Elaphropeza bicaudata ( Melander, 1928 )

SHAMSHEV, IGOR V. & GROOTAERT, PATRICK, 2007, Revision of the genus Elaphropeza Macquart (Diptera: Hybotidae) from the Oriental Region, with a special attention to the fauna of Singapore, Zootaxa 1488 (1), pp. 1-164 : 119-122

Elaphropeza bicaudata ( Melander, 1928)

( Figs. 192–195 , 222 , 225 , 236 , 257 )

Drapetis (Elaphropeza) bicaudata Melander, 1928: 313 (male and female).

Diagnosis. Male with two black apical spines on the fused cerci.

Re-description. Male. Body length 2.2–2.4 mm, wing length 1.8–2.0 mm. Occiput entirely black, subshining, with yellow to brownish yellow setation. Anterior ocellars long, proclinate; posterior ocellars minute. Inner verticals long, outer ones shorter. Frons subshining. Antenna ( Fig. 192 ) with postpedicel brownish yellow, scape and pedicel yellow. Pedicel with circlet of subequally short setulae. Postpedicel short, about 2.0 times longer than wide. Style normally pubescent, brown, 4.5–4.7 times longer than postpedicel and about 3.0 times as long as scape, pedicel and postpedicel combined. Proboscis brownish yellow. Palpus yellow, small, rounded; with scattered brownish yellow setulae, bearing 1 longer subapical seta.

Thorax entirely yellow, shining, with yellow to brownish yellow bristles. Prothoracic episterna lacking long upturned bristle just above fore coxa, with 2 short upturned bristles in upper part. Postpronotal bristle moderately long. Mesonotum with 1 presutural supra-alar, 3 notopleural, 1 postsutural supra-alar, 1 postalar and 4 scutellar (inner ones very long, cruciate; outer ones very short) bristles. Acrostichals 2-serial, lacking on presutural depression; dorsocentrals 1-serial, about 7 in row, extending to base of scutellum, 1 prescutellar pair longest.

Legs wholly yellow, with yellow to brownish yellow setation. Coxae and trochanters with unmodified setation. Fore femur rather slender, with rows of short antero- and posteroventral bristles and 2 longer bristles near base. Fore tibia rather somewhat thickened, lacking prominent bristles (except subapicals). Mid femur slender, with 2 rows of spinule-like, short, ventral bristles (becoming shorter in apical part of femur), 1 long thin bristle near base and 1 anterior subapical bristle. Mid tibia lacking ventral spinules and prominent bristles (except subapicals). Hind femur more or less evenly thickened, bearing 1 row of short anteroventrals and 3–4 erect dorsal bristles near base. Hind tibia rather slender, with 2 anterodorsal bristles in middle part; apical projection small, rounded, clothed in dense brownish setulae. Hind tarsomere 1 somewhat thickened.

Wing ( Fig. 257 ) normally developed, finely uniformly infuscate, covered with uniform microtrichia; veins yellowish to brownish yellow. Costal vein with moderately long setulae along anterior margin. Basal costal bristle long, yellow. Costal index: 48/29/42/15. Vein Rs somewhat longer than crossvein bm-cu. Veins R4+5 and M1+2 somewhat divergent near wing apex, both straight. Vein CuA1 reaching wing margin. Vein A1 absent. Crossvein bm-cu almost transverse. Crossvein r-m before middle of cell bm. Halter darkened.

Abdomen. Tergite 1 entirely pale yellow. Tergites 2 and 3 largely pale yellow, with subtriangular brownish yellow lateral spots narrowly connected along midline; with unmodified setation. Tergite 4 ( Fig. 225 ) broadest, brown, bearing squamiform setae. Tergite 5 very narrow, divided along midline, brownish yellow, with unmodified setation. Tergites 6–8 unmodified, yellowish; tergite 7 with rather long posteromarginal bristles. Sternites largely pale yellow. Gland-like structures present between tergites 4–5.

Terminalia ( Fig. 193–195 ) large, brownish yellow. Cerci fused forming single, rather subtriangular, short lobe covered with numerous bristles of different lengths and bearing 2 black long spines at apex ( Fig. 194 ). Epandrium completely divided. Right epandrial lamella subtriangular, covered with numerous long bristles, lacking spines. Right surstylus not prominent. Left epandrial lamella fused to hypandrium, with numerous long bristles apically. Left surstylus ( Fig. 195 ) with upper lobe large, subtriangular, covered with numerous long bristles. Hypandrium ( Fig. 245 ) with 1 long and 1 short bristles. Phallus very short. Two rod-shaped apodemes.

