Cratyna (Pictosciara) brevipalpis ( Steffan, 1969 ) Broadley & Kauschke & Mohrig, 2019

Broadley, Adam, Kauschke, Ellen & Mohrig, Werner, 2019, Revision of the black fungus gnat species (Diptera: Sciaridae) described by W. A. Steffan from Micronesia, Zootaxa 4683 (2), pp. 215-241 : 225

Cratyna (Pictosciara) brevipalpis ( Steffan, 1969) , comb. n.

( Fig. 7 A–D)

Corynoptera brevipalpis Steffan, 1969 [ Steffan (1969): 695 –697, fig. 10 a–h].

Literature: Steffan (1974): 45–46 (as Corynoptera brevipalpis ).

Material studied: Holotype: Male, 5.vi.1957, Micronesia, Caroline Islands, Palau Is., Babelthuap I., Imeliik, Netkeng, leg. C.W. Sabrosky (USNMENT 2083267).

Paratype, male, same data as the holotype, except 6.vi.1957 ( BPBM, without registration number) .

Conservation status: Embedded in Hoyer’s medium. Head, body and a wing isolated under cover slip. Thorax and hypopygium are depressed and deformed.

Comments. The species is characterized by a very short 3-segmented palpus, the first two segments swollen; a short gonostylus, pointed to the apex, with a very short apical tooth and 3–4 short and thin hyaline spines. The species belongs to the subgenus Pictosciara Mohrig and it is very similar (maybe identical) to Cr. adrostylata Hardy from the Hawaiian Islands. The unique differences are the short and nearly quadratic flagellomeres of Cr. adrostylata Hardy , whereas these of Cr. brevipalpis Steffan are distinctly longer than wide. All other details seem to be identical but we cannot be certain because of the deformed morphological structures. The body is bleached but it seems that the gonostylus is somewhat darker than the gonocoxites, typical for Cratyna (Pictosciara) vera Mohrig, 2004 .

Distribution. Caroline Islands (Babelthuap I.).

Figures

FIGURE 7 A–D. Cratyna brevipalpis (Steffan, 1969). Paratype. A. Hypopygium; B. Head; C. Flagellomeres 3–5; D. Apex of fore tibia (embedding medium turbid and the structures slightly depressed).