Antocha ( Antocha ) turkestanica de Meijere, 1921

Qiao, Xue, Wang, Xue, Yang, Ding & Ren, Jinlong, 2025, New records and a new species of the subgenus Antocha (Antocha) Osten Sacken, 1860 (Diptera, Limoniidae) from Northwest China, ZooKeys 1256, pp. 179-194 : 179-194

Antocha ( Antocha) turkestanica de Meijere

Figs 7 , 8 , 9

Antocha turkestanica de Meijere, 1921: 107; Antocha libitina Alexander, 1960: 159 (synonym); Taphrophila afghana Nielsen, 1962: 167 (synonym).

Material examined.

China – Xinjiang U. A. R. • 7 ♂♂; Gongliu, Kuerdening ; 1140 m a. s. l.; 43.2549°N, 82.8250°E; 26 Jul. 2017, J. L. Ren leg.; Cau • 1 ♂; Zhaosu, Qiongbola ; 1815 m a. s. l.; 43.4399°N, 81.0098°E; 30 Jul. 2017, B. Zhang leg.; Cau • 10 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; Wenquan, Heba ; 1300 m a. s. l.; 44.9799°N, 81.0354°E; 31 Jul. 2017, J. L. Ren leg.; Cau • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Yumin, 165 Regiment ; 902 m a. s. l.; 46.8478°N, 86.7853°E; 2 Aug. 2017, J. L. Ren leg.; Cau • 10 ♂♂; Yumin, Tasi river ; 987 m a. s. l.; 48.6602°N, 86.7895°E; 3 Aug. 2017, B. Zhang leg.; Cau • 2 ♂♂; Zhaosu, Balekesu ; 1634 m a. s. l.; 43.0478°N, 81.2450°E; 24 Jul. 2024, J. L. Ren leg.; light trap; XJAU • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Tekesi, Tekesi ; 2037 m a. s. l.; 42.9149°N, 82.1894°E; 27 Jul. 2024, J. L. Ren leg.; light trap; XJAU • 30 ♂♂, 9 ♀♀; Gongliu, Qiaxisenlin ; 1680 m a. s. l.; 43.0582°N, 82.7471°E; 27 Jul. 2024, J. L. Ren leg.; light trap; XJAU • 50 ♂♂, 23 ♀♀; Gongliu, Qiaxisenlin ; 2026 m a. s. l.; 43.0590°N, 82.5981°E; 28 Jul. 2024, X. Qiao leg.; XJAU .

Diagnosis.

Body dark brown. Antenna long, reaching wing base if bent backward. Prescutum and presutural scutum with four dark-brown stripes, central stripes divided 3 / 4 posteriorly; mediotergite dark brown, without grain. Wing pale gray, without stigma; vein CuA brown, wider and darker than other veins; crossvein m-cu almost connected to M fork. Tergite 9 with Y-shaped depression at middle, divided into two lobes, posterolateral margin with round projection; outer gonostylus strongly curved, base yellow, distal 2 / 3 blackened, apex slightly bifid. Aedeagus apically bifid; inner branch of paramere dark brown, base darker; interbase a narrow, apically blunt lobe.

Description.

Male. Body length 6.11–6.38 mm, wing length 6.57–6.89 mm, antenna length 0.83–0.99 mm ( N = 115).

Head (Fig. 7 a, b ). Mostly brown. Vertex dark brown. Antenna light brown, 16 - segmented, reaching wing base if bent backward; scape cylindrical; pedicel narrower at base, brown distal margin; flagellomeres oval, distal segments elongated cylindrical, with erect sparse setae and pale tips (Fig. 7 a, b ).

Thorax (Fig. 7 a, c ). Mostly brown. Pronotum brown, large dark-brown spot in middle. Prescutum and presutural scutum brown, with four dark brown stripes; central stripes divided 3 / 4 posteriorly, with pale-brown seam; mediotergite dark brown, without grain. Postsutural scutum brown, middle and posterior margin lighter in color. Scutellum brown with dark-brown lateral margin. Mediotergite dark brown (Fig. 7 c ). Legs with fore-coxae dark brown; mid-coxae and hind-coxae lighter; trochanters pale brown; femora pale brown, slightly swollen distally; tibiae pale brown, brown apices; tarsi brown, pale brown at base of first tarsi (Fig. 7 a, e ). Wing pale gray, without stigma; vein CuA brown, wider and darker than other veins; crossvein m-cu almost connected to M fork (Fig. 7 d ). Halter pale brown, subhyaline; knob pale brown (Fig. 7 a ).

Abdomen (Fig. 7 a ). Mostly brown. Sternites 7–8 with dark brown stripe in middle. Abdominal setae black.

Hypopygium (Figs 6 , 7e ). Mostly brown. Tergite 9 with Y-shaped depression at middle, divided into two lobes, posterior margin with round projection on each side (Fig. 8 a ). Gonocoxite cylindrical, inner margin concave (Fig. 8 ). Outer gonostylus strongly curved, base yellow, distal 2 / 3 blackened, apex slightly bifid. Inner gonostylus fleshy, slightly broader than outer gonostylus, with sparse, yellow setae, blunt apex. Aedeagal complex with parameres fused apically, forming flattened arch, base of paramere clover-shaped, with a gradual taper at apex (Figs 7 f , 8 a ). Inner branch of paramere gradually tapering from the middle to the apex, dark brown, base darker. Interbase a narrow, elongated, apically acute lobe. Aedeagus bifid at apex.

Female. Body length 6.86–7.89 mm, wing length 7.94–8.61 mm, antenna length 1.24–1.33 mm ( N = 37). Resembles male in head and wing.

Ovipositor (Fig. 7 g ). Tergite 10 yellow, with brown spot. Cercus long, narrow, apex slightly raised and tapering. Hypogynial valvae, straight, yellow, reaching about 2 / 3 of cercus.

Elevation range in China.

Adults were collected at altitudes ranging from 900 m to 2100 m.

Period of activity.

Adults were collected in July and August.

Biology.

The adults of this species exhibit phototaxis and gregarious behavior (Fig. 9 ). They typically inhabit areas near flowing streams and rest on rocks adjacent to the water surface during the daytime.

Distribution.

Afghanistan, China ( Xinjiang: Yumin, Gongliu, Tekesi, Wenquan, Yumin, Zhaosu), Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan.

Remark.

This is the first report of this species from China.

Figures

Figure 6. Antocha (Antocha) chonsaniana. A. Male hypopygium, dorsal view; B. Male hypopygium, ventral view. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.

Figure 7. Antocha (Antocha) turkestanica. A. Habitus of male, lateral view; B. Male head, lateral view; C. Male thorax, dorsal view; D. Right wing; E. Male leg, lateral view; F. Aedeagal complex, dorsal view; G. Female ovipositor, lateral view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm (A, E); 0.5 mm (D); 0.2 mm (B, C, G); 0.05 mm (F).

Figure 8. Antocha (Antocha) turkestanica. A. Male hypopygium, dorsal view; B. Male hypopygium, ventral view. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.

Figure 9. The habitat of Antocha (Antocha) turkestanica, Qiaxisenlin, Gongliu, Xinjiang, China on 28 July 2024.