Female. Body length 2.1–2.4 mm, wing length 1.9–2.0 mm. Segment 8 ( Figs. 236–237 ) somewhat elongate, brownish yellow, with sclerites separated; sternite 8 folded apically. Sternite 10 covered with numerous spinules ventrally. Cercus broad oval, yellow. Otherwise as in male.

Type material examined. Holotype male labelled: Mt. Makiling / Luzon, Baker; ALMelander / Collection / 1961; TYPE / Elaphropeza / bicaudata / Mel. [dark red label]; HOLOTYPE / Drapetis / bicaudata / Melander, 1927 [red label].

Paratypes: Female, Mt. Makiling / Luzon, Baker; PARATYPE / Elaphropeza / bicaudata / Mel. [dark red label]; CFBaker / collection / 1927; Elaphropeza / bicaudata / Mel.

Female, Mt. Makiling / Luzon, Baker; PARATYPE / Elaphropeza / bicaudata / Mel. [dark red label]; ALMelander / Collection / 1961 (Smithsonian Institute).

Melander (1928) described this species after three specimens noted above. The holotype is in good condition.

Additional material: MALAYSIA, 1 ♂, Pulau Tioman , Juara, 20 July 2005, primary rain forest, sweeping (reg. 25247, leg. PG, E-19) .

SINGAPORE, 3 ♀♀, Bukit Timah , 15 July 2005, rain forest, Mal (reg. 25261, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Bukit Timah , 5 August 2005, rain forest, Mal (reg. 25278, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Bukit Timah , 19 August 2005, rain forest, Mal (reg. 25301, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Bukit Timah , 26 August 2005, rain forest, Mal (reg. 25313, leg. PG) ; 3 ♀♀, Bukit Timah , 7 September 2005, rain forest, sweeping (reg. 25330, leg. PG) ; 2 ♂♂, Bukit Timah , 16 September 2005, rain forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25347, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Bukit Timah , 23 September 2005, rain forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25358, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Bukit Timah , 23 September 2005, rain forest, Mal 3 (reg. 25359, leg. PG) ; 1 ♂, Bukit Timah , 23 September 2005, rain forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25358, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Bukit Timah , 8 February 2006, rain forest, Mal (reg. 26025, leg. PG) ; 3 ♀♀, Chek Jawa , 11 October 2005, mangrove, Mal (reg. 25380, leg. PG) ; 5 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 16 March 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25015, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 16 March 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25016, leg. PG) ; 3 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 24 March 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25029, leg. PG) ; 4 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 24 March 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25028, leg. PG) ; 5 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 24 March 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25028, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 5 April 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25047, leg. PG) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 5 April 2005, swamp forest, Mal 3 (reg. 25048, leg. PG) ; 4 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 6 May 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25138, leg. PG) ; 5 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 6 May 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25139, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 13 May 2005, swamp forest, Mal 3 (reg. 25143, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 13 May 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25141, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 13 May 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25142, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 20 May 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25144, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 27 May 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25147, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 27 May 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25148, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 3 June 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25150, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 3 June 2005, swamp forest, Mal 3 (reg. 25152, leg. PG) ; 6 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 3 June 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25151, leg. PG) ; 4 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 10 June 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25153, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 10 June 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25154, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 17 June 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25156, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 8 July 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25206, leg. PG) ; 1 ♂, Nee Soon , 8 July 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25205, leg. PG) ; 6 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 15 July 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25258, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 15 July 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25259, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 22 July 2005, swamp forest, Mal 3 (reg. 25269, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 5 August 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25281, leg. PG) ; 3 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 12 August 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25290, leg. PG) ; 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 19 August 2005, swamp forest, Mal 3 (reg. 25298, leg. PG) ; 3 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 19 August 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25296, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 26 August 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25317, leg. PG) ; 6 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 26 August 2005, swamp forest, Mal 3 (reg. 25318, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 26 August 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25316, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 7 September 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25332, leg. PG) ; 1 ♂, 5 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 16 September 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25350, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 16 September 2005, swamp forest, Mal 3 (reg. 25351, leg. PG) ; 1 ♂, 6 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 16 September 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25349, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 23 September 2005, swamp forest, Mal 3 (reg. 25362, leg. PG) ; 4 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 23 September 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25361, leg. PG) ; 5 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 23 September 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25360, leg. PG) ; 10 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 14 October 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25388, leg. PG) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 14 October 2005, swamp forest, Mal 5 (reg. 25392, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 14 October 2005, swamp forest, Mal 3 (reg. 25390, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 28 October 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25404, leg. PG) ; 3 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 28 October 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25403, leg. PG) ; 3 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 28 October 2005, swamp forest, Mal 3 (reg. 25405, leg. PG) ; 6 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 9 November 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25414, leg. PG) ; 3 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 18 November 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25423, leg. PG) ; 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 18 November 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25422, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 3 December 2005, swamp forest, Mal 3 (reg. 25438, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 3 December 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25436, leg. PG) ; 3 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 3 December 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25436, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 3 December 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25437, leg. PG) ; 5 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 14 December 2005, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25446, leg. PG) ; 3 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 14 December 2005, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25447, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 4 January 2006, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 26005, leg. PG) ; 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 4 January 2006, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 26004, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 4 January 2006, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 26004, leg. PG) ; 3 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 13 January 2006, swamp forest, Mal 3 (reg. 26014, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 25 January 2006, swamp forest, Mal 3 (reg. 26022, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Nee Soon , 25 January 2006, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 26020, leg. PG) ; 5 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 8 February 2006, swamp forest, Mal 2 (reg. 26029, leg. PG) ; 3 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 8 February 2006, swamp forest, Mal 1 (reg. 26028, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Nee Soon , 8 February 2006, swamp forest, Mal 3 (reg. 26030, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sime forest , 22 July 2005, forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25270, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sime forest , 5 August 2005, forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25279, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sime forest , 19 August 2005, forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25299, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sime forest , 26 August 2005, forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25314, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Sime forest , 16 September 2005, forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25352, leg. PG) ; 4 ♀♀, Sime forest , 14 October 2005, forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25384, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sime forest , 28 October 2005, forest, Mal 1 (reg. 25401, leg. PG) ; 5 ♀♀, Sime forest , 9 November 2005, forest, Mal 2 (reg. 25413, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sime forest , 4 January 2006, forest, Mal 1 (reg. 26002, leg. PG) ; 1 ♀, Sime forest , 8 February 2006, forest, Mal 2 (reg. 26027, leg. PG) ; 4 ♀♀, Sungei Buloh , 18 November 2005, mangrove, Mal 1 (reg. 25425, leg. PG) ; 2 ♀♀, Sungei Buloh , 4 January 2006, mangrove, Mal 1 (reg. 26007, leg. PG, E- 19) .

