Pseudacteon shennongjianus, Liu & Disney, 2022

Liu, Guang-Chun & Disney, R. Henry L., 2022, Revision of the ant-parasitizing genus Pseudacteon Coquillett (Diptera, Phoridae) from China, Zootaxa 5138 (3), pp. 201-237 : 225-227

14. Pseudacteon shennongjianus sp. nov.

( Figs. 18A–F , 25I–J )

Diagnosis. Female. Apical seta shorter than maximum width of palpus; tarsomere 5 shorter than tarsomere 1; setal palisade 3/4 length of mid tibia; setulae below basal half of hind femur shorter than those of anteroventral row of outer half; tergite VI reduced to a narrow anterior strip in middle but each lateral quarter bears 3 short setulae in transverse row; sternite VI ( Fig. 14G ) forms a narrow strip and two small pieces behind it; dorsum of oviscape with about 6–7 minute setulae each side; venter of oviscape with 2 minute setulae each side.

Female. Body length 1.43–1.45 mm. Frons ( Fig. 18A ) yellow, with 14–16 setulae. Supra-antennal setae as strong as adjacent frontal setae, upper pair being higher on frons than lower fronto-orbital setae. Lower interfrontal seta directly under lower fronto-orbital seta. Second row of frontal setae clearly concave, with upper interfronal setae further from each other than either is from upper fronto-orbital seta. Flagellomere 1 yellow and subglobose. Palpus pale yellow, with 6 long setae, apical one shorter than maximum of width of palpus. Labrum and labella pale yellow.

Thorax yellow. Scutellum with two pairs of setae, posterior four times length of anterior. Legs pale yellow. Ratios of lengths of fore tarsomeres about 1.05: 0.73: 0.71: 0.66: 1, with all five bearing a setal palisade ( Fig. 18C ). Setal palisade extends 3/4 (0.72) length of mid tibia ( Fig. 18D ). Setae below basal half of hind femur a little shorter than those of anteroventral row of outer half ( Fig. 18E ). Wing ( Fig. 18B ) length 1.40 mm, width 0.71 mm, width/ length 0.51. Costal index 0.40. Costal ratios 1.71: 1. Costal cilia 0.055–0.058 mm long. Costa with 14 dorsal setulae. Alula with 4 setae. Veins slightly yellow, membrane hyaline. Haltere whitish yellow.

Abdominal tergites yellow and tergites I–V with sparse minute setulae on posterior margins. Tergite VI ( Fig. 25I ) reduced to a narrow anterior strip in middle but each lateral quarter bears 3 short setulae in transverse row. Venter pale yellow. Sternite VI ( Fig. 25J ) forms a narrow strip, behind it there are two small sclerotized pieces, each with 2 long setulae, and 2–3 short setulae in outside of pieces. The dorsum of the oviscape with about 6–7 minute setulae each side. The venter of the oviscape with 2 minute setulae each side ( Fig. 18F ).

Male. unknown.

Distribution. China (Hubei).

Etymology. The species epithet refers to the type locality.

Specimens examined. Holotype. ♀, Hubei, Shennongjia (31°44′14.27″N, 110°38′13.45″E), 15-July-2010, Tao Li.

Remarks. The new species seems similar to P. tianmuensis sp. nov., it differs from the latter by longer setal palisade of mid tibia and shorter apical seta of palpus. In the key to Russian Far East ( Disney & Michailovskaya 2000), the new species runs to couplets 3 to P. setipalpatus Disney et Michailovskaya, 2000 , but is immediately distinguished from the latter by yellowish body colour and shorter apical seta of palpus.

Figures

FIGURES 14A–F. Pseudacteon pullum Disney et Michailovskaya, female. A. head, anterior view; B. wing, dorsal view; C. fore tarsus, posterior view; D. mid tibia, posterior view; E. hind femur, anterior view; F. ovipositor, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.1mm.

FIGURES 18A–F. Pseudacteon shennongjianus sp. nov., female. A. head, anterior view; B. wing, dorsal view; C. fore tarsus, posterio view; D. mid tibia, posterior view; E. hind femur, anterior view; F. ovipositor, dorsal view. Scale bar = 0.1mm.

FIGURES 25A–J. Tergite VI and sternite VI of females. A–B. P. rudisetosus Disney et Michailovskaya; C–D. P. pullum Michailovskaya; E–F. P. obtusatus Liu et Cai; G–H. P. linzhiensis sp. nov.; I–J. P. shennongjianus sp. nov. Scale bar = 0.1mm.