Achelipoda ngamlailai, Plant, Adrian R., 2009

Plant, Adrian R., 2009, Revision of the east Asian genus Achelipoda Yang, Zhang & Zhang, 2007 (Diptera: Empididae: Hemerodromiinae) including designation of a neotype for Achelipoda pictipennis (Bezzi, 1912) and descriptions of six new species, Zootaxa 2020, pp. 37-50 : 43

3. Achelipoda ngamlailai , sp.n.

Type material. Holotype Ƥ: Thailand, Phetchabun, Nam Nao NP, helicopter landing ground, 16°43.156'N 101°35.118'E, 890 m, pan trap (site code T266), 8–9.vii.2006, Noopean Hongyothi leg. [ QSBG]. Paratypes: 1Ƥ same data as holotype, Malaise trap (site code T268), 3–10.vii.2006 [ QSBG]; 1Ƥ same data as holotype, Malaise trap (site code T272), 10–17.vii.2006 [ NMWC]; 1Ƥ, same data as holotype Malaise trap (site code T276), 17–24.vii.2006 [ NMWC]; 1Ƥ, Nakhon Nayok, Khao Yai NP, Tail of Nhong Pak Chee, 14°27.167'N 101°21.850'E, 758 m, Malaise trap 5–12.xi.2006 (site code T989), Pong Sandao leg. [ QSBG]. Holotype in QSBG.

Diagnosis. A brownish species with strongly marked wings and vein CuA2 not extending to wing margin. Female hind tibia simple and lacking a posteroapical spur. Male unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet derives from the Lao dialect of north eastern Thailand, ‘ngam lailai’ meaning ‘pretty pattern’ and refers to the colour pattern of the wings.

Description. Female: Length 2.0– 2.5 mm.

Head: black with whitish dusting similar to Achelipoda kanaklua sp. n. with rather small postocular setae and only short pile on lower occiput. Antenna with scape and pedicel yellowish; postpedicel black, 3X as long as wide, stylus 1.5–2.0X as long as postpedicel. Proboscis black, palpus pale basally, black apically.

Thorax: brown, sometimes paler yellowish brown on scutum laterally and on pleura; a blackish patch on katepisternum ventrally behind base of C1 rather diffuse and poorly delineated. Scutum with setae weakly developed, only sa conspicuous. Scutellar setae small and fine.

Legs: yellow with apical tarsomeres darker. C1 as long as thorax. F1 with femoral formula approximately 3/19/16 /6 +2 with only the two basal spines, the most basal spine in av series and two basal spines in pv series strong. Hind tibia slender, without posteroapical spur.

Abdomen: brown, very sparsely setate, slightly darker and with longer hairs on terminal segments. Sternite 8 without U-shaped darker sclerotization.

Wing: with veins brown, membrane with two dark bands, rather more strongly marked than in A. pictipennis but with intervening space between bands and at base of wing also obscurely darkened leaving only apex clear. Cells br and bm of exactly same length with apical crossveins closing cells strictly linearly aligned. Vein CuA2 not reaching wing margin.

Description. Male: unknown.

Comment. Achelipoda ngamlailai is only known from two sites in Thailand’s Nakhon Nayok and Phetchabun provinces. Both localities are in forested mountainous regions near the edge of the Isaan Plateau. Capture dates were July (at the start of the wet season) and November (at the start of the cool dry season). Although the male is unknown, A. ngamlailai may readily be identified from the female being the only species with a distinctly brown thoracic dorsum (deep black, yellow or orange in other species) in combination with a strong double banded pattern of the wing and vein CuA2 not reaching the wing margin.