Ansifera japonica, Jaschhof, 2009

Jaschhof, Mathias, 2009, Ansifera, a new genus of Campylomyzini with remarkable antennal sensilla (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae: Lestremiinae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 59 (2), pp. 513-526 : 516-518

Ansifera japonica sp. n.

( Fig. 1 A-E)

Diagnosis:

Males are characterized by the very long flagellomere necks ( Fig. 1D ), the thin ejaculatory apodeme that lacks a sclerotized apical extension ( Fig. 1C ), and the acuminate tegmen ( Fig. 1C ). The female, which is the only known example of a female Ansifera , has complex antennal sensilla of an unmistakable outline ( Fig. 1E ).

Description:

Male. Body length: 1.3 mm. Head: Postfrons asetose. Eye bridge 3-4 ommatidia long, shorter laterally than dorsally. Postocular bristles 1-2. Neck of fourth antennal flagellomere much longer than node; node with 1 complete and 1 incomplete crenulate whorl; translucent sensilla looped ( Fig. 1D ). Maxillary palpus long, basal segment slightly swollen, second segment attached subapically on first, apical segment asetose, clearly longer than preceding segment ( Fig. 1A ).

Wing: Fig. 1B . Costal break missing. ApicR1 2.5 times the length of Rs. CuA2 very short. Alar setae absent in basal radial cell and in basal medial, anterior cubital and anal areas.

Preabdomen: Terga 2-5 with single lateral setae, terga 6-8 with few lateral and dorsal setae. Terminalia: Fig. 1C . Ventral emargination of gonocoxites broadly U-shaped, dorsal transverse bridge not projecting beyond ventrobasal margin, the latter not reinforced. Gonostylus subcylindrical, slightly flattened, outer surface setose, inner surface with large microtrichia. Ejaculatory apodeme thin, shorter than tegmen, apical extension weakly membranous. Tegmen slightly tapered toward apex, acuminate apically, covered ventrally by membranous pubescent lobe.

Female. Body length: 1.5 mm. Head: Fourth flagellomere Fig. 1E . Other characters as mentioned in the genus description or identical to those in the male.

Immature stages. Unknown.

Distribution and phenology:

Two specimens, apparently a pair, were Malaise trapped in a deciduous forest on Hokkaido, Japan. No further specimens, either of this or any other Ansifera species , were found in the 340 insect samples studied from all over Japan (cf. JASCHHOF 2000).

Etymology: The name is derived from Japan, where japonica is the only Ansifera species known.

Types: Holotype: Male, Japan, Hokkaido, Sapporo City, Toyohira , in secondary mixed deciduous forest, 29 June-26 July 1999, by Malaise trap, K. FUKUYAMA & M. & C. JASCHHOF (in SDEI) . Paratype: Vemale, same data as the holotype (in SDEI) .

Figures

Fig. 1: Ansifera japonica sp. n. - A: male maxillary palpus, lateral view; - B: male wing, dorsal view - C: male terminalia, ventral view; - D: male fourth antennal flagellomere, lateral view; - E: female fourth antennal flagellomere, lateral view. Length of scale bar = 0.05 mm (for A, C-E) and 0.5 mm (for B).