Limnellia flavitarsis, Zhang, Junhua & Yang, Ding, 2009

Zhang, Junhua & Yang, Ding, 2009, Species of the genus Limnellia from China (Diptera: Ephydridae), Zootaxa 2308, pp. 58-64 : 59

Limnellia flavitarsis sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–3 )

Diagnosis. Palpi yellow; legs black except fore tarsomeres 1–2 yellow; wings with five distinct white markings in R1 cell ( Fig. 1 ); halters light brown.

Material studied. Holotype 3, China, Sichuan, Emeishan, 29°32'N, 103°19'E, 8.VIII.1998, Ding Yang leg. Paratype: 13, same data as holotype.

Description. Male. Body length 2.10 mm, wing length 2.25 mm.

Head subshiny black; frons with brownish yellow microtomentum except lateral frons with grayish yellow microtomentum; face black, upper face with grayish yellow microtomentum and lower face with brownish yellow microtomentum. Two vertical setae; 1 strong lateroclinate orbital seta; 1 pair of strong ocellar setae. Face with strong setae. Gena with 1 strong seta. Antenna black. Palpi yellow. Gena-to-eye ratio 0.13–0.15.

Thorax subshiny black; mesonotum with guttate markings. 1 presutural seta; 2 strong dorsocentral setae (0+2); 2 notopleural setae; 1 strong supra-alar seta. Anepisternum with 1 strong seta at posterior margin; katepisternum with 1 strong seta. Scutellum black, with 1 pair of scutellar setae. Legs black except fore tarsomeres 1–2 yellow. Wings with five distinct white markings in R1 cell ( Fig. 1 ). Costal vein ratio 0.22– 0.26, M vein ratio 0.67–0.74. Halters light brown.

Abdomen subshiny black with thin brownish yellow microtomentum.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 2–3 ). Epandrium longer than wide, rounded dorsally and ventrally in posterior view ( Fig. 2 ); surstyli small, subquadrangular, not fused with ventral margin of epandrium in posterior view ( Fig. 2 ); aedeagus longer than wide, with V-shaped notch along dorsum ( Fig. 3 ); phallapodeme as a lobe-shaped process attached to posterodorsal portion of aedeagus ( Fig. 3 ).

Distribution. China (Sichuan).

Remarks. Limnellia flavitarsis sp. nov. is distinctly different from other known species in the following combination characters: palpi yellow; fore tarsomeres 1–2 yellow; wings with five distinct white markings in cell R1; halters light brown; epandrium longer than wide; surstyli small, subquadrangular; aedeagus with short and thick anterior projection; phallapodeme as a lobe-shaped process attached to posterodorsal portion of aedeagus.

Etymology. The specific epithet, flavitarsis , refers to the yellow fore tarsomeres.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Limnellia flavitarsis sp. nov., male. 1. Wing; 2. epandrium and surstyli, posterior view; 3. aedeagus, gonite and phallapodeme, ventral view.