Lonchaea gigantea, Introduction & Fallén & Morge, 2007

Introduction, Iain, Fallén, Lonchaea & Morge, Setisquamalonchaea, 2007, New pecies of Lonchaeidae (Diptera: Schizophora) from Asia, Zootaxa 1631, pp. 1-32 : 7-9

Lonchaea gigantea sp. nov.

Description: Holotype male: Head: Eyes bare. Frons parallel sided to a point half way between the ocellar triangle and lunule, then widening out down the face, narrowest point half eye width. All large setae on the vertex and upper frons missing apart from one of the orbital setae which is lying flat over the orbital plate. Frontal setulae in multiple rows, about half as long as orbital setae, interfrontal setulae curved towards centre line. Orbital plate broad, shining, without setulae Lunule broad and convex, black ground colour with a light silvering, bearing approximately twelve long setulae half as long as orbital setae. Parafacials shining black on dorsal third and along the inner margins, lightly silvered on outer margin and on ventral two thirds. Face rather densely grey-silver dusted. Anterior genal setulae extending in a single row of 7–8 along mouth margin, none of these strong or setae like. Antennal flagellomere two and a half times as long as deep, entirely dark brownish as is the second antennal segment, contrasting with the shining black lunule and frons. Arista yellowish basally, short pubescent, the setulae being as long as the width of arista at base.

Thorax: Thoracic disc glittering blue-black with slight dusting in pre-scutellar area, covered with appressed setulae approximately one half the length of orbital setae. Sclerites lightly grey dusted. Notopleural depression bare apart from two strong setae. Prothorax bare. Anepisternum with no strong setae anteriorly but with five posteriorly. Katepisternum with two equally strong setae, with one setulae centrally ventral to them but none posterior to them, numerous setulae on the anterior part of sclerite. One propleural and one slightly shorter stigmatical setae. Scutellum with disc glittering blue black, margin on each side with 11–12 long setulae in multiserial rows between apical and lateral setae, some of these creeping onto the disc of scutellum, length of these setulae half that of apical setae, four shorter setulae between apical setae. Squamae golden yellow with a long, golden yellow fringe of uniform length. Wings fumose especially on anterior half, veins light brown. Wing length 6.0mm. Intercostal space one and a half time the length of crossvein R-M.

Legs: all black, mid and anterior legs with basal tarsomeres obscurely dark brown basally, anterior and posterior tibiae slightly swollen apically, the latter with longish setulae along most of its length, basal tarsomere of posterior leg also with long setulae. Abdomen: rather circular, glittering blue-black, first sternite bare.

Male terminalia; Figs. 12–14. Rather small for such a large species. In lateral view epandrium rather rectangular, one and a half times as wide as high, rather square ventrally and without any significant anterior process, along posterior margin and ventrally with several rows of moderately long setulae all of a rather similar length. Cerci rather small and only slightly protruding from shell of epandrium, bearing multiple rows of setulae along posterior and ventral margins. Surstyli projecting anteriorly as a pointed triangular process. In ventral view surstyli with a row of regularly spaced setulae along their ventral margins, a group of more isolated ones anteriorly. Aedeagus a stout open U-shape, slightly recurved apically, ventrally at base with a swollen area which bears a number of small spicules.

Female: Unknown.

Differential diagnosis: With its large body size, partly fumose wings and very stout aedeagus this species is quite distinct from other previously described Lonchaea species.

TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype male. THAILAND: Khao Pu-Khao Ya N. P., 21.xi.2004, No. 42,forest brook by waterfall, leg. Papp & Földvári.

Only known from the holotype in the HNHM .

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the very large size of this species