Minettia (Plesiominettia) flavoscutellata, Shi, Li, Gaimari, Stephen D. & Yang, Ding, 2015

Shi, Li, Gaimari, Stephen D. & Yang, Ding, 2015, Five new species of subgenus Plesiominettia (Diptera, Lauxaniidae, Minettia) in southern China, with a key to known species, ZooKeys 520, pp. 61-86 : 62

Taxon classification Animalia Diptera Lauxaniidae

Minettia (Plesiominettia) flavoscutellata sp. n. Figs 1-5, 31-33, 43

Type material.

Holotype: ♂ (CAUC), CHINA, Hubei: Shennongjia National Natural Reserve, Pingqian, 1650 m, 25. vii. 2007, Qifei Liu. Paratypes: 5 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀ (CAUC), CHINA, Hubei: same data as holotype.

Etymology.

Latin, flavor-is from the latin flavus, meaning yellow, + scutellata is from the latin scutellatum, meaning shield; referring to the scutellum being mostly yellow; a feminine adjective.

Diagnosis. Face slightly concave, yellowish brown to blackish brown except black ventral margin. Antenna with scape brown and pedicel brownish yellow, 1st flagellomere entirely blackish brown on outer edge but yellow on basal 1/4 on inner edge. Arista short plumose, and rays of arista with longest setulae as long as 1/2 height of 1st flagellomere. Mesonotum with weak anteriormost dorsocentral setae clearly behind transverse scutal suture. Male genitalia: surstylus with a long falcate process in lateral view; phallus wide basally and narrow apically, with a small elliptical concavity at apex. Female spermathecae 1+1, round.

Description.

Male. Body length 3.3-3.5 mm, wing length 3.4-3.8 mm. Female. Body length 3.6-3.9 mm, wing length 3.9-4.3 mm.

Head black. Face slightly concave, yellowish brown to blackish brown except black ventral margin, parafacial yellow except black inner margin, with a narrow pale brown medial stripe. Frons blackish brown except yellow anterior margin; ocellar triangle black; ocellar setulae developed, longer than anterior fronto-orbital setae, anterior fronto-orbital setae reclinate, shorter than posterior fronto-orbital setae. Gena yellow, about 1/6 height of eye. Antenna with scape brown and pedicel brownish yellow, 1st flagellomere entirely blackish brown on outer edge but yellow on basal 1/4 on inner edge; 1st flagellomere nearly 1.6 times longer than high; arista black, except yellow at base, short plumose; rays of arista with longest setulae as long as 1/2 height of 1st flagellomere. A blackish brown spot present between eye and base of antenna. Proboscis and palpus black.

Thorax black with sparse brownish gray pollinosity, slightly subglossy. Mesonotum with 0+3 dorsocentral setae (weak anteriormost dorsocentral setae clearly behind transverse scutal suture), acrostichal setulae in 4 rows; a pair of long acrostichal setulae present in front of prescutellar setae, prescutellar setae slightly longer than 1st postsutural dorsocentral setae; 1 strong intra-alar seta, 1 anepisternal seta, 2 katepisternal setae. Scutellum mostly yellow, except blackish brown on basal 1/4-1/3. Legs: femora black; tibiae dark yellow on basal 1/2-2/3 and blackish brown on apical 1/3-1/2; tarsi dark yellow except tarsomeres 3-5 pale brown. Fore femur with 4 posteroventral setae and 8 posterodorsal setae, fore tibia with 1 short preapical anterodorsal seta and 1 short apicoventral seta. Mid femur with 4 anterior setae and 1 apical posterior seta, mid tibia with 1 strong preapical anterodorsal seta and 1 strong apicoventral seta. Hind tibia with 1 preapical anterodorsal seta and 1 short apicoventral seta. Wing (Fig. 43) slightly yellow, hyaline; costa with 2nd (between R1 and R2+3), 3rd (between R2+3 and R4+5) and 4th (between R4+5 and M1) sections in proportion of 5.3:2:1; r-m at middle of discal cell; ultimate and penultimate sections of M1 in proportion of 1:1.1; ultimate section of CuA1 about 1/4 of penultimate. Halter yellow.

Abdomen black with sparse brownish gray pollinosity. Male genitalia (Figs 1-5): syntergosternite 7+8 circular with dorsal setulae; epandrium broad, round apically; surstylus with a long falcate process in lateral view; hypandrium inverted–U shape, hypandrial apodeme absent; postgonite and pregonite absent; phallus wide basally and narrow apically, with a small elliptical concavity at apex; phallapodeme long, nearly as long as phallus. Female sternite 8 semicircular; spermathecae 1+1, round (Figs 31-33).

Remarks.

The new species is different from other species of the subgenus in the scutellum being yellow except blackish brown on basal 1/4-1/3 and the surstylus having a long falcate process in lateral view. The 1+1 female spermathecae is distinctive from the other species of the subgenus.

Distribution.

China (Hubei).