Pectinepsia, Ševčík & Hippa, 2010

Ševčík, Jan & Hippa, Heikki, 2010, New species of Chalastonepsia and Pectinepsia gen. nov. (Diptera: Mycetophilidae) from the Oriental and Australasian Regions, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 50 (2), pp. 595-608 : 603-605

Pectinepsia gen. nov.

Type species. Pectinepsia pulcherrima sp. nov.

Description. Male antennae strongly pectinate, with 11 to 14 flagellomeres. All flagellomeres except the apical one with a long anterior projection, up to twice as long as the height of the head. Palpi reduced, with only one visible segment. Three ocelli, lateral ones not touching eye margins. Scutum with distinct anterior parapsidal suture. Both mediotergite and laterotergite bare. Radial sector of the wing complete. Vein Sc long, ending free, reaching behind the base of ta. Costa produced beyond R5 to half the distance between the tips of R5 and M1. Ta (= R-m) as long as the stem of M and four times as long as Rs. Base of Cu-fork well before the stem of M-fork. Legs without special tibial organs. Male terminalia with gonocoxites fused only basally, each gonocoxite apically prolonged to ventrocaudal projection. Gonostylus subtriangular, placed dorsally to this projection. Tergite 9 short, at most as long as tergite 8. Cerci twice as long as tergite 9.

Differential diagnosis. The new genus falls into the subfamily Metanepsiinae as currently defined (reduced palpi, modified antennae, absence of tibial organ on fore leg) and probably forms a sister group to Chalastonepsia , from which it differs by longer flagellar projections, bare laterotergites, long vein Sc ending free, short stem of M-fork (at most as long as ta), and mainly the overall structure of the male terminalia (short T9, apically prolonged gonocoxites, gonostylus without the apical comb of thick setae).

Etymology. The name is modified from the name Metanepsia , a related genus, by the Latin word pecten, comb, referring to the pectinate antennae. Gender is feminine.

Pectinepsia pulcherrima sp. nov. ( Figs. 4 , 13 ) Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, MALAYSIA: SARAWAK: Gunung Mulu National Park , limestone forest in Melinau

Gorge, 5.–22.ii.1978, Malaise trap, N. M. Collins leg. ( BMNH). PARATYPES: J, the same data as holotype ( JSOC) ; 2 JJ, the same data except 5.–20.iv.1978 ( BMNH, JSOC) .

Description. Male. Body length 2.7 mm. Head dark brown. Three ocelli, almost in one line. Lateral ocellus larger than the median one, the former separated from the eye margin for a distance slightly less than its diameter. Antenna strongly pectinate. Scape and pedicel brown, pedicel slightly prolonged backwards. Flagellum brown, with 14 flagellomeres. Flagellomeres 1 to 13 with a long anterior projection, the longest ones more than twice as long as the height of head, all covered by thin setae twice as long as the diameter of the projection ( Fig. 4 ). The apical flagellomere as long as the projection of the previous flagellomere. Mouthparts much reduced, palpus with only one brownish yellow palpomere. Thorax. All dark brown. Scutum covered by sparse dark setae, with bare longitudinal stripes. Distinct anterior parapsidal suture. Scutellum with a row of short apical setae. Mediotergite and most lateral sclerites bare. Laterotergite bare. Preepisternum 2 dark brown with its ventral third yellowish. Anepisternum with anterodorsal corner yellow. Proepisternum and antepronotum dark brown, with several short setae. Haltere brownish yellow. Wing hyaline, unmarked, membrane covered only with microtrichia, without macrotrichia. Wing length 2.6 mm. Costa produced beyond R5 to half the distance between the tips of R5 and M1. Vein Sc long, ending free, reaching behind the base of ta. Crossvein ta four times as long as Rs. The stem of M-fork short, as long as ta. Base of Cu-fork before the base of M-fork and before the base of ta. CuP apically weak, about as long as A1. Legs brownish yellow, covered with dark trichia and setae. Tibiae without strong bristles. The apex of the fore tibia without distinct tibial organ. Mid tibia without sensory organ. Abdomen mostly dark brown. Tergite 1 laterally yellow. Terminalia ( Fig. 13 ). Tergite 9 very short, shorter than both tergite 8 and cerci. Cerci twice as long as tergite 9, placed caudally to tergite 9, not hidden behind it. Sternite 8 narrow, slightly shorter than tergite 8 and at least 3 times shorter than sternite 7. Gonocoxites fused only basally, forming a deep ventral excavation. Gonocoxite with a ventrocaudal projection, half as long as gonocoxite. Gonostylus subtriangular, placed dorsally to this projection.

Female. Unknown.

Differential diagnosis. This species differs from P. sumatrensis sp. nov. in the number of flagellomeres, relative length of flagellar projections, and the shape of gonostylus.

Etymology. The name is a Latin adjective, pulcherrima , the most beautiful, referring to the beautiful appearance of the fly.

Distribution. Malaysia ( Sarawak).

Pectinepsia sumatrensis sp. nov. ( Figs. 5 , 14–15 ) Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, INDONESIA: SUMATRA: Aceh, Gunung Leuser National Park, Ketambe res. st.,

3°41′N 97°39′E, young forest, closed canopy, 350 m, 9.–21.ix.1989, Malaise trap, C. D. Darling, ROM 893087 (MBBJ). PARATYPES: 2 JJ (JSOC) and 3 JJ (MBBJ), with the same data as holotype.

Description. Male. Body length 3.1 mm. Length of wing 2.6 mm. Antennae with only 11 flagellomeres. The flagellar projections at most 1.5 times as long as the height of the head. Preepisternum 2 dark brown with its ventral two thirds yellowish. Gonostylus medially excavated, both basally and apically tapering into a sharp bare projection ( Figs 14–15 ).

The other characters as in the previous species.

Female. Unknown.

Differential diagnosis. This species is unique in having only 11 flagellomeres, otherwise it is very similar to P. pulcherrima sp. nov. Gonostylus of P. sumatrensis is medially excavated, both basally and apically tapering.

Etymology. The name is an adjective derived from the type locality by the Latin suffix – ensis denoting place.

Distribution. Indonesia (Sumatra).

Figures

Figs. 4–5. 4 – Pectinepsia pulcherrima gen. et sp. nov. (holotype), habitus; 5 – P. sumatrensis gen. et sp. nov. (paratype, JSOC), habitus.

Figs. 13–15. 13 – Pectinepsia pulcherrima gen. et sp. nov. (holotype), male terminalia, dorsal and ventral view; 14–15 – P. sumatrensis gen. et sp. nov. (holotype) (14 – male terminalia in dorsal view, including tergite 9 and cerci; 15 – the same, ventral view). Scale bar: 0.1 mm.