Griphophanes spinosus, Naglis, Stefan & Grootaert, Patrick, 2012

Naglis, Stefan & Grootaert, Patrick, 2012, Review of the genus Griphophanes Grootaert & Meuffels (Diptera, Dolichopodidae), with the description of ten new species from Sri Lanka, Zootaxa 3525, pp. 51-64 : 56

Griphophanes spinosus sp. nov.

( Figs. 5 A–B)

Material examined. SRI LANKA. HOLOTYPE 3: “ Ceylon, Prov. of Uva, Monaragala Mnt., Alt. 500 ft, 25 mls E Badulla, 7.III.62, Loc. 121:I”; “Swept in the veg. of small stream” ( ZMLU). PARATYPE: 1 3, same data as holotype [lacking all legs, one wing and postabdomen]; 1 3, “ Ceylon, E. Prov., Stream, 15 mls SSW Batticaloa, 8.III.62, Loc. 123” (both ZMLU); 3 3, “Kandy Distr., Katugastota, 24.II.1974 ”; “ Sri Lanka ( Ceylon): BMNH 1974-624, A.E. Stubbs & P.J. Chandler” ( BMNH).

Diagnosis. Ac biseriate; first flagellomere 1.7 times as long as high; trochanters and tibiae yellow; halter yellow; fore basitarsus compressed laterally; fore tibia with a row of curved ventral setae and a strong apicoventral spine-like seta.

Description. Male: Length (holotype): body 1.5 mm, wing 1.6 mm. Head: Frons and face velvet black, with brownish pruinosity; eyes converging below antennae and almost contiguous; palpus black with a spine-like apical seta; antenna dark brown, first flagellomere triangular, 1.7 times as long as high; lower postoculars black. Thorax: Mesonotum and scutellum dark metallic green, with brownish pruinosity; 5 strong dc; ac biseriate; scutellum with 2 strong marginal setae and 2 small lateral setae; pleura dark brown shining. Legs: Ochreous brown, but trochanters and tibiae yellow. Fore leg: coxa with black anterior setae; femur with av and pv row of pale setae, as long as diameter of femur; tibia with strong ad seta at 1/3, with ventral row of curved setae on distal half, and strong spine-like apicoventral seta; basitarsus compressed laterally, with short ventral spine-like setulae, and with two hook-shaped apical spines; relative podomere ratios: 52, 50, 12/9/9 /11/9. Mid leg: coxa with some strong anterior setae; femur with 1 strong anterior preapical seta; tibia with strong and long ad seta at 1/4, with 2 smaller pd setae at 1/5 and 2/3, and 3 strong apical setae; relative podomere ratios: 66, 65, 31/ 18/13/11 /9. Hind leg: coxa with 1 strong lateral seta; femur with strong anterior preapical seta, and strong av seta at 2/3; tibia with 1 strong ad seta at 1/4, 2 smaller pd setae at 1/4 and 1/2, strong curved dorsoapical seta, and 2 strong apical setae; relative podomere ratios: 64, 73, 18/ 22/18/12 /9. Wing: Hyaline; R4+5 and M parallel; CuAx ratio: 0.6; RMx ratio: 1.4; lower calypter yellowish brown with fan of dark brown setae; halter yellow. Abdomen: Dark metallic green, with brownish pruinosity, epandrium dark brown, cercus and surstylus yellowish brown. Hypopygium ( Figs. 5 A–B): hypandrium very slender in distal half, curved, with rounded apex; epandrial lobe triangular, with small apical, strong and long subapical seta; ventral lobe of surstylus short, with apical seta; dorsal lobe of surstylus U-shaped, with several small setulae; postgonite with 2 ventral setae; cercus ovate. Female: Unknown.

Etymology. The name refers to the conspicuous spines on the fore tibia.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Griphophanes spinosus sp. nov. male genitalia: (A) hypopygium, left lateral view; cer = cercus; dsur = dorsal lobe of surstylus; epl = epandrial lobe; pgon = postgonite; vsur = ventral lobe of surstylus; (B) hypandrium, ventral view (scale bar = 0.1 mm).