Hexatoma (Eriocera) paragnava Alexander, 1973

Zhang, Bing, Yang, Qicheng, Li, Yan & Yang, Ding, 2021, Hexatoma (Eriocera) Macquart (Diptera, Limoniidae) from Xizang, China, ZooKeys 1071, pp. 155-173 : 155

Hexatoma (Eriocera) paragnava Alexander, 1973

Hexatoma (Eriocera) paragnava Alexander, 1973: 7. Type locality: India, Assam.

Specimens examined

. 19 males, 2 females (CAU), China: Xizang, Motuo, Beibeng, Jiangxincun , 800 m, 2019.V.29, Qicheng Yang (light trap) . 1 female (CAU), China: Xizang, Motuo, Beibeng, Jiangxincun , 800 m, 2019.V.30, Qicheng Yang (light trap) . 4 males, 3 females (CAU), China: Xizang, Motuo , 2019.V.31, Qicheng Yang (light trap) .

Diagnosis

. Front and mouth parts are very reduced; antenna is very long and 6-segmented; vertical tubercle is very large. Wing is pale yellow; m-cu is near 1/6 of cell dm. Posterior margin of ninth tergite has a U-shaped notch; interbase is two-layered membranous structure with spine-like apex.

Redescription

. Male (N =23): Body length 8.6-11.0 mm, wing length 10.2-15.0 mm, antenna length 35.5-47.0 mm.

Head (Figs 22-23) brown. Front and mouth parts very reduced, brownish yellow, palpus brown. Antenna 6-segmented, very long approximately three or four times as long as wing; scape and pedicel shorter, brownish yellow; flagellum very long, first flagellomere brownish yellow at base, brown at tip; remainder of flagellum brown with short blackish brown setae. Vertical tubercle more brown, very large, bulbous with setae on posterior aspect.

Thorax (Figs 22-23) brownish yellow to brown with gray setae. Pronotum brownish yellow; propleuron brown; prescutum dark brown with a broad brown stripe at middle; prescutal suture brown; scutum brownish yellow to brown; scutellum yellow with a slender brownish yellow stripe at middle; mediotergite brownish yellow to brown. Thoracic pleuron mostly brown throughout, except prescutum, anepimeron, katepisternum and metakatepisternum partly brownish yellow. Legs: coxae and trochanters brownish yellow with gray setae; femora and tibiae brownish yellow with short brown setae; tarsi brown with brown setae. Wing (Figs 22, 28) pale yellow; stigma and veins brownish yellow. Venation: R2 moderately straight; R2+3 near half of R2+3+4; cell M1 lacking; m-cu near 1/6 of cell dm. Halter (Figs 22, 23) length approximately 1.9 mm, whitened gray.

Abdomen (Fig. 22) with brownish yellow setae. First two segments more yellowed at lateral margin; segments 3-8 dark brown.

Male terminalia (Figs 22, 29-33) brown with brownish yellow setae. Posterior margin of ninth tergite with a U-shaped notch; gonocoxite large, elongate cylindrical, gently curved; clasper of gonostylus slender, terminal spine decurved; lobe of gonostylus short and stout, swollen with setae at middle; interbase two-layered membranous structure with spine-like apex; aedeagus smaller.

Female (N =6): Body length 9.3-13.2 mm, wing length 10.8-12.3 mm, antenna length 1.2-1.4 mm.

Female (Figs 24-27) resembles male. Thoracic pleuron more brownish yellow. Abdomen plump, dark brown.

Ovipositor (Figs 24-27) short and fleshy, brownish yellow; cercus oval; Hypogynial valve longer.

Distribution

. India (Assam); China (Xizang).

Remarks

. This species was known previously only from India. With the present contribution it is recorded from China for the first time.