Paradoxa fusca Marshall 1896

Jaschhof, Mathias & Kallweit, Uwe, 2009, The Cycloneura Marshall group of genera in New Zealand (Diptera: Mycetophilidae: Leiini), Zootaxa 2090, pp. 1-39 : 6-7

Paradoxa fusca Marshall 1896

( Figs 1, 2 , 13 , 26 , 33 , 40 , 45–54 )

Marshall 1896: 290 (description male), plt. XII, fig. 5 (line drawing habitus); Tonnoir & Edwards 1927: 823 (description female), plt. 62, fig. 71 (photo wing).

Holotype. Male, “Lincoln College” [= Lincoln, Mid Canterbury, South Island], in September [without year]. Specimen lost.

Diagnosis. This is the only species of the genus Paradoxa in New Zealand and thus recognizable readily by the generic characters. Differences between P. f u s c a and P. p a r a d o x a are numerous (see Jaschhof 2006), including the wing membrane that is darkened along the anterior margin and asetose in P. f u s c a but not darkened and with setae along the posterior margin in P. paradoxa ; the M1 that is distinct throughout in P. fusca but very weak or basally evanescent in P. paradoxa ; the M2 that is very weak or basally evanescent in P. fusca but distinct throughout in P. paradoxa ; and the A2 that is absent in P. f u s c a but present in P. paradoxa .

Redescription. Male. Head. Fig. 26 . Median convexity of postgenae not sclerotized. Frontal furrow complete. Frontal tubercle 2-pointed. Clypeus smaller than face. Nodes of antennal flagellomeres 0.6 times as long as wide ( Figs 49, 52 ). Maxillary palpus 4-segmented, with 2 segments proximally of presumed third; basalmost segment asetose; apical segment less than twice the length of preceding segment.

Thorax. Fig. 33 . Wing. Fig. 13 . Length 1.4–1.8 mm. Membrane darkened on anterior margin, without setae. C ending before wing apex. R1 of variable length, but always shorter than ta. M-stem weak, sometimes hardly discernible; basalmost portion of M2 very weak or evanescent. A2 absent. Tb setose. Legs. Fore coxa light, mid and hind coxae dark. Hind tibial apical comb of pale setae lacking.

Terminalia. Sternite 9 absent. Tergite 9 merged basally with gonocoxites, subrectangular, setose dorsally, ventrally a varying number of short, blunt macrosetae in subapical line ( Figs 45, 46 ). Gonocoxites separate ventrobasally; ventral surface not bulging; apicodorsal lobes with numerous short, blunt mesal macrosetae and ordinary setae of various sizes ( Figs 45, 47 ); a rounded setose lobe present mesally of gonostylus ( Fig. 45 ). Gonostylus elongate, with large ventral setae ( Fig. 45 ) and apicodorsal comb of blunt macrosetae plus 1 longer, pointed macroseta most apically ( Fig. 47 ). Aedeagus/paramere complex with large membranous central portion, deeply incised mesally ( Fig. 45 ), accompanied laterally by weakly sclerotized, tusklike processes ( Fig. 51 ); process apices straight or hooked, smooth or serrate, which is subject of infraspecific variation ( Fig. 48 ). Hypoproct setose apically ( Fig. 51 ). Setae on cerci directed posteriorly ( Fig. 45 ), not ventrally as in P. p a r a d o x a.

Female. Head. Nodes of antennal flagellomeres 0.4 times as long as wide ( Fig. 53 ), with 1–2 short setae among trichia.

Wing. Length 1.8–2.8 mm.

Terminalia. Fig. 40 . Tergite 10 fused with sternite 10. Basicercus about twice as long as disticercus.

Distribution and phenology. Endemic to NZ: NO (TO), SO (NN, BR, KA, MC, OL, WD, SL). Very local in the North Island, widespread in the South Island. Adults captured in beech forest, podocarp forest (including kahikatea swamp forest) and mixed beech/podocarp forest, also in grassland and shrubland adjacent to woodland. Visits tree crowns of beeches and four species of podocarps up to a height of 21 m. Adult activity throughout the year except the winter period from May to July.

