Sycorax webbi Curler

Curler, Gregory R. & Jacobson, Amanda J., 2012, New species of Psychodidae (Diptera) from Australasia, with a checklist of the world species of Bruchomyiinae and Sycoracinae, Zootaxa 3552, pp. 43-65 : 58-59

Sycorax webbi Curler sp. nov.

( Figs. 35–43 )

DIAGNOSIS. Male terminalia: parameres with posterior lobes curved, rounded apically; dorsomedial process of paramere digitiform, extending far beyond apices of aedeagus; aedeagus with branches bidentate posterolaterally. Female terminalia: spermathecal ducts inflated, globular, not annulated; genital fork sclerotized, darkly pigmented.

DESCRIPTION. Male ( Figs. 35–37 , 40–43 ): Measurements (n = 5), head width 0.27 mm (0.26–0.27), head length 0.20 mm (0.19–0.20), palpus length 0.09 mm, wing length 1.24 mm (1.17–1.32), wing width 0.49 mm (0.47–0.53), R2+3 length 0.32 mm (0.30–0.35), R3 length 0.28 mm (0.27–0.30), gonocoxite length 0.09 mm, gonostylus length 0.08 mm (0.07–0.09), gonostylus spine length 0.07 mm (0.06–0.07). Head rounded in frontal view, about as wide as long. Antennae: scape and pedicel sub-spherical, flagellomere 1 slightly longer than flagellomere 2; ascoids present only on flagellomeres 1–3. Wing: radial fork about half as long as medial fork. Terminalia: gonostylus with subterminal seta inserted approximately half way between base and apical spine; ejaculatory apodeme laterally compressed; vasa deferentia about as long as, or slightly longer than ejaculatory apodeme; testes ovate, clearly differentiated from vasa deferentia; ejaculatory duct funnel-shaped, expanding from base to apex; aedeagus with branches bidentate posterolaterally; parameres with posterior lobes tapered, curved, rounded apically; dorsomedial process of paramere digitiform, extending far beyond apices of aedeagus; epandrium with setae alveoli numerous, inconspicuous.

Female ( Figs. 38–39 ): head as in male except with ascoids present on at least flagellomeres 1–6, remaining flagelloeres missin in all specimens; mouthparts undeveloped. Wing as in male. Terminalia: spermathecal ducts inflated, globular, not annulated; spermathecae spherical; genital fork sclerotized, darkly pigmented, inverted Yshaped; sternum 10 triangluar in dorsal view.

TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype [male]: New Caledonia. NORD PROVINCE: Réserve speciale de faune de l’Aoupinié, in alpine forest, 21°9’25”S 165°19’22”E, 700m, 13–30.xi.2000, coll. D. Webb, E. Schlinger, M. Irwin and J. Boutin, 6m Malaise trap; deposited MNHN. Specimen dissected, mounted on micro-slide. Allotype [female]: same location as holotype, 30.xi–9.xii.2000, coll. E. Schlinger, M. Irwin and J. Boutin, Malaise trap; deposited MNHN. Specimen dissected, mounted on micro-slide. Paratypes: same data as holotype [11 males, 4 females], same data as allotype [3 males, 1 female], same location as holotype, 6–12.vii.2000 [2 males] coll. D. Webb, E. Schlinger, J. Boutin, 9–14.xi.2000 [1 female] coll. M. Irwin and J. Boutin; deposited INHS, USNM, LACM and NZAC.

ETYMOLOGY. This species is named in honor of Dr. Donald W. Webb who was instrumental in collecting the type series and making the specimens available for study.

BIONOMICS. Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION. Collected from one location in New Caledonia.

COMMENTS. Many more specimens of Sycorax webbi were collected than other species of Sycorax examined during this study. It is unclear whether this species is more common than others, or simply more frequently collected in Malaise traps. As with some other species, S. webbi was collected in a location with no stream nearby. S. webbi is similar to S. tridentata , but is easily differentiated by comparison of the dorsomedial process of the parameres, and the number of lateral teeth on the aedeagus. The former species has a digitiform dorsomedial process without a bulbous apex, and only two lateral dentes on the branches of the aedeagus. Females of S. webbi are unique in having globular spermathecal ducts and a darkly pigmented, inverted Y-shaped genital fork. Ascoids are present only on some flagellomeres in the male and female. It is clear that ascoids are absent from the remaining flagellomeres and have not simply been broken or removed.

Figures

FIGURES 35 − 39. Sycorax webbi Curler sp. nov., male. 35. Male head, frontal view, right palpus removed, left antennal flagellum removed. 36. Male wing. 37. Male flagellomere, dorsal view. 38. Female terminalia, external structure, ventral view. 39. Female genitalia, internal structure, ventral view. Abbreviation: gen fk = genital fork. Scale bars = 0.05 mm (37 – 39), 0.125 mm (35), 0.5 mm (36).

FIGURES 40 − 43. Sycorax webbi Curler sp. nov., male. 40. Parameres and aedeagus, dorsal view. 41. Genital tract, dorsal view. 42. Gonopods, dorsal view. 43. Epandrium, cerci and hypoproct, dorsal view. Abbreviations: aed = aedeagus; dmp = dorsomedial process of paramere; pl = posterior lobe of paramere; pm = paramere; ss = spiniform seta; st = subterminal seta. Scale bars = 0.05 mm.