Elaphropeza asexa, Published, 2007

SHAMSHEV, IGOR V. & GROOTAERT, PATRICK, 2007, Revision of the genus Elaphropeza Macquart (Diptera: Hybotidae) from the Oriental Region, with a special attention to the fauna of Singapore, Zootaxa 1488 (1), pp. 1-164 : 128-129

Elaphropeza asexa sp. nov.

( Fig. 204)

Diagnosis. Occiput black, postpedicel brownish yellow, about 2.5 times longer than wide; thorax with metanotum brown in middle part; fore tibia with 1 short, hind tibia with 1–2 long anterodorsal bristles.

Description. Female. Body length 2.6–2.8 mm, wing length 2.2–2.4 mm. Occiput black. Anterior ocellars long, proclinate; posterior ocellars minute. Inner verticals long, outer ones shorter. Antenna ( Fig. 204) with scape and pedicel yellow, postpedicel brownish yellow (except extreme base). Pedicel with circlet of subequally short setulae. Postpedicel nearly 2.5 times longer than wide. Style normally pubescent, brown, about 4.5 times longer than postpedicel and nearly 2.5 times as long as scape, pedicel and postpedicel combined. Palpus yellow, small, rounded.

Thorax almost entirely yellow, metanotum brown in middle part. Prothoracic episterna lacking long upturned bristle just above fore coxa, with 1 very short bristle in upper part. Postpronotal bristle well prominent, moderately long, inclinate. Mesonotum with usual set of bristles. Acrostichals 2-serial, lacking on prescutellar depression; dorsocentrals 1-serial, extending to base of scutellum (prescutellars long).

Legs almost entirely yellow; tarsomere 5 of all legs brownish yellow. Fore and mid femur with unmodified armature. Fore tibia with 1 short but distinct anterodorsal bristle. Mid tibia lacking ventral spinules and prominent bristles (except subapicals). Hind femur with ordinary setation. Hind tibia bearing 1–2 anterodorsal bristles, with hardly prominent rounded apical projection. Tarsi of all legs unmodified.

Wing uniformly finely infuscate, veins R2+3, R4+5 and M1+2 dark brown. Costal index: 62/30/45/19. Veins R4+5 and M1+2 divergent near wing apex, both straight. Vein A1 quite distinct. Crossvein bm-cu oblique. Crossvein r-m near middle of cell bm. Halter dark.

Abdomen. Tergite 1 pale yellow. Tergites 2 and 3 pale brownish, elongate subtriangular viewed dorsolaterally; with unmodified setation. Tergite 4 broad, dark brown, with squamiform setae. Tergite 5 narrow, concolorous with tergite 3, with unmodified setation. Tergites 6 and 7 yellowish, with scattered setulae. Segment 8 rather short, brownish yellow, with sclerites separated; sternite 8 folded apically. Cercus brownish yellow.

Male. Unknown.

Material examined: Holotype female labelled: SINGAPORE, Nee Soon , 6 May 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25138, leg. PG, E-39).

Paratypes: SINGAPORE, 1 ♀, Bukit Timah , 16 September 2005, rain forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25347, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 3 June 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25151, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 14 October 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25388, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 4 January 2006, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 26004, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sime forest , 22 July 2005, forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25271, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sungei Buloh , 11 May 2005, mangrove, Mal 1 (reg. 25159, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sungei Buloh , 18 May 2005, mangrove, Mal 1 (reg. 25161, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sungei Buloh , 25 May 2005, mangrove, Mal 1 (reg. 25163, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sungei Buloh , 10 June 2005, mangrove, Mal 1 (reg. 25167, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sungei Buloh , 15 June 2005, mangrove, Mal 1 (reg. 25169, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sungei Buloh , 6 July 2005, mangrove, Mal 1 (reg. 25197, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sungei Buloh , 19 August 2005, mangrove, Mal 1 (reg. 25302, leg. PG) ; 3 ♀♀, Sungei Buloh , 26 August 2005, mangrove, Mal 1 (reg. 25319, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sungei Buloh , 7 September 2005, mangrove, Mal 1 (reg. 25336, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sungei Buloh , 14 October 2005, mangrove, Mal 2 (reg. 25394, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sungei Buloh , 28 October 2005, mangrove, Mal 2 (reg. 25407, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Sungei Buloh , 9 November 2005, mangrove, Mal 2 (reg. 25418, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sungei Buloh , 3 December 2005, mangrove, Mal 1 (reg. 25439, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sungei Buloh , 3 December 2005, mangrove, Mal 2 (reg. 25440, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sungei Buloh , 23 December 2005, mangrove, Mal 1 (reg. 25471, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sungei Buloh , 4 January 2006, mangrove, Mal 1 (reg. 26007, leg. PG) .

Derivatio nominis. The name asexa refers to the probable asexual reproduction of this species, since numerous females were found and no males.

Distribution. Singapore. Terrestrial forest and mangrove.

Singapore. This is a fairly common species, but never abundant. It is reported in all the forest types studied here, but is most abundant in the mangrove of Sungei Buloh. Elaphropeza asexa sp. nov. is recorded throughout the year .

Remarks. The relationships of E. asexa sp. nov. are unclear beyond inclusion within the E. ephippiata species group. In this species the number of anterodorsal bristles on the hind tibia varies from 1–2 (usually 2).