Sycorax tomkineana Ježek, 2015

Ježek, Jan, Wahab, Rodzay Abdul & Ševčík, Jan, 2015, Two new species of Sycorax (Diptera: Psychodidae: Sycoracinae) from the Oriental Region, Zootaxa 4057 (4), pp. 539-550 : 544-547

Sycorax tomkineana Ježek sp. nov.

( Figs. 21–36 )

Diagnosis. Ejaculatory apodeme of male genitalia ( Figs 28, 29 , 34 ) straight, stick-shaped and tapering proximally from strictly dorsal view, proximal ending ovoid with short crevice inside distally, visible only from lateral or diagonal views. Aedeagus ( Figs 28, 29 , 34 ) with rhomboid basis from lateral view, almost subrectangular from dorsal view, terminating in very long paired needle-shaped protuberances distally (compare Figs 18 and 28), 1.5 times as long as ejaculatory apodeme. Parameres almost plate-like ( Figs 34, 35 ) from dorsal and dorso-lateral views, and not fused with aedeagus distally.

Description. Male. Head ( Fig. 21 ) oval-shaped in frontal view, 1.7 times wider than long. Eyes separated approximately by distance equal to 9 facets ( Fig. 22 ) at minimum width of frons. Ratio of distance of apices of eyes to facet diameter 11.9:1. Frontoclypeus crescently indented in central part, eye edges are conspicuously divergent towards vertex and lower part of frotoclypeus pointed. Vertex without sclerotized median thickening. Insertions of hairs near vertex are numerous and sparse.

Antennae incomplete ( Fig. 30 ), scape of irregular shape, pedicel approximately cask-shaped, bulbose, symmetrical. Basal two flagellomeres elongate-fusiform, progressively decreasing in length distally. The first flagellomere 1.5 times as long as second one.

Ascoids filiform, short, J- or L- shaped ( Fig. 30 ). Maxilla and palpus maxillaris ( Fig. 23 ): length of maxila is almost equal to length of first two not quite fused palp segments. Ratios of relative lengths of palp segments 2.5:1:1. The first segment bulbose distally, radicle-shaped, with a circular field of sensory structures subapically ( Fig. 23 ), terminal segments are minute, barrel-shaped, third segment with two apical setae in distal narrower part. Terminal lobes of labium ( Fig. 24 ) with four paired internal bristles developed between both labial lobes, with fine subapical folds on inner sides of swellings. Pharynx, cibarium and vestigial mandibles as in Figs. 21 and 25 . Pharynx elongate cylindrical, conspicuously widened proximally, constricted near conspicuous transverse sclerotized rib of cibarium. The upper portion of cibarial cavity is smaller than lower one. Mandibles ( Figs 21, 25 ) are 1.1 times as long as cibarium.

Wings ( Fig. 31 ) ovoid, 1.3 mm long, clear. Sc straight, reaching C, with sc-r crossvein developed. The other veins are quite attached to costa and fully sclerotized. R1 and CuA2 slightly strengthened across their length, other longitudinal veins strengthened only at wing base. Vein R4+5 originating between cross veins r-r and r-m, all transversal veins developed. Index of maximum wing length to maximum width of wing 2.5. Legs incomplete. Thoracic sclerites superficially damaged. Knobs of halteres ovoid ( Fig. 26 ), without line of hairs, ratio of maximum length of haltere to its width approximately 4.2:1.

Ejaculatory apodeme of male genitalia ( Figs 28, 29 , 34 ) straight, stick-shaped and tapering proximally from strictly dorsal view, proximal ending ovoid and a crevice inside distally is visible only from lateral or diagonal views. Aedeagus ( Figs 28, 29 , 34 ) with rhomboid basis from lateral view, almost shortly subrectangular from dorsal view, terminating in conspicuous paired needle-shaped protuberances distally (filaments), 1.5 times as long as ejaculatory apodeme. Parameres almost plate-like ( Figs 34, 35 ) from dorsal and dorso-lateral views, and not fused with aedeagus distally. Paramere has a tooth on medial surface subapically and a macroseta on the same level. Dorsomedial process of parameres sheath-shaped ( Figs 29 , 34, 36 ), open in longitudinal axis on innerside, with paired divergent lobuli proximally, shallowly cleft between them and with a narrowed tapering groove-shaped part distally. Gonocoxites and gonostyli ( Fig. 33 ) cylindrical, gonocoxites not swollen at mid-length. Gonostyli l.4 times (measured without apical spines) as long as gonocoxites. Gonostyle bent, with a distinct medio-subapical bristle and a dark spiniform bristle terminally, 2.4 times shorter than gonostyle. Epandrium wider than long ( Figs 27 , 32 ) from dorsal view, without apertures, cerci with pointed basis and widened distal part, internal edge is sinuate, haired. Hypoproct semicircular distally, haired, shorter than surstyli, epiproct reduced, fold-like, with micropilosity as well.

Female. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype [male, slide]: Brunei, Ulu Temburong National Park, Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre, primary lowland rainforest, February 2013, Oliver Konopik leg., collected on frog Ansonia leptopus . Deposited in UBDC. Paratype [male, in a pinned microvial with glycerol, the specimen previously cleared in Proteinase K]: same data as holotype, deposited in NMPC.

Etymology. The new species name (adjective) is based on the surname of the first author’s daughter, Věra Tomková.

Type locality. The same data as in the previous described species.

Biology. The two specimens of this new species of Sycorax were found in contact with the dorsal surface of the frog Ansonia leptopus (for the other details see above under S. konopiki ).

Distribution. Brunei.

Figures

FIGURES 21 – 29. Sycorax tomkineana Ježek sp. nov. male. 21. Head, frontal view. 22. Facets schematic, frontal view, domelike structures omitted. 23. Maxilla and palpus maxillaris. 24. Terminal lobes of labium. 25. Pharynx, cibarium and mandibles, dorsal view. 26. Haltere, lateral view. 27. Epandrium and cerci, lateral view. 28. Aedeagus in detail, dorsal view. 29. Aedeagal complex, lateral view. [Scale: 21 – 23, 25 – 29 = 0.1 mm; 24 = 0.05 mm]

FIGURES 30 – 36. Sycorax tomkineana Ježek sp. nov. male. 30. Basal antennomeres, some ascoids omitted. 31. Wing. 32. Epandrium and surstyli, dorsal view. 33. Gonocoxite and gonostyle, dorsal view. 34. Aedeagal complex, dorsal view. 35. Paramere, lateral view. 36. Dorsomedial process of parameres, dorsal view. [Scale: 31 = 0.5 mm; 30, 32 – 36 = 0.1 mm]