Kaj-Nag range, Kashmir ( India).

Diagnosis. Male antenna with nine bipectinate flagellomeres. Pleuron brownish yellow without conspicuous stripe. Wing pale gray with pale brown gray spots; four spots on costal region large and dark; Sc1 ending near one-fourth length of Rs; basal section of CuA1 proximad of fork of M. Lobe of gonostylus with two rostral spines.

Description. Male. Body length 7.0 mm, wing length 8.0 mm.

Head (fig. 82). Dark brown, dusted with grayish white. Antenna (fig. 83) about 1.8 mm long. Scape and pedicel dark brown, flagellomeres one to eleven grayish white with basal enlargements and branches dark brown, terminal flagellomere dark brown. First flagellomere stout basally; each of flagellomeres two to ten inclusive with two branches which are the longest at sixth flagellomere and nearly twice as long as corresponding flagellomere; eleventh flagellomere with single branch nearly as long as corresponding flagellomere; terminal flagellomere longated, exceeding penultimate. Proboscis and palpus dark brown.

Thorax (fig. 81). Generally brownish yellow, dusted with grayish white. Pronotum brown. Prescutum brownish yellow with a brown median stripe. Scutum brownish yellow to brown. Scutellum and mediotergite brownish yellow. Pleuron brownish yellow. Coxae brownish yellow; trochanters yellow; femora yellow with broad brown subterminal rings; tibiae yellow with tips brown; tarsi yellow to brownish yellow. Hairs on legs yellow to brownish yellow. Wing (fig. 84) pale gray; all cells with pale brown gray spots; four spots on costal region large and dark: 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-fourth 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. 81). Tergites and sternites brownish yellow.

Hypopygium (fig. 85). 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 an apical spine. Lobe of gonostylus large; rostral prolongation small with two spines near tip. Paramere with mesoapical lobe blackened, tip acute.

Female. Body length 7.5 mm, wing length 8.5 mm. Similar to male, but flagellomeres peach-shaped. Abdomen darker. Cercus and hypogynial valve brownish black.

Specimens examined. Holotype male (USNM), India: Kashmir, Kaj-Nag range (2438 m), 1934. V. 26, Hutchinson. One antenna, one wing and hypopygium are mounted on a similarly labeled microscope slide. Three legs are still attached to the body, the remaining three legs are absent. Paratypes two females (one labeled as allotype), same data as holotype, pinned with holotype.

Distribution. China (Tibet); India, Myanmar.

Remarks. For description and illustration of this species, also see Alexander (1935b).

Figures

FIGURES 81 – 84. Rhipidia (Rhipidia) synspilota (Alexander, 1935) (holotype). 81: Habitus of male, lateral view; 82: Head of male, dorsal view; 83: Antenna of male; 84: Wing. Scale bar: 81 = 2.0 mm; 82 = 0.5 mm; 83 = 0.5 mm; 84 = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 85. Rhipidia (Rhipidia) synspilota (Alexander, 1935) (holotype). Hypopygium, dorsal view. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.