Poecilosomella paracryptica, Papp, 2002

Papp, L., 2002, Eighteen New Oriental Species Of Poecilosomella Duda (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 48 (2), pp. 107-156 : 133-134

Poecilosomella paracryptica sp. n.

( Figs 39–41 )

Holotype male ( NMNH): MALAYSIA: Sabah, Kinabalu National Park, Headquarters Area , el. 1560m, 13 Sept. 1983, G. F. Hevel & W. E. Steiner.

Paratypes ( NMNH, HNHM) : 7 males, 2 females: same data as holotype (3 males in HNHM, abdomen with genitalia of one of them in a plastic microvial with glycerine) ; 1 male ( NMNH): ibid., Poring, el. 570 m, 8 Sept. 1983 .

Measurements in mm: body length 2.05 (holotype), 2.05–2.56 (paratype males), 2.05–2.18 (paratype females), wing length 2.10 (holotype), 2.05–2.41 (paratypes), wing width 1.02 (holotype), and 0.90–1.10 (paratypes).

Mesonotum, scutellum, pleurae and abdomen black, mesonotal spots silvery grey. Body characteristics largely same as in P. varians .

Posterior half of frons rather dark, even anterior reddish half darker than in the related species. A strong upcurving genal bristle present. Arista short, 0.465–0.48 mm, while antenna 0.28–0.29 mm, with short cilia (0.03–0.035 mm) only. Two or three pairs of short ifr. Proboscis large, semiglobular.

0.2 mm for all

Scutellum 0.48 mm broad, 0.34 mm long, apical scutellars 0.59 mm long (holotype). Katepisternals subequal, 0.155 and 0.205 mm (holotype), 0.20 and 0.26 mm (paratype male).

No parts of fore tarsomeres white, although they are at least partly yellow. A yellow ring also on the middle of fore tibia. Male fore tibia and basitarsus (plus other two tarsomeres) ventrally to posteriorly, with long hairs (longer than their diameter at bases of hairs). Male mid tibia ventrally without long hairs, ventroapical seta more or less strong. Mid tibial armature: anterodorsals: a shorter at 13/64, long setae at 10/32 and 26/32, a very long, more anterior at 23/32; posterodorsals: a medium long at 12/40, thick and long setae at 16/40, 22/40, a very thick and even longer at 33/40.

Wings without vein appendage on R 2+3, dark spots as in P. cryptica . Apex of R 2+3 upcurving to costa along a wide arc (i.e. not angularly bent, though it ends perpendicularly), this vein parallel with costa on a rather long medial section. Vein R 4+5 more strongly bent towards the costa. Second costal section shorter than third section (0.52 vs. 0.645 mm on holotype). Cross-vein dM-Cu is longer than intercrossvein section of M (0.155 mm vs. 0.138 mm).

Male tergite 5 normal with the usual marginal bristles. Subepandrial sclerite ( Fig. 39 ) without any large ventral projection but with 3 pairs of setae, sclerotization characteristic for the species. Surstylus ( Fig. 41 ) bilobed, both lobes longer than in P. cryptica , posteromedial process apically with a short bidentate thorn, anterior lobe with numerous, rather long bristles. Postgonite ( Fig. 40 ) comparatively short, broad, curved along a wide arcus, apical part with apically directed small spinules. Distiphallus with the usual apical threadlike process.

Female terminalia not studied. Paratype females assigned on the basis of association with holotype male.

Distribution: known from Sabah ( Malaysia) only, but is probably more widely distributed.

P. paracryptica sp. n. is a member of the P. varians species group. That is, one can identify it by the male genital characteristics only, though it is easy to do so in the case of this species.

Figures

Figs 39–41. Poecilosomella paracryptica sp. n., paratype male, postabdomen and genitalia. 39 = subepandrial sclerite, caudal view, 40 = postgonite, lateral view, 41 = surstylus, lateral view. Scale: