Howickia harrisoni Marshall

Marshall, S. A., Luk, S. P. L. & Dong, H., 2014, A revision of the New Zealand species of Howickia Richards, Zootaxa 3887 (1), pp. 1-36 : 11-13

Howickia harrisoni Marshall sp. nov.

( Figs. 25–28)

Description. Head: Lower half of face bare and shining except for a white pruinose ventral fringe. Upper orbital bristle large, equal to outer vertical bristle; orbital strip otherwise with only minute orbital setulae. Ocelli distinct. Anterior genal bristle enlarged.

Thorax: Postalar, dorsocentral, basal scutellar and apical scutellar bristles subequal. Scutellum microtrichose, 2.0X as wide as long. Wing rudiment short and narrow, similar in dimensions to the halter stem; halter fully developed.

Male abdomen: Sternite 5 slightly longer than sternite 4, slightly paler and concave medially and with posteromedial area flanked by a loose cluster of slightly enlarged bristles; sternite 4 unmodified. Subanal plate complete in upper third only; lower/outer parts of cerci broadly rounded and widely separated. Surstylus deeply bilobed, with a short stout spur at apex of posteroventral lobe, posteroventral lobe narrower and longer than anterior lobe. Distiphallus with a relatively broad but simple tubular distal part overlapped posterodorsally by a narrow lobe of basal part. Postgonite narrow, tapered, gently curved anteriorly and with small setulae on anterior surface. Basiphallus frame-like, projecting posteriorly at right angle to distiphallus base for a distance equal to distiphallus base.

Female abdomen: Hypoproct U-shaped, complete along posterior margin only. Sternite 8 small, setulose on posterior half in a continuous band with the posterior setulosity of the lateral portions of tergite 8.

Type material. Holotype (male, NZAC, debu00134829) and 4 paratypes (2 males, 2 females, DEBU): North Island, Coromandel Peninsula, 10 km E Thames, pan traps, 22–29.Jan.1999, S.A. Marshall. Other paratypes: North Island, Kauaeranga Valley, Whangaiterenga River, 1.Dec.1970 – 18.Jan.1971, H.A. Oliver (13 males, 2 females, NZAC); Tiki Tiki Stream, Horohoro State Forest, Mamaku Plateau, 24.Jul.1976, J.S. Dugdale, forest litter 76/60 (male, NZAC); Coromandel Peninsula, Kopu Rd., leaf litter, 20 March 1967, R.A. Comber (female, NZAC); Mangakara Stream, Pirongia Mt., meat baited pit traps, 26.Sep.1971, H.A. Oliver (male, female, NZAC).

Etymology. Howickia harrisoni is named after the great New Zealand dipterist Roy Harrison.

Comments. This species is easily recognized by its stubby, narrow wing rudiment in combination with the dense white fringe of microtrichia along the lower margin of the mostly bare face. It is clearly defined on the basis of the distinctive surstylus and other male postabdominal features.