Molophilus (Molophilus) cypricola, Starý, Jaroslav, 2011

Starý, Jaroslav, 2011, Descriptions and records of the Palaearctic Molophilus Curtis (Diptera, Limoniidae), Zootaxa 2999, pp. 45-62 : 47-48

Molophilus (Molophilus) cypricola sp. n.

Figures 4–6

Diagnosis. Medium-sized species within Molophilus . Body dark brown, suffused with dense greyish pruinosity, restrictedly patterned with yellow. Gonocoxite of male terminalia without dorsal and lateral lobe. Outer (dorsal) gonostylus shorter than inner (ventral) gonostylus, slender, setulose, subacute at tip. Inner gonostylus stouter, obtuse at apex. Wing length 4.6–4.9 mm.

Description. Male. Head. Antenna of moderate length, slightly extending beyond wing base, dark brown throughout. Flagellomeres generally ovoid to long-ovoid, with longest verticils about twice as long as their respective segments.

Thorax dark brown, suffused with dense greyish pruinosity, restrictedly patterned with yellow. Prescutum and scutum dark greyish brown, with yellow area lateral to prescutal pit; scutal lobe yellowed posterolaterally. Scutellum yellowed medially, otherwise dark brown. Postscutellum dark greyish brown, yellowed anterolaterally. Pleuron dark greyish brown, yellowed on dorsopleural membrane and basalare. Wing membrane infuscated; venation generally as for genus. Halter pale yellow throughout. Legs with coxae, trochanters and bases of femora yellowish brown, rest of legs darkened, brown to dark brown.

Abdomen dark brown. Male terminalia ( Figs 4–6 ) dark brown. Dorsal portion of gonocoxite rather long, without dorsal and lateral lobe, subquadrangular in lateral view, parallel-sided and obliquely truncate at apex. Broad, darkened tooth at posteroventral edge of gonocoxite, directed mesally. Lateral excision wide. Ventral lobe of gonocoxite stout and comparatively short, conical, rounded at tip, much shorter than dorsal portion of gonocoxite. Both gonostyli darkly pigmented. Outer gonostylus slender, generally straight or slightly curved ventrally, setulose, subacute at tip, reaching to about two thirds length of inner gonostylus. The latter stouter, exceeding ventral lobe by about two thirds its length, slightly curved ventrally, narrowing distally to obtuse apex. Aedeagus of moderate length and breadth, slightly expanded at about one fourth its length in lateral view and bent ventrally, then gradually tapered to slightly upturned tip. Aedeagal plate large, generally oval in ventral/ventrocaudal aspect, with rather long, stout, curved, blackened median spine.

Female unknown.

Material examined. Holotype 3: Cyprus, Troodos Mts, 4 km SW Kakopetria (900–950 m), 29.vii.1992 (H. de Jong leg.) ( ZMAN). Paratypes (3 3): Cyprus: Troodos Mts, Kakopetria, 2 km SW, at brook, 11.iv.2002, 1 3 (J. Roháček leg.); Troodos Mts, 4 km SW Kakopetria (900–950 m), 29.vii.1992, 1 3, (800–900 m), 30.vii.1992, 1 3 (H. de Jong leg.) ( JSO, ZMAN).

Etymology. The compound name of this new species, cypricola , refers to its occurrence in Cyprus; the final component of the name derives from the Latin incola (= the dweller, inhabitant). A noun in nominative singular, standing in apposition to the generic name.

Discussion. M. (M.) cypricola sp. n. is closest to M. (M.) creticola sp. n. The differences are specified in Discussion of the latter. Both species were first recognised by H. Mendl, but not formally described by him. Years ago, he sent me his unnamed drawings. Whereas his specimens of M. (M.) creticola sp. n. are deposited in his collection, now in ZFMK (see paratypes of creticola sp. n.), M. (M.) cypricola sp. n. was not traced there (N. Dorchin, pers. comm.).

Distribution. Cyprus.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Male terminalia. 1 – 3 — M. (M.) creticola sp. n. (paratype; Greece: Crete: Kakopetros), general view, lateral (1), aedeagal complex, lateral (2), and aedeagal plate, ventral (3). 4 – 6 — M. (M.) cypricola sp. n. (paratype; Cyprus: Kakopetria), general view, lateral (4), aedeagal complex, lateral (5), and aedeagal plate, ventral (6). Scale bar 0.5 mm. aed—aedeagus; aedpl—aedeagal plate; ig—inner gonostylus; le—lateral excision; og—outer gonostylus; vl—ventral lobe.