Gondwanoscurus jezeki, Curler & Priyadarsanan & Atree, 2015

Curler, Gregory R., Priyadarsanan, Dharma Rajan & Atree, 2015, Descriptions of Psychodidae (Diptera) from the Western Ghats of India, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 55 (2), pp. 473-483 : 478-480

Gondwanoscurus jezeki sp. nov.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, INDIA: KERALA: Wayanad, Vythiri Resort , near small stream, 1.–19.ii.2007, coll. M.E. Irwin (Malaise trap); deposited ZSI-WGRC (No:ZSI/ WGRC /IR/IV/ 4472) . PARATYPES: 1 J 9 ♀♀, same data as holotype (1 J and 1 ♀ deposited USNM, 8 ♀♀ deposited ZSI-WGRC).

Diagnosis. Male. Wing ovate, posterior margin slightly more convex than anterior, with patches of light infuscation apically on longitudinal veins; gonostyli bifurcate along apical 1/3, with ventral rami slightly longer than dorsal rami; epandrial claspers sinuous apically.

Female. Wing similar to male, sexual dimorphism not pronounced; sternum 8 with prominent bulge medially, posterior emargination U-shaped.

Description. Male ( Figs 6–8, 10–12 ). Measurements (n = 2): head width 0.42 mm (0.41–0.46), head height 0.50 mm (0.48–0.52), wing length 2.30 mm (2.20–2.40), wing width 1.05 mm (1.00–1.10), palp segment proportion: 1.00-2.67-2.67-3.34. Head: frontal setae alveoli patch trapezoidal, without posterior extension; antennae with 16 articles, with scape approximately 1.5 times longer than wide; flagellomeres nodiform, with nodes exerted slightly medially; ascoids with 2–3 digitiform branches, arranged in single row around each node. Wing: ovate, with posterior margin slightly more convex than anterior margin; medial fork incomplete in some specimens, basal to radial fork, both forks arising basal to apex of M 4. Terminalia: gonocoxites approximately three times longer than wide, with anterodorsal extensions touching medially; gonostyli globular at base, with apical 2/3 curved medially, constricted, apical 1/3 bifurcate; rami digitiform, with ventral ramus slightly longer than ventral ramus; parameral sheath tapered from base to apex, closely fitting shape of aedeagus; paramere visible as central acuminate sclerite, articulated with basal portion; basal portion of paramere obscured in holotype and paratype; distal part of aedeagus comprised of a single V-shaped sclerite in dorsal view, articulated with ejaculatory apodeme at apex; epandrium about 1.5 times as long as wide; epandrial claspers elongate, about 1.5 times the length of epandrium, with approximately 10 tenacula inserted dorsoapically; tenacula with apices frayed, not bifurcate. Female ( Fig. 9 ). Wing: ovate, posterior margin slightly more convex than anterior, proportionally less convex than in male; M 2 complete at base. Terminalia: sternum 8 with prominent bulge medially; bulge covered externally by setae alveoli; posterior lobes of sternum 8 setose, tapered slightly, rounded apically in ventral view; deeply emarginated posteriorly; posterior emargination U-shaped.

Etymology. Named for Jan Ježek, in recognition of his contributions to our knowledge of Psychodidae .

Distribution. Recorded only from the type locality.

Comments. With the exception of Gondwanoscurus socotrensis Ježek & Tkoč, 2012 , described from the northeastern part of the Afrotropical Region ( Socotra Island), most species of this genus have been described from the central or eastern part of the Oriental Region including Thailand, Malaysia and northern Borneo ( Malaysia, Sabah) ( CURLER 2009). Gondwanoscurus jezeki sp. nov. represents the first record of this genus for India and the westernmost record in the Oriental Region. Similarities between G. socotrensis and G. jezeki are striking (e.g. infuscated wing membrane at the apices of longitudinal veins, paramere with conical distal appendage) and the two species are undoubtedly close relatives. Perhaps the most obvious difference between G. jezeki and other species of Gondwanoscurus is the shape of the epandrial claspers, being sinuous (most visible in lateral view). Gondwanoscurus jezeki also differs from G. socotrensis in that the male wing is not significantly broader in the male as in the latter species. Females of G. socotrensis and G. jezeki are also similar, differing only in the shape of sternum 8: the former has a posterior emargination V-shaped while that in the latter is U-shaped.

Specimens of G. jezeki were fixed in a way that made maceration difficult and incomplete. Despite this circumstance, most characters were readily visible – including some structures (male genital tract) that are not often preserved when caustic reagents are used for maceration. Based on an examination of G. jezeki , it is desirable to see the entire male genital tract of other species in Psychodinae in order to determine whether there is any variation in these structures among genera.

Figures

Figs 6–12.Gondwanoscurus jezeki sp. nov. 6 – male genital tract, hypandrium, gonopods, and aedeagus, dorsal view; 7 – epandrium, proctiger and epandrial claspers, dorsal view; 8 – wing; 9 – female genitalia, ventral view; 10 – left gonopod, dorsal view; 11 – flagellomere 5, with ascoids, dorsal view; 12 – apical flagellomeres, ascoids removed, dorsal view. Abbreviations: aed – aedeagus; eja – ejaculatory apodem; ejd – ejaculatory duct; prm – paramere; tes – testes; vsd – vasa deferentia. Scale bars: 6–7 = 0.25 mm; 8 = 1 mm; 9–12 = 0.10 mm.