Antennardia suorkensis, Jaschhof & Jaschhof, 2020

Jaschhof, Mathias & Jaschhof, Catrin, 2020, An update of Micromyinae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) taxonomy, with descriptions of a new genus and 13 new species from Northern Europe, Zootaxa 4750 (3), pp. 349-369 : 351-352

Antennardia suorkensis sp. nov.

Figs 1–4

Diagnosis. This new species, whose morphology is absolutely characteristic for the genus Antennardia ( Jaschhof & Jaschhof 2009: 196) , is distinguished as follows. As regards diagnostic characters of the male, the compact, straight gonostylus is clearly broadened basally ( Fig. 1 , ↓ 1). The aedeagal apodeme is markedly longer than the tegmen (↓ 2), which corresponds with the condition found in A. saxonica Jaschhof ( Jaschhof 2003: fig. 3C) but differs from both A. antennata (Winnertz) and A. gallicola Mamaev , in which the apodeme and tegmen are equally long ( Jaschhof 1998: figs 96b and 94c). The neck of the fourth flagellomere of A. suorkensis is longer than the node ( Fig. 2 ), which is in line with both A. antennata and A. saxonica , while A. gallicola differs in having the neck shorter than the node. As regards females, six of the specimens studied here of A. suorkensis have 21 to 27 flagellomeres ( Fig. 3 ), which probably represents only a part of the variability of this species; this compares to 22 to 35 in A. antennata (n=9), 31 in A. gallicola (n=3), and 17 to 20 in A. saxonica (n=4). Regarding spermathecae and ovipositor A. suorkensis appears to be not appreciably different from other Antennardia , although more thorough comparative study might reveal the need to reconsider this observation. For instance, the basicercus of A. suorkensis has a posterior line of conspicuously thick, equally long setae ( Fig. 4 , ↓ 3), whose presence is not mentioned in descriptions of other Antennardia .

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the type locality, the immediate vicinity of Suorke Nature Reserve in Swedish Lapland.

Type material. Holotype. Male , Sweden, Lule Lappmark , Arvidsjaur , Varjisån valley south of Suorke Nature Reserve, pile of felled timber of young birch and pine, 20 August 2016, aspirator, M. & C. Jaschhof (spn. CEC 2747 in NHRS) . Paratypes. 1 male, 5 females, same data as the holotype (spns CEC2748 – CEC 2750 in NHRS) ; 4 males, 4 females, same data but 21 August 2016 (spns CEC2751 – CEC 2758 in SDEI) ; 1 male, 4 females, same data but 18 August 2016 (spns CEC2759 – CEC 2761 in NHRS) .

Other material examined. Sweden: 1 male, Lule Lappmark, Jokkmokk, Serri NR, recently burned forest of spruce and birch, 31 July–28 August 2016, MT, MCJ (spn. CEC 2762 in NHRS) ; 1 male, Småland, Nybro, Bäckebo, Grytsjön NR, old-growth mixed hemiboreal forest, 12 August–6 October 2014, MT, MCJ (spn. CEC 2763 in NHRS) .

Remark. This is not the Antennardia spec. referred to in our earlier treatment of this genus in Sweden ( Jaschhof & Jaschhof 2009: 196). The specimen from Södermanland mentioned there remains unidentified to species.

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Adult morphology of Antennardia suorkensis. 1: Male genitalia, ventral, holotype. 2: Male fourth flagellomere, lateral, holotype. 3: Female fourth flagellomere, lateral, paratype. 4: Female genitalia, lateral, paratype. Scales 0.05 mm.Arrows refer to characters described in the diagnosis.