Allodia spathulata Magnussen

Magnussen, Trude, Soli, Geir E. E. & Kjaerandsen, Jostein, 2019, Allodia Winnertz from the Himalayas, with nine species new to science (Diptera, Mycetophilidae), ZooKeys 820, pp. 119-138 : 125-127

Allodia spathulata Magnussen sp. n. Fig. 2D

Diagnosis.

The dorsal lobe of the gonostylus is rather narrow and spatula-shaped, and the basal part of the gonostylus has a very distinct, elongate protuberance. This outline of the gonostylus makes this species distinct. Allodia spathulata is a small species (2.2 mm).

Type locality.

NEPAL: Gandaki Pradesh, Myagdi District, Dobang Kharka, 2400 m a.s.l.

Type specimens.

Holotype: male. 2 printed labels: (NEPAL) Dobang Kharka, 2400m 083°24'E. 28°36'N. Malaise trap. Oct. 26-27. 1971. A. Nakanishi / TSZD-JKJ-104964 (KUEC, pinned with genitalia in separate microvial). Paratype: NEPAL: Province no. 1 (Kosi Zone), Sankhuwasabha District, NE of Thudam, 27°47'N, 087°36'E, 4000 m a.s.l, 30 Jun 1972, Leg. H. Shima, TSZD-JKJ-104965, male (TMU).

Description.

Body length 2.2 mm; wing length 2.3 mm. Colouration. Head and clypeus brown. Mouthparts and palpomeres yellow. Antennae brown, with scape, pedicel, and basal half of first flagellomere yellow. Scutum light brown, with broad yellow lateral area, from humerus towards wing base. Lateral sclerites light brown, except for yellow antepronotum. Wings clear without markings. Halteres whitish yellow. Legs light yellow. Abdomen brown, with tergites II-IV with lateral yellow area, broadening towards posterior margin. Terminalia yellow. Head. Three ocelli present, median ocellus smaller than laterals, lateral ocelli touching eye margin. Head covered with fine trichia, except for four thin setae near eye margin. Antennae approx. twice as long as thorax. Scape and pedicel with several setae on distal third. Flagellomeres cylindrical, densely clothed with fine trichia. First flagellomere almost twice as long as pedicel. Thorax. Antepronotum with four strong setae. Scutum covered with uniform small, pale setae; strong prealar and postalar setae. Discal bristles absent. Scutellum with two strong bristles. Laterotergite with five minute setae. Other lateral sclerites bare. Legs. All tibiae with short setae arranged in rows. Mid tibia with six long anterodorsal and numerous short posterodorsal bristles. Hind tibia with five anterodorsal and four posterodorsal bristles. Wings. Sc short, ending in R. Length of rm slightly shorter than stem of posterior fork. Base of anterior fork opposite base of posterior fork. R1 with setae, R5 without. Male terminalia. Tergite IX medially divided, each part rounded, covered with minute tricha, with one strong apical bristle and several small setae. Hypandrial lobe elongated. Gonostylus with dorsal lobe spatula-shaped, with several setae on outer surface; posterior border slightly concave. Median lobe broad, sub-quadrate with several long setae along posterior border, distinctly pointed posterodorsally. Ventral lobe of gonostylus elongated, club-shaped, with four setae apically. Basal part of gonostylus with distinct elongated protuberance, about half the length of median lobe; with four setae apically. Internal part of gonostylus with long, caudally projecting spike.

Etymology.

From Latin spathulatus, spatula-like, referring to outline of the dorsal lobe of the gonostylus.

Remarks.

Only two specimens of this species are present in the material and the terminalia were fragile and difficult to dissect. Several setae of the gonostylus were therefore lost in the dissection, but their bases are depicted (Fig. 2D). The species is superficially similar to A. zaitzevi Kurina, 1997 and A. pyxidiiformis Zaitzev, 1983, but the dorsal lobe of the gonostylus is much more flattened, forming a distinct spatula-shape with pronounced edges. Compared to other Himalayan species, it most closely resembles A. horologia , but this species has a less pronounced protuberance in the basal part of the gonostylus, and the dorsal lobe is broader and more heavily sclerotised.