Stupkaiella robinsoni Curler

Curler, Gregory R. & Moulton, John K., 2010, Contributions to Nearctic Stupkaiella Vaillant (Diptera: Psychodidae), Zootaxa 2397, pp. 48-60 : 55

Stupkaiella robinsoni Curler sp. nov.

( Figs. 12–15 )

Diagnosis. Adult: Male eye bridge with 5 facet rows, divided by width of 3.5 facet diameters. Interocular suture inverted U-shaped. Labellum as wide as clypeus. Scape three times longer than wide; flagellomere I with 6 spines. Male terminalia: gonocoxites with conspicuously quadrate margin dorsomedially; gonostyli with rami of equal length; hypandrium extended posteriorly, visor-like; paramere membranous, forming sheath around aedeagus. Female terminalia: hypovalvae with lateral margins convex, posterior margin straight.

Description. Adult Male ( Figs. 12–14 ): Measurements, (N = 5) head width 0.49 mm, head length 0.51 mm (0.50–0.51), wing length 3.08 mm, wing width 1.15 mm, palpomere proportion: 1–1.8–1.9–2.6. Eye bridge with 5 facet rows, divided by width of 3.5 facet diameters. Frontal scar patch as wide as frons anteriorly, slightly constricted posteriorly, extending between eyes, interrupted by interocular suture. Interocular suture inverted U-shaped. Antennae: scape three times longer than wide; flagellomere I with 6 spines inserted dorsally; ascoids present on flagellomeres III–X at least (flagellomeres XI–XIV missing). Mouthparts not extending beyond basal palpomere, labellum as wide as clypeus. Wing: medial fork arising slightly basal to medial fork, both arising basal to apex of CuA2. Terminalia: hypandrium extended posteriorly, visor-like; epandrium rectangular, about ½ as long as wide; gonocoxites strongly rotundate laterally, with conspicuously quadrate margin dorsomedially, with few setiform sensilla inserted posteromedially; gonostyles with rami slightly sinuous, of equal length; aedeagus with basiphallus slightly dorsoventrally compressed basally, bifurcate apically, distiphallus composed of paired, acuminate, recurved sclerites articulated with basiphallus; paramere membranous, forming sheath around aedeagus; cercopods gradually tapered from base to apex, slightly flattened medially, with 18 retinacula inserted dorsoapically; retinacula with apices pectinate. Tergite X triangular, about 2/3 as long as cercopod.

Adult Female ( Fig. 15 ): Eyebridge with 4 facet rows, divided by 4 facet diameters. Frontal scar patch as in male. Interocular suture as in male. Antenna nearly identical to male, except without spines on flagellomere I. Mouthparts and palpi as in male. Wing venation as in male. Terminalia: Subgenital plate with hypovalvae slightly constricted basally, with lateral margins convex, posterior margin straight; genital duct as figured, about as wide as base of hypovalvae.

Type material. Holotype [adult male]: U.S.A. NORTH CAROLINA : Buncombe Co: Blue Ridge Parkway @ milepost 371.6, Shope Creek headwaters, 35°40’40”N 82°25’40”W, 25.v.2007, coll. J.L. Robinson, sweep net; deposited LACM. Specimen dissected, mounted on micro-slide. Allotype [adult female]: same data as holotype; deposited LACM. Specimen dissected, mounted on micro-slide. Paratypes: same data as holotype [5 adult male, 5 adult female (slides)]. Paratypes deposited in LACM, GSMNP and UTK.

Etymology. Named for Jason L. Robinson, in recognition of his contribution of numerous specimens for this study.

Bionomics. Due to a paucity of collection records, the phenology of S. robinsoni cannot be accurately determined; however, attempts to collect this species in late April and late July 2009 were unsuccessful, which could mean that S. robinsoni is only present throughout the month of May. Several other species of Psychodidae including Pericoma signata (Banks) , Thornburghiella albitarsis (Banks) , Threticus bicolor (Banks) and Psychoda spp. were collected with the type series of S. robinsoni , which is indicative of the conditions at the type locality (hillside seep with abundant wet mosses and decaying plant material).

Distribution. Collected from one location on the Blue Ridge Parkway in western North Carolina .

Remarks. Adults of S. robinsoni are easily distinguished from other Stupkaiella by the shape of the genitalia, particularly the gonocoxites with quadrate medial margins and the posteriorly extended hypandrium in the male, and the shape of the subgenital plate and genital duct in the female.

Figures

FIGURES 6 – 15. Stupkaiella lasiostyla Curler sp. nov. 6. Male head, frontal view. 7. Wing. 8. Male terminalia, dorsal view. 9. Female terminalia, internal structure, ventral view. 10. Right patagium, frontal view. 11. Right gonopod, dorsal view. Stupkaiella robinsoni Curler sp. nov. 12. Right gonopod, gonostyle separated, dorsal view. 13. Male head, frontal view. 14. Male terminalia, dorsal view. 15. Female terminalia, internal structure, ventral view. Scale bars = 0.05 mm (10 – 12), 0.1 mm (8, 9, 14, 15), 0.25 mm (6, 13), 0.5 mm (7).