Abaristophora (Antipodiphora) hirticornis Lengyel & Papp, 2012

Lengyel, Gábor Dániel & Papp, László, 2012, Two New Peculiar Phoridae (Diptera: Aschiza) From Vietnam, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 60 (1), pp. 129-136 : 129-131

Abaristophora (Antipodiphora) hirticornis Lengyel & Papp , new species

(Figs. 2–8a–e)

Material examined. — Holotype. Male, VIETNAM: Hoa Binh Prov., 6 km west of Tan Son , forest edge in a gorge, sweeping,

938 m, 20.7417977°N, 104.9401984°E, coll. Papp, L., Peregovits, L., Soltész, Z. & Lengyel, G., 22 Apr.2010.

Diagnosis. — Average-sized phorid fly with specific long membranous appendages on each side of the thorax. Antero- and mediolateral setae lacking on frons. Third antennal segment tapering suddenly after a bulbous part and bearing long rays. Arista emerges apically. Costa short, vein R 2+3 absent on wing. Anepisternum with setulae and without a furrow.

Description. — Male. Body length: 1.3 mm. Head brown. Frons ( Fig. 3 ) approximately as high as broad, its surface covered with small, but not dense setulae. No median furrow, only antial, preocellar, ocellar, posterolateral and vertical setae present. Ocellars divergent, posterolaterals short and convergent. Verticals the shortest, divergent.Antial, preocellar and ocellar setae curving backward. Frons with a nose-like tubercle in the saggital line anteriorly. Antenna (Fig. 4) lies in bare cavity of prefrons. First flagellomere (postpedicel) brownish with a globose basal part which suddenly tapering Fig. 2. Abaristophora hirticornis new species male habitus. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

to a long appendage with long rays. It is covered with dense long setae. Arista emerges apically from the appendage and covered by short trichia. Palpi yellowish, each with seven dark setae.

Thorax typically hump-backed. Scutum brown. The two scutellar setae emerge far from each other, close to the anterior hair-like setulae. Anepisternum with nine setulae in upper part. A pair of membranous appendages situated on the metathorax at the meeting point of meron, hind coxa and abdominal membrane (Figs. 2, 5). Appendages with small spiny microtrichia, apex pigmented brownish, base pale yellowish. A tube visible inside.

Legs yellowish. Fore leg with palisades on tibia, metatarsus and second tarsal segment. Last tarsal segment longer than fourth (Fig. 6). Claws absent. Mid tibia with two setae basally and with a palisade of setulae, which runs to the end of the first three quarter. Hind tibia with two palisades of setulae.

Membrane of wings (Fig. 7) clear. Subcostal vein short, not reaching costa or R 1. Vein R 2+3 absent. Three weak longitudinal veins (M 1+2, M 3+4, Cu) visible on wing membrane, anal vein as a faint fold only. Two hairs present on axillary ridge (on Fig. 7 it is broken). Costa short (costal index: 0.35). Halteres with stalk yellowish, knob brown.

Abdominal tergites brown, posterior margins faded to yellowish. No conspicuous sternites. Epandrium brown, covered in dense microtrichia, higher than wide. Right epandrial lobe long with numerous setae. Cerci with strong setulae. Epandrium much higher than broad or long ( Fig. 8a–b ), and with a circular orifice for the cerci and hypoproct. Hypoproct small, microtrichose. Cerci with a small ventromedial sharp process each and with numerous medium long setae. Cercal orifice bordered by setae on epandrium. Epandrium and hypandrium not fused. Epandrium caudally (ventrally) with long setae ( Fig. 8c ). Hypandrium ( Fig. 8d ) much smaller than epandrium, almost completely ventral, with 3 pairs of ventral processes, of with the anterior process double. Anterior and dorsal parts of hypandrium membranous and covered by oval to longish incrustations, mostly very narrow U-shaped ( Fig. 8d ). Basiphallus forms an open ring ( Fig. 8e ), phallapodeme curved lamelliform (in the sagittal plane). Distiphallus with 2 asymmetrical thorn-like sharp processes ( Fig. 8c–e ), apical part conical.

Female. — Unknown.

Etymology. — The specific epithet “ hirticornis ” refers to the peculiar antenna with numerous long rays.

Distribution. — Presently known only from Vietnam.

Figures

Fig. 3. Frontal chaetotaxy of Abaristophora hirticornis new species.

Fig. 8. Abaristophora hirticornis new species male, genitalia: a, right face of epandrium in lateral view; b, epandrium and phallic complex, caudal view; c, ventral apical part of epandrium with phallic organ in higher magnification; d, hypandrium, lateral view; e, phallus and phallapodeme, lateral view. Scale bars = 0.2 mm (a–b), 0.1 mm (c–e). Abbreviations: s – surstylus; a – adeagus.