Aprionus friggae, Jaschhof & Jaschhof, 2017

Jaschhof, Mathias & Jaschhof, Catrin, 2017, New species of Aprionus (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae, Micromyinae) from Sweden and other parts of the Palearctic region, European Journal of Taxonomy 378, pp. 1-38 : 9-10

Aprionus friggae sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:79295AE9-F26E-480D-9E41-316740B9F808

Fig. 4

Diagnosis

Male genitalic characters distinguish Aprionus friggae sp. nov. from other species of the insignis subgroup, as follows ( Fig. 4A ). The elongate gonostylus is provided with a small, flat tooth apically (↓); tegminal fingers (↓), present in two large, weakly contoured pairs, do not intersect medially due to their rearward orientation; and the posterior edge of the subanal plate has a V-shaped, sclerotized indentation (↓).

Etymology

Frigg, Odin’s wife, is a goddess associated with foreknowledge and wisdom.

Material examined

Holotype

SWEDEN: ♂, Södermanland, Trosa, Hunga, Hunga Södergård 1, 58.55° N, 17.31° E, backyard with manure pile, Malaise trap, Swedish Malaise Trap Project (trap 12, collecting event 69), 24 Jun.– 5 Jul. 2003 ( NHRS, no. CEC178 ).

Paratypes

SWEDEN: 2 ♂♂, Öland, Borgholm, Horns kungsgård NR, 57.20° N, 16.93° E, mixed forest of birch, alder and willow trees at lakeside, MT, MCJ leg., 12 Jun.–20 Jul. 2015 ( DEI, nos CEC 301– CEC 302); 1 ♂, same data, but 23 Aug.–30 Sep. 2015 ( NHRS, no. CEC 179).

Differential diagnosis

Aprionus friggae sp. nov. as characterized above is unmistakable, but, to avoid misidentification, should be compared with other species of the insignis subgroup with elongate (as opposed to stout, strongly convex) gonostyli, namely Aprionus longicollis Mamaev, 1963 (see Jaschhof 1998: fig. 162), A. sifae sp. nov. (described next), and A. taigaensis Jaschhof, 2009 (see Jaschhof & Jaschhof 2009: fig. 83).

Other characters

Body size 1.2 mm.

HEAD. Eye bridge 2–3 ommatidia long dorsally. A dense row of 9–10 postocular bristles. Neck of fourth flagellomere shorter than node; 3–4 thick, usually simply hair-shaped, rarely two-pointed translucent sensilla ( Fig. 4B ). Palpus with 3 segments, apical segment varying in length. In one of the specimens studied the two distal palpal segments are almost completely fused to form one single long entity.

WING. ApicR 1 3.5–4.5 times as long as Rs.

LEGS. Claws subrectangular, 2 fine teeth. Empodia rudimentary.

TERMINALIA ( Fig. 4A ). Ninth tergite subrectangular, anterior margin fully sclerotized, concave medially. Gonocoxites pointed ventroposteriorly; projections of medial bridges indistinct; dorsal bridge small. Gonostylus thick and convex on basal half, elongate and tapered on apical half, apical tooth indistinct, 1–2 bristles subapicomedially, 0–1 bristle subapicoposteriorly. Tegmen with 1–2 weak, small finger pairs in addition to large fingers, rounded apically. Subanal plate with indistinct dark markings along central axis.

Distribution and phenology

Sweden (Öland, Södermanland). Adults were collected from June to September, with the scarce collecting data providing no clue regarding any possible habitat preferences.

Figures

Fig. 4. Aprionus friggae sp. nov., ♂. A. Genitalia, ventral, holotype. B. Fourth flagellomere, lateral, paratype. Scale lines: 0.05 mm. Arrows indicate diagnostic characters.