Elephantomyia (Elephantomyia) inulta Alexander, 1938

Zhang, Xiao, Li, Yan & Yang, Ding, 2015, A review of the genus Elephantomyia Osten Sacken from China, with descriptions of two new species (Diptera, Limoniidae), Zootaxa 3919 (3), pp. 553-572 : 558-560

Elephantomyia (Elephantomyia) inulta Alexander, 1938

( Figs. 11–21 )

Elephantomyia inulta Alexander, 1938b: 247 . Type locality: Cherrapunji, Meghalaya (previously part of “Assam”) ( India).

Diagnosis. Rostrum nearly as long as body. Mesonotum brown with three conspicuous brownish black stripes. Pleuron brownish yellow with two brownish black stripes. Wing with brown spot on stigma; basal section of CuA1 at 1/4 of cell dm, cell a2 relatively broad. Abdominal segments more or less bicolored.

Description. Male. Body length 4.5–5.0 mm, wing length 5.5–6.5 mm, rostrum length 4.0– 4.5 mm.

Head (fig. 12). Dark brown. Hairs on head brownish black. Antenna length 0.8 mm, black. Flagellomeres except first flagellomere nearly equal in length; first flagellomere elongate and enlarged, nearly 3 times as long as second flagellomere. Rostrum brownish black with brownish black hairs.

Thorax. Generally brownish yellow to brownish black. Pronotum brown. Mesonotum brown with three conspicuous brownish black stripes. Scutum dark brown with middle area yellow, each lobe with a pale yellow spot. Scutellum dark brown. Mediotergite brown with edge darker (fig. 13). Pleuron (fig. 11)brownish yellow with two brownish black stripes, upper one extending from cervical region to base of wing, lower one extending from fore coxa to middle coxa. Hairs on thorax brownish black. Fore coxa brownish yellow, middle and hind coxae brownish yellow to brown; trochanters brownish black; femora brown with bases yellow; tibiae brown; tarsi brownish yellow. Hairs on legs brownish black. Wing (fig. 14) pale brown, brown spot on stigma; veins pale brown. Venation: Sc1 ending at fork of Rs, Sc2 near its tip; tip of R1 arcuated along posterior border of stigma; basal section of CuA1 beyond fork of M and at 1/4 of cell dm; cell a2 relatively broad. Haltere length 0.8–1.0 mm, white with knob darker.

Abdomen (fig. 11). Tergites and sternites dark brown with caudal margins paler. Hairs on abdomen brownish black.

Hypopygium (figs. 16–18). Generally brownish yellow. Posterior margin of tergite nine with broad and shallow V-shaped notch. Gonocoxite cylindrical,enlarged near base. Clasper of gonostylus slender and slightly curved, tip bidentate. Lobe of gonostylus stout and curved, tip slender and blunt. Interbase club-shaped and slightly curved, tip round. Paramere club-shaped, tip round. Aedeagus band-shaped and folded along longitudinal axis, curved ventrally, tip acute (figs. 19–21).

Female. Body length 5.0– 5.5 mm, wing length 6.0– 6.5 mm, rostrum length 4.5 mm. Similar to male. Tenth tergite brown with base yellow. Cercus dark brownish yellow. Hypogynial valve brownish yellow with base brown. Tip of hypogynial valve at 3/5 of cercus (fig. 15).

Specimens examined. Holotype male ( USNM), India: Meghalaya (previously part of “Assam”), Cherrapunji (1219 m), 1936.V, S. Sircar. Paratypes: 3 males ( USNM), same data as holotype. Other materials: 5 males 3 females ( CAU), China: Yunnan, Nujiang, Gongshan, Dulongjiang (27°40'32"N 98°20'3"E, 1542 m), 2013. VII.1, Xuankun Li (light trap). 27 males 24 females ( CAU), China: Xizang, Linzhi, Hanmi (29°21'38"N 95°8'45"E, 2100 m), 2011. VIII.5, Lihua Wang (light trap). 45 males 30 females ( CAU), China: Xizang, Linzhi, 80K (29°39'18"N 95°29'22"E, 1000 m), 2012. VII.23, Wenliang Li (light trap).

Distribution. China (Yunnan, Xizang); India.

Remarks. This species is recorded for China for the first time. Female of this species is described and illustrated for the first time. For description and illustration of this species, also see Alexander (1938b). The venation suggests placement of the species in the subgenus Elephantomyodes, but Alexander (1938b) considered that this species belonged to the typical subgenus.

Figures

FIGURES 11 – 18. Elephantomyia (Elephantomyia) inulta Alexander, 1938. 11: Male habitus, lateral view; 12: Head, dorsal view; 13: Thorax, dorsal view; 14: Wing; 15: Female hypopygium, lateral view; 16: Male hypopygium, dorsal view; 17: Male hypopygium, lateral view; 18: Male hypopygium, ventral view. Scale bar: 11 = 2.0 mm; 12 – 13 = 0.5 mm; 14 = 1.0 mm; 15 = 0.2 mm; 16 – 18 = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 19 – 21. Elephantomyia (Elephantomyia) inulta Alexander, 1938. 19: Aedeagus and parameres, dorsal view; 20: Aedeagus and parameres, lateral view; 21: Aedeagus and parameres, ventral view. Scale bar: 19 – 21 = 0.05 mm.