Bicaubittacus yangi Tan & Hua

Tan, Jiang-Li & Hua, Bao-Zhen, 2009, Bicaubittacus, a new genus of the Oriental Bittacidae (Mecoptera) with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 2221, pp. 27-40 : 32-34

Bicaubittacus yangi Tan & Hua , sp. nov.

( Figs 3–4 )

Holotype: CHINA: GUANGXI: male, Gunping, Tianlin, 30.V.1982, coll. Yang Chi-kun, preserved in the Entomological Museum, China Agricultural University, Beijing [ CAU].

Etymology. The new species is named in honor of its collector, the late Prof. Yang Chi-kun, to commemorate his outstanding contribution to the Chinese insect taxonomy.

Diagnosis. The new species resembles Bicaubittacus appendiculatus comb. nov. in appearance, but can be separated from the latter by the dorsal margin of epandrial appendage extending caudo-mesad into a long sabre-shaped lobe with a row of black spines; gonostylus long, apex slender and rounded.

Description. Body 16 mm long. Wingspan 36 mm. Forewing 17.6 mm long, 3.6 mm wide. Hindwing 15.1 mm long, 3.0 mm wide. Vertex, frons, rostrum, maxillary palps, and labial palps yellowish brown. Antennae filiform, yellowish brown, about 6.2 mm long; flagellum ciliated, with about 19 flagellomeres. Compound eyes black; ocellar triangle black, slightly protuberant.

Pronotum unevenly dark brown; two long, black setae along the anterior margin. Anterior half of mesonotum unevenly blackish brown laterally, light brown medially; the remaining part and metanotum pale brown. Pleura and legs yellowish brown; femora and tibiae dark at apices; fourth tarsomere with a spine on each side.

Wings ( Fig. 3 ) unspotted, with yellowish tint; pterostigma prominent; pale thyridium at FM. On forewing Pcv 2; Av absent; Cuv ending at the level of FM; 1A terminating far before FM; Sc ending near FRs; Scv near FRs. Hindwing similar to forewing, but Sc ending far before FRs; Scv near ORs.

Abdomen of male with terga II–VIII yellowish brown; each tergum with a narrow black antecosta; posterior margin of terga VI–VIII deeply emarginated, V-shaped; posterior angles of terga VI–VII blackish brown. Epandrial appendages yellowish brown, very large and highly modified; in dorsal aspect, bases fused narrowly, extending caudad into a small median process; basal 2/3 curved mesad, extending caudo-mesad into two small processes ( Fig. 4 D), and long sabre-shaped lobe with a row of black spines extending ventrocaudally from the inner side of the epandrial appendages ( Fig. 4 A); long, broad process directed ventrad subbasally from ventral margin of the epandrial appendages ( Figs 4 A, B); epandrial appendages abruptly narrowed for there distal third into an apical prolongation ( Fig. 4 A). Gonocoxites elongated apically into a pair of slender, weakly sclerotized, setiferous prolongations with sparse, long, black setae along the distal part; tapering toward apex ( Fig. 4 A). Gonostylus long and slender, with rounded apex ( Figs 4 A, C). Upper branch of proctiger long, with a dorsal subapical tuft of hairs; apex emarginated into two unequal processes, roughly L-shaped ( Fig. 4 A). Aedeagus very small, with scoop-like penunci at each side of its base; penisfilum short and coiled ( Fig. 4 A).

Distribution. China (Guangxi).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Bicaubittacus yangi sp. nov., holotype male.

FIGURE 4. Bicaubittacus yangi sp. nov., male genitalia. A. Genitalia, lateral view; B. Ventro-basal process of right epandrial appendage, inner view; C. Left gonostylus and part of cercus and gonocoxite, lateral view; D. Epandrial appendages, dorsal view.