Thaumalea martinovskyi Joost, 1979

Wagner, Rüdiger & Bellstedt, Ronald, 2015, Thaumaleidae (Diptera) collected by the late Dr. W. Joost in the Caucasus Mountains, Zootaxa 4039 (3), pp. 483-488 : 485-487

Thaumalea martinovskyi Joost, 1979

Description. Head and thorax brown, particularly mesonotum dark-brown covered with numerous long setae on entire surface; legs, antenna, mouthparts light brown; hind femur ventrally with rows of long hairs; wing opaque, translucent. Wing length: 4.2 mm. Body length: 4.0 mm.

Male genitalia ( Figs 5–6 ): Tergite 9 subtriangular with distal tip. Cercus small, inconspicuous. Gonocoxite pipe shaped, almost straight, approx. 5 times longer than wide; gonocoxal appendage simple, median plate. Gonostylus shorter than gonocoxite, basal half wider than distal half, with pair of sharp well sclerotized blunt tips. Paramere in lateral view simple, elongate, blade-like, almost straight, tip reaches just beyond tip of gonocoxite; in ventral view parameres equally bent, tips pointing in opposite directions.

Female genitalia ( Figs 7–8 ): Hypogynial valve of sternite 8 pointed. Cerci small, about 1.5 times longer than wide. Subgenital plate with deep, cylindrical median incision. In lateral view, Y-shaped sclerite visible, in ventral view sclerite appears as oval plate with sinuous distal margin and median prolongation.

Relations: Thaumalea martinovskyi is related to the East Mediterranean species, T. kyladica Wagner, 1981 (isles Euböa, Andros, and Naxos) and T. malickyi Theischinger, 1979 (Crete) . The general aspect of the gonocoxites and gonostyli is similar, and the blade-shaped parameres are almost straight in lateral view. The species differ in that in lateral view the parameres of T. malickyi are medially dilated, and those of T. kykladica are generally broader. In ventral view the parameres of T. malickyi and T. kykladica run parallel, whereas those of T. martinovskyi are bent.

Holotype: ♂, RUSSIA: Central Caucasus, Karbadino-Balkar Republic, right tributary of the Dongusorun-Baskan near Terskol, leg. Joost (hand net collection). Approximate geographical data: 43°15'19" N, 42°30'55" E; approx. elevation 2,000 m a.s.l.

Thaumalea monikae sp. n.

Description. Head dark brown, thorax orange brown. Mesonotum orange brown covered with short hairs; legs yellow, antenna and mouth parts light brown. Basal half of hind femur ventrally with several long brown hairs. Wing opaque, translucent. Wing length: 3.8 mm. Body length: 3.6 mm.

Male genitalia ( Figs 9–10 ): Tergite 9 oval with four lateral angles with dark tips. Cercus inconspicuous. Gonocoxites tubular, widest in middle, almost straight, ca. 2 times longer than wide; gonocoxal appendage simple, median plate. Gonostylus shorter than gonocoxite, thinner apically, with 3 sclerotized tips: apical pair and one subapical. Paramere broad in lateral view, tip curved dorsally, with subapical edge. In ventral view, parameres run almost parallel, tip and subapical edge directed laterally. Apices of parameres and gonocoxites terminate at about same level.

Female genitalia ( Figs 11–12 ): Female in bad condition. Main features visible include: tergite 9 comparatively long, with long, venterodistal, triangular pointed prolongation. Cercus small, hardly longer than wide. Subgenital plate with median incision that basally divides into 2 short laterad arms; medially blunt nose-like projection arises. In ventral view trifid inner sclerite at base of nose-like projection, lateral arms bent and slightly longer than median.

Relations: The shape of the male tergite 9 with four lateral edges places the species near the T. bezzii -group. The shape of the parameres, however, is similar to T. chiosica Wagner, 1981 and T. ikariae Wagner, 1981 , both from the Aegean region. Most similarities it shares with T. ikariae , e.g., tergite 9 with four lateral edges, parameres distally hookshaped, bent, with further dorsal points.

Etymology. We follow the intention of our colleague W. Joost, written on a paper slip, to name the species after his wife, Monika Joost.

Holotype: ♂, RUSSIA, Central Caucasus, Karachay-Cherkessia province, Itkol, waterfall, left below Itkol. 9. September 1978 leg. Joost; paratypes 2 ♂ 1♀, same as holotype (1♂ without abdomen). Approximate geographical data: 43°15'2" N, 42°34'13" E; elevation approx. 2,000 m a.s.l.

Figures

FIGURES 5 – 8. Thaumalea martinovskyi Joost 1979 5 — ♂ genitalia ventral view; 6 — ♂ genitalia lateral view; 7 — ♀ genitalia lateral view; 8 — ♀ genitalia ventral view;

FIGURES 9 – 12. Thaumalea monikae sp. n. 9 — ♂ genitalia ventral view; 10 — ♂ genitalia lateral view; 22 — ♀ genitalia lateral view; 12 — ♀ genitalia ventral view [Scale bar 0.1 mm].