Haplusia afrotropica Jaschhof

Jaschhof, Mathias, 2016, A review of world Diallactiini (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae, Winnertziinae), with the description of six new genera and seventeen new species, Zootaxa 4127 (2), pp. 201-244 : 222-223

Haplusia afrotropica Jaschhof sp. nov.

Fig. 10A–D

Diagnosis. This is a mainly dark yellow Haplusia , whose light brown wings have a dark spot on Rs and whose legs are banded. Male genitalic characters are specific to H. afrotropica , as follows (Fig. B). The tegmen, which is strongly sclerotized and tapered towards the apex, has short, ventrally directed processes apically (↓). The short ejaculatory apodeme has a slightly broadened, spatulate apex and a narrow, unsclerotized base. The stout gonostylus is equipped with a long, slender apical tooth, which is straight to slightly bent, possibly depending on the viewing angle (↓). Unnamed species closely related to H. afrotropica occur in the New World ( USA (Maryland), Dominica, Costa Rica). Their male genitalic structures are similar to that of H. afrotropica , but there are slight differences regarding the tegmen, ejaculatory apodeme, and gonostylus. Other interspecific differences concern non-genitalic characters. Females of H. afrotropica are unknown.

Other male characters. Body length 3.2–3.8 mm. Head. Postgenal setae 8–13, loosely clustered. Eye bridge 6 ommatidia long dorsally. Scape and pedicel concolorous with flagellum, scape with 2 setae, pedicel unsetose. Neck of fourth flagellomere (Fig. A) 1.2 times longer than node; node with short hair-like translucent sensilla below the subbasal whorl of setae, dense crenulate whorl medially, microtrichia only basally, very sparse. Palpus (Fig. C) 1.2 times longer than head height, 4 segments, first to third segments with short hair-shaped translucent sensilla, fourth segment longest. Wing length 3.0– 3.2 mm (Fig. D). Length / width 2.7. Rs short, including surrounding membrane darkly pigmented. Legs. Fore- and midlegs: femora dark, tibiae dark at both ends, light in the middle, first tarsomeres dark, second to fifth tarsomeres light. Hindleg: femur dark at both ends, bright in the middle, otherwise as in fore- and midlegs. Genitalia (Fig. B). Gonocoxae: ventral emargination deep, narrow Ushaped, in upper half with fine setae and dense microtrichia along edges; ventral bridge unsetose; medial bridges small; anterior processes of apodemes shorter than distance separating them. Gonostylus 1.5 times longer than wide, slightly tapered towards apex. Parameral apodemes situated at midlength of tegmen, short, directed ventrolaterally.

Etymology. The species epithet refers to the occurrence of this species in the Afrotropical region, where it is the first member known of Haplusia .

Type material. Holotype. Male, Republic of South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, Karkloof Nature Reserve, in mistbelt forest, 1,325 m, 28 Sep.–24 Nov. 2005, Malaise trap, M. Mostovski (in NMSA). Paratypes. 2 males, same data as the holotype (in NMSA).

Figures

FIGURE 10 A – D. Haplusia afrotropica, male. A: Fourth flagellomere, lateral (paratype). B: Genitalia, ventral (holotype). C: Palpus, vestiture omitted except for second segment, lateral (holotype). D: Wing (paratype). Scales for A – C, 0.05 mm, for D, 1.0 mm. Btv = basal transverse vein.