Distribution. Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. All types of forests, occasionally in mangrove.

Singapore. This is the most common and abundant Elaphropeza species. It is found in all types of terrestrial forests and occasionally in mangrove. It is present throughout the year, but the activity is much higher in the second half of the year. The lowest activity is from the end of March until the beginning of July with occasional little peaks that probably reflect the new generations .

Males are rare: the sex ratio is 16.7/ 1 females to males. This suggests that the species may reproduce asexually. A strategy that might explain its wide distribution in Asia, enabling females to disperse without males and found new populations.

Remarks. The relationships of E. bicaudata are unclear beyond inclusion within the monophyletic lineage of the E. ephippiata species group sharing completely fused cerci (see “Discussion” for details).

Figures

FIGURES 192–195. Elaphropeza bicaudata (Melander) 192. antenna. 193. epandrium with cerci. 194. left cercus lateral view. 195. left surstylus.

FIGURES 218–224. 218. Elaphropeza crassicercus sp. nov., hind tibia. 219. E. biuncinata, mid tibia. 220. E. biuncinata, hind tibia anteriorly. 221. E. biuncinata, tip of hind tibia posteriorly. 222. E. bicaudata, hind femur and tibia. 223. E. bezzii sp. nov., hind tibia anteriorly. 224. E. palpata, hind femur and tibia anteriorly.

FIGURES 225–234. Abdominal tergites dorsal view. 225. Elaphropeza bicaudata. 226. E. equalis sp. nov. 227. E. monospina sp. nov. 228. E. riatanae sp. nov. 229. E. combinata sp. nov. 230. E. yeoi sp. nov. 231. E. spiralis sp. nov. 232. E. spicata sp. nov. 233. E. meieri sp. nov. 234. E. neesoonensis sp. nov.

FIGURES 235–240. Ovipositors. 235. Elaphropeza ephippiata. 236. E. bicaudata. 237. E. bicaudata ventral. 238. E. feminata sp. nov. 239. E. biuncinata. 240. E. singaporensis sp. nov.

FIGURES 253-259. Wings. 253. Elaphropeza singaporensis sp. nov. 254. E. pluriacantha sp. nov. 255. E. yangi sp. nov. 256. E. spiralis sp. nov. 257. E. bicaudata. 258. E. biuncinata. 259. E. hirsutitibia. 260-261. E. palpata.

FIGURES 241–245. Hypandria. 241. Elaphropeza biuncinata. 242. E. ephippiata. 243. E. ephippiata, detail tip. 244. E. meieri sp. nov. 245. E. bicaudata.