Material studied. NO. TO: 1 male, Pureora F., Waipapa Res., Jan. 1984, J. Hutcheson; 2 males, 2* females, same loc. but 20 Oct. 1983; 4* males, same loc. but 12 Jan. 1984; 1* female, same loc. but 15 March 1984; 3* males, 3* females, same loc. but 29 March 1983. SO. NN: 2 (1*) males, 2 females, Kahurangi N. P., Takaka R. valley (Cobb dam road), 31 Aug.–7 Oct. 2001, M. & C. Jaschhof; BR: 1 male, 1 female, Cass, Middle Bush, 17 Nov. 1998, P. M. Johns; 2* males, 1* female, same loc. but 9 April 1998; 1* female, same loc. but 11 April 1998; 21 (3*) males, 3 females, Ahaura, Granville S. F., Dec. 1994, J. Hutcheson; 8 males, Maruia F., Shenandoah Saddle, 25 Nov. 2001, M. Jaschhof & U. Kallweit; 9 females, same loc. but 9 Oct.–3 Nov. 2001, M. & C. Jaschhof; 1 female, same loc. but 3–25 Nov. 2001; 1* male, 1* female, L. Daniells Track 7 km E Springs Junction, 9 Nov. 2001, M. Jaschhof; 1 female, same loc. but 24 Nov.–26 Dec. 2001, M. & C. Jaschhof; 1 female, 5 km W Maruia Springs, 26 Nov.–25 Dec. 2001, M. & C. Jaschhof; 1 female, Lewis Pass, 26 Nov.–25 Dec. 2001, M. & C. Jaschhof; 2 females, Paparoa N. P., 5 km E Punakaiki, Inland Pack Track, 30 Sep.–5 Nov. 2001, M. & C. Jaschhof; KA: 11 (4*) males, 2 females, Blue Duck Sc. Res., 29 Nov. 1990 – 28 Feb. 1991, R.K. Didham; MC: 4 males, 1 female, Craigieburn F. P., Broken R. skifield road, 4 Dec. 2001, M. Jaschhof & U. Kallweit; OL: 15 (4*) males, 1 female, Fiordland N. P., Hollyford R. valley, S Divide Creek, 6–24 Jan. 2002, M. & C. Jaschhof; WD: 3 females, Westland N. P., SE Gillespies Beach, 14 Oct.–21 Nov. 2001, M. & C. Jaschhof; 2 females, Waiatoto, 16 Oct.–20 Nov. 2001, M. & C. Jaschhof; 1 male, same loc. but 20 Nov. 2001, U. Kallweit; SL: 4 males, 7 females, Catlins Coastal Rain F. P., Catlins R. valley, 27 Jan.–5 March 2002, M. & C. Jaschhof; 1* male, same loc. but 3 Jan. 2002, M. Jaschhof; 2 females, Catlins, Purakaunui Scenic Res., 27 Jan.–5 March 2002, M. & C. Jaschhof.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Specimens in lateral view. 1: Paradoxa fusca Marshall, male. 2: Paradoxa fusca Marshall, female. 3: Sigmoleia melanoxantha Edwards, male. 4: Sigmoleia melanoxantha Edwards, female.

FIGURES 13 – 18. Wings. 13: Paradoxa fusca Marshall, dorsal view. 14: Sigmoleia melanoxantha Edwards, ventral view. 15: Sigmoleia similis sp. n., ventral view. 16: Sigmoleia separata sp. n., dorsal view. 17: Sigmoleia peterjohnsi sp. n., vental view. 18: Cycloneura triangulata Tonnoir, ventral view.

FIGURES 26 – 29. Head in frontal view. 26: Paradoxa fusca Marshall. 27: Sigmoleia peterjohnsi sp. n. 28: Cawthronia nigra Tonnoir. 29: Waipapamyia dentata sp. n. Length of scale bar = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 30 – 33. Morphology of Leiini. 30: Head, in frontal view, of Cycloneura Marshall sp. 31: Head, in frontal view, of Tonnwardsia gen. et sp. n. 32: Head, in frontal view, of Paracycloneura apicalis Tonnoir. 33: Thorax, in lateral view, of Paradoxa fusca Marshall. Length of scale bar = 0.1 mm (for 30 – 32) and 0.25 mm (for 33).

FIGURES 40 – 44. Female terminalia, lateral view. 40: Paradoxa fusca Marshall. 41: Waipapamyia dentata sp. n. 42: Cawthronia nigra Tonnoir. 43: Cycloneura Marshall sp. 44: Tonnwardsia gen. et sp. n. Length of scale bar = 0.05 mm (for 41) and 0.1 mm (for 40, 42 – 44).

FIGURES 45 – 54. Paradoxa fusca Marshall. 45: Male terminalia, ventral view; slightly pressed (0.1 mm). 46: Apical portion of tergite 9 to show variation in number of macrosetae, ventral view. 47: Gonostylus (a) and apicodorsal lobe of gonocoxite (b), mesal view; slightly distorted (0.05 mm). 48: Variation in apices of parameral processes in 4 specimens, ventral view (0.05 mm). 49: Male flagellomere 4, lateral view (0.05 mm). 50: Gonocoxites and tergite 9, dorsal view; slightly pressed (0.1 mm). 51: Aedeagus / paramere complex, ventral view (0.05 mm). 52: Male flagellomeres 1 – 5, lateral view (0.1 mm). 53: Female flagellomeres 1 – 5, lateral view (0.1 mm). 54: Gonocoxites and tergite 9, dorsal view; undisturbed (0.1 mm). Length of scale bar in parentheses.