Lonchaea taita, Macgowan, 2018

Macgowan, Iain, 2018, Definition of the Lonchaea polyhamata species-group (Diptera, Lonchaeidae) with a description of new species, Zootaxa 4446 (3), pp. 325-342 : 331-333

Lonchaea taita sp. nov.

Description. Male: Head: Eyes sparsely covered with pale hairs, these slightly shorter than width of an ocellus. Frons matt black with a light grey dusting. Frontal and interfrontal relatively short, not more than 0.15x length of orbital seta. Orbital plate sub-shining black, dulled by microsculpture, bare apart from orbital seta. Lunule setulose, ground colour dull orange-brown. Face and parafacials covered by light grey pollinosity. Anterior genal setae in a single row of 6 along mouth margin, these slightly separated from other setulae on genae. Antennae black, postpedicel orange-brown at extreme medial base, length to depth ratio 2.5:1. Arista with microscopic pubescence.

Thorax: Scutum sub-shining black, sclerites covered with grey dusting. Anepisternum with a row of 3 anterior setae, 4 posterior setae, remainder of sclerite with a scattering of setulae approximately 0.6x length of setae. Katepisternum with 2 strong setae, posterior slightly stronger than anterior. remainder of sclerite with a few short setulae. Proepimeron and proepisternum each with 1 seta Prosternum bare. Scutellum heavily grey pollinose, margin with 3 setulae between apical and lateral setae, 1 between apical setae. Calypteres light golden with a fringe of a similar colour. Wings light fumose, wing length 4.0mm. Legs entirely black, a ventral brush of golden setulae on fore and hind metatarsi, this extending ventrally along apical third of anterior tibiae. Hind femur apically with 4 antero-ventral setae which are longer than width of femur.

Male terminalia: ( Figs. 13–16 ): In lateral view epandrium wider than high, widening ventrally, portion anterior to suture visible as a small rounded lobe. Cerci membranous, small and irregularly shaped with a fringe of setulae dorsally. Surstyli visible as a small tooth-like process extending posteriorly from shell of epandrium. In ventral view a pair of rather small simple processes present at base of cerci. Posterior apodeme of hypandrium well developed, reaching almost to base of cerci.

In posterior view posterior process of surstylus with one bluntly pointed tooth arising from a basal plate. Parameres relatively broad and simple, apical third directed ventrally at right angles to base. Apical margins slightly serrated, a small posterior serrated process on outer margin just before apex. A group of denticles present on outer portion of apical half. Phallus, a small simple structure similar to that of L. mbeya ( Fig. 8 ).

Type material: Holotype ♂: KENYA. Taita Hills, 1800m, Mwanda , 3°24’S 38°18’E, 19.iv.2005, A Freidberg. ( TAUI)

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the site of capture of the Holotype in the Taita Hills.

Figures

FIGURES 13–16. Lonchaea taita sp. nov. 13. Epandrium and associated structures lateral view. 14. same ventral view (parameres and phallus removed). 15. same posterior view. 16. Paramere lateral view.

FIGURES 5–8. Lonchaea mbeya sp. nov. 5. Epandrium and associated structures ventral view (parameres and phallus removed). 6. Same posterior view. 7. Paramere lateral view. 8. Phallus lateral view.