Usia globicauda Gibbs, 2011

Gibbs, David, 2011, 2960, Zootaxa 2960, pp. 1-77 : 48-50

Usia globicauda Gibbs sp. nov.

(Plate XII)

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE: Morocco, Museum Paris, Maroc, Harazine, 11 km S.E. de Mogador [leg.] P. Pallary 1914/ Mars [♂ in MNHN] . PARATYPES: Museum Paris, Maroc, Harazine, 11 km S.E. de Mogador [leg.] P. Pallary 1914/ Mars [♂ dissected, 1♂, 3♀, 1 pair in cop. in MNHN] .

Etymology. The specific epithet derives from the Latin “ globus =sphere and cauda =tail” referring to the exceptionally large, globular male genitalia.

Diagnosis. A small almost entirely black species, teneral or faded specimens browner, so far only known from the Atlantic coast of Morocco. Hind femora with short adpressed hairs and scutellum with marginal hairs about as long as its median length, anepisternum shining, undusted on central part, tergites undusted. Male readily identified by the huge genitalia, as large as its thorax, epandrium very convex and lacking any prominent apical elongations. Female with relatively shining mesonotum, which distinguishes it from some similar species, but accurate identification requires examination of the genitalia (Plate XII).

Description. Measurements. Body length. 2–3mm Wing length. 2.4–2.6mm.

Male. Head. Frons relatively broad, about a quarter head width, at narrowest point as wide or wider than length of third antennal segment, rather matt but without discrete grey dust spots, front of frons close to antennal bases often obscurely brown. Mouth margin very narrow, shining below, above near antennae thinly grey-dusted. Ocellar triangle obtuse, lateral ocelli separated from the eye by their diameter. Longest hairs on ocellar tubercle about as long as width across lateral ocelli or a little longer. Occiput covered with grey dust obscuring ground colour except on shining triangular area behind vertex. Black hairs on occiput short above, much longer below, those on ventral side of head longer than hairs on ocellar tubercle. Antennae black, relatively short, third segment obovate, about twice as long as scape and pedicel combined. A few dark setae on dorsum of third segment immediately before apical sulcus, sensilla in Holotype pale. Proboscis black, naked, about as long as mesonotum. Palps PLATE XII. Usia globicauda Gibbs , sp. nov.; a epiphallic complex ventral, b epiphallic complex lateral, c gonocoxite ventral, d gonocoxite lateral, e epandrium dorsal, f epandrium lateral, g female genitalia ventral, h female sternite 8 ventral.

very small, black to brown, subclavate with small apical setae. Thorax. Entirely black, mesonotum shining and mostly smooth to inconspicuously wrinkled with hair insertions not obvious, lightly grey dusted on pronotum and postpronotal lobe. Mesonotum with long, scattered, perpendicular black hairs, acrostichals biserial, paramedian lines bare, laterally hairs generally distributed, the longest longer than length of third antennal segment. Scutellum shining, surface no more than obscurely, transversely wrinkled, disc bare, hind margin with a somewhat irregular, almost uniserial, row of long, upwardly directed black hairs longer than scutellum is long. Pleura black to dark brown, predominantly shining but with thin grey dust in middle of anepisternum and katepisternum dorsally. Hind part of anepisternum with shortish dark hairs. Wing. Clear to tinged brownish, the veins brown. Anal lobe convex, about as wide as anal cell. Haltere. Yellow knob, stem slightly infuscated basally. Legs. Black to dark brown, shining but with rough texture to cuticle, with very short, adpressed black hairs, those on the femora hardly more evident than those on tibia. Abdomen. Black, short with very broad tergites, surface sculpture of transverse welts at each hair insertion. Disc of tergites covered with relatively short black hairs, much longer hairs laterally. Sternites similar but difficult to see. Genitalia. Extraordinarily large, almost as massive as the thorax, dwarfing the abdomen and often completely obscuring the sternites. Epandrium very strongly convex, hemispherical with short setae basally, hairs hardly evident in apical half. Gonocoxite with a pair of translucent apical lobes, basally with hairs almost as long as those on scutellum. Tip of epiphallus bifurcates into two broad lobes furnished with short spines apically.

Female. Other than the absence of the very large genitalia, the female hardly differs from the male. The frons of the female is on average very slightly broader, but this can only be appreciated with direct comparison and even then it is not obvious. Also the mouth margin a little broader but again this is marginal. Apical sternite rather rectangular, slightly broader basally, convex but not strongly domed, no clear apical notch.

Discussion. This distinctive species shows no obvious affiliations with any other species, the epiphallus would seem to be quite unique.

Distribution. Morocco. Only known from the type series, presumably all collected from a single locality and on a single date. Given the reasonable level of collecting in Morocco recently, U. globicauda would appear to be a rare and exceedingly local species.