Chelipoda kameawuta, Plant, 2009

Plant, Adrian R., 2009, Diversity Of Chelipoda Macquart, 1823 (Diptera: Empididae: Hemerodromiinae) In Northern Thailand With Discussion Of A Biodiversity ‘ Hot Spot’ At Doi Inthanon, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 57 (2), pp. 255-277 : 262-263

Chelipoda kameawuta , new species

( Fig. 7 )

Material examined. – Holotype. Male, THAILAND: Chiang Mai, Doi Inthanon National Park, Kew Ma Trail , 18°33.162'N 98°28.810'E, 2,200 m, Malaise trap, Y. Areeluck, 22–29 Apr.2007 ( QSBG, T1847 ).

Paratype. 1 female, same data as holotype, 29 Apr. –6 May.2007 ( QSBG, T1853 ) .

Diagnosis. – Species with black head and all yellow thorax. F 1 strongly inflated with only a single row of denticles below and front tarsomeres 2 & 3 strongly spinose (especially in female). The upper occiput is slightly concave as viewed from above.

Description. – Male. Body length 3.0 mm. Head black with paler dusting; ocl, vtl and upper upo black; lpo and very conspicuous patch of fine setulae behind mouth yellowish. Vertical seta as strong as ocl; one weak and one strong upper upo adjacent to vtl, obviously stronger than rest of upo series. Upper occiput slightly concave behind (viewed from above), vtl originating from slight lateral prominences either side of vertex. Basal antennal segments yellowish; poped yellowish brown, about 2.5× long as wide (stylus missing in holotype). Mouthparts yellow.

Thorax clear yellowish orange, all setae black. Upper npl, sa and anterior dc strong; mid dc (in line with npl) and posterior dc (near hind margin of scutum) much weaker but distinct; anterior postpronotal seta present but weak, no stronger than one or two fine setulae between it and the equally fine lower npl.

Legs yellow, tarsomeres 4–5 darker. C 1 as long as thorax, rather stout, 6.5× long as wide, 1–2 distinct short stout setae near base anteriorly. F 1 as long as C 1, distinctly inflated, 4x as long as wide, widest 0.25 from base; pv and av setae strong, black, slightly inclined anteriorly with only single row of black denticles between becoming more spine-like basally; 2–3 shorter basal spines contiguous with series of av spines. T 1 0.72–0.75× long as F 1. Front tarsomere 2 short, 0.3× length of tarsomere 3, bearing distinct short black apical setae; tarsomeres 3 with stout setae apically and dorsally.

Abdomen yellowish brown including genitalia, only subepandrial process black; thinly covered with rather long fine setae; tergite 8 reduced. Epan and Hypan fused (fig. 7), erect elongate oval in lateral view, left and right lamellae narrowly separated by unpigmented membrane at least dorsally. Cercus closely fused with Epan, weakly sclerotized, cluster of short setae at dorsal apex and more sparse longer finer setae elsewhere. Subepandrial process complex, clearly visible through epandrial lamellae, anterodorsal apex sharply upturned. Phallus narrow, emerging beyond tip of subepandrial process.

Wing membrane very faintly darkened, veins brown. Squamae with dark fringes. Halter light brown.

Female. Similar to male. Head with stylus 3x as long as poped; patch of yellow pile behind mouth stronger than in male with a few conspicuously longer fine setae also present.

Legs similar to male but apical and dorsal setae on front tarsomeres 2 and 3 stronger.

Abdomen with sternite 8 brown, contrasting with preceding sternites; cercus rather short, 2× long as wide, brown.

Wing membrane more distinctly brown, especially about base.

Etymology. – The specific epithet is a contraction of the Thai, kaa, meaning leg and mee a-wut, meaning armed; in reference to the presence of strong spines on the front femur.

Remarks. – This species is only known from hill evergreen forest at 2,200 m on Doi Inthanon from April to early May.

Figures

Figs. 7–11. Male genitalia of Chelipoda species in lateral view: 7. C. kameawuta new species; 8. C. laisoma new species; 9. C. macrosceles new species; 10. C. manggawna new species; 11. C. meenamluang new species.