Howickia exasperata Marshall

Marshall, S. A., Luk, S. P. L. & Dong, H., 2014, A revision of the New Zealand species of Howickia Richards, Zootaxa 3887 (1), pp. 1-36 : 10-11

Howickia exasperata Marshall sp. nov.

( Figs. 23, 24 )

Description. Colour: Head reddish brown; thorax shining black; preabdomen dark brown-black. Tarsi pale yellow to white, fore and hind tarsi paler than mid tarsi. Face white pruinose along upper and lower margins, shining at middle. Upper white pruinose area of face extending to frons, broken by antennae but reappearing in eye notch. Head: Interfrontal bristles in 2 equal pairs. Orbital bristles absent. Ocelli small but distinct. Eye 2.5X genal height. Anterior genal bristle strong. Aristae broken off from unique type.

Thorax: Scutellum shining, sparsely microtrichose (possibly rubbed off on unique type), 2.0X as wide as long; basal and marginal bristles conspicuously finer and shorter than apical bristles. Wing present as a minute, oval, shining brown, veinless flap; halter well developed.

Male abdomen (only available male cleared but not dissected): Sternite 5 subequal to sternite 4, medial area slightly paler and flanked by 6–7 stout bristles and with a weak posteromedial comb row of 12 small, flat bristles; sternite 4 simple. Subanal plate incomplete; cercus indistinct. Surstylus distinctive, with bilobed anterior part and a narrow, elongate posteroventral lobe ending in a short, stout bristle. Distiphallus heavily sclerotized and tubular near base but expanded and largely membranous distally. Postgonites broadest apically, with a weak beak-like anteroventral point.

Female. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype (male, NZAC): New Zealand, Moehau, Okahutahi Stream, liver bait trap, 21–25.Apr.1984, H. Oliver.

Etymology. The species name reflects the way most taxonomists feel when they find yet one more singleton representing yet another unnamed species.

Comments. This is the only species in the H. trilineata group with a posteromedial comb. The surstylus of this species is distinctive, and leaves no doubt about its validity although it is known from only a single specimen. The terminalia suggest that this species is more closely related to the H. myersi group than the H. trilineata group, but it is grouped with the latter because of the distinctively striped head.

Figures

FIGURES 23 – 24. Howickia exasperata Marshall, sp. n.: 23, epandrium, left lateral; 24, male sternite 5.