Griphophanes gigantus, Naglis, Stefan & Grootaert, Patrick, 2012

Naglis, Stefan & Grootaert, Patrick, 2012, Review of the genus Griphophanes Grootaert & Meuffels (Diptera, Dolichopodidae), with the description of ten new species from Sri Lanka, Zootaxa 3525, pp. 51-64 : 54

Griphophanes gigantus sp. nov.

( Figs. 3 A–B)

Material examined. SRI LANKA. HOLOTYPE 3: “ Ceylon, Centr. Prov., Pidurutalagala, 2 mls NW Nuwara- Eliya, 4.III.62, Loc. 116:I”; “Swept near surface of small stream” ( ZMLU). PARATYPE: 1 3, same data as holotype, but “Alt. 6400 ft., Loc. 116:II”; “Jungle” ( ZMLU).

Diagnosis. Relatively large species; ac biseriate; legs and halter black; fore basitarsus simple; mid femur with 3–4 strong spine-like ventral setae.

Description. Male: Length (holotype): body 2.1 mm, wing 2.4 mm. Head: Frons and face velvet black, with brownish pruinosity; eyes converging below antennae and almost contiguous; palpus black with apical setae; antenna dark brown, first flagellomere triangular, as long as high; lower postoculars black. Thorax: Mesonotum and scutellum dark metallic green, with brownish pruinosity; 6 strong dc; ac biseriate, half as long as dc; scutellum with 2 strong marginal setae and 2 smaller lateral setae; pleura dark brown shining. Legs: Coxae and remainder of legs dark brown to black. Fore leg: coxa with strong anterior setae; femur with several strong and long av setae on basal half, and row of smaller pv setae on entire length; tibia with strong ad seta at 1/3, and several small ad setulae; tarsomeres simple; relative podomere ratios: 61, 50, 23/15/11 /8/9. Mid leg: coxa with some anterior setae; femur with 3–4 strong, spine-like av setae at mid-length which are as long as diameter of femur; tibia with strong ad/pd setal pair at 1/4, and a smaller ad/pd setal pair at 2/3; relative podomere ratios: 65, 70, 30/15/11 /9/9. Hind leg: coxa with 1 strong lateral seta; femur with some ventral setae before apex; tibia with ad/pd setal pairs at 1/4 and 2/3, 1 strong dorsoapical seta, and 2 additional apical setae; relative podomere ratios: 70, 77, 22/ 20/17/12 /10. Wing: Hyaline; R4+5 slightly converging towards M before wing margin; CuAx ratio: 0.75; RMx ratio: 2.1; lower calypter pale brown with fan of dark brown setae; halter dark brown. Abdomen: Dark metallic green, with brownish pruinosity, segments 7 and 8 dark brown; epandrium, cercus and surstylus dark brown. Hypopygium ( Figs. 3 A–B): hypandrium S-shaped, long and slender; epandrial lobe ovate, with 1 apical and 1 subapical setae; ventral lobe of surstylus pear-shaped, with apical seta; dorsal lobe of surstylus rectangular, elongate, with spine-like apical seta, and additional small setulae; postgonite narrow, with strong dorsal seta; cercus ovate. Female: Unknown.

Etymology. The name refers to the relatively large body size.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Griphophanes gigantus sp. nov. male genitalia: (A) hypopygium, left lateral view; cer = cercus; dsur = dorsal lobe of surstylus; epl = epandrial lobe; pgon = postgonite; vsur = ventral lobe of surstylus; (B) hypandrium, ventral view (scale bar = 0.1 mm).