Usia crispa Gibbs, 2011

Gibbs, David, 2011, 2960, Zootaxa 2960, pp. 1-77 : 29-31

Usia crispa Gibbs sp. nov.

(Plate IV)

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE: Morocco, 29 March 2006, Taroudant , Tizi-n-Test 1200m, N30º48'13" W8º23'43.8", Leg. Dils J. Faes J. [♂ in NMWC] . PARATYPES: Morocco, Agadir, à Taroudant, Thery [♀ in MNHN]; May / 2000m / Maroc, Grand Atlas, Tizi n’Test / Museum Paris, 1938, L. Berland [2♂ 2♀ in MNHN] ; 29 March 2006, Taroudant, Tizi-n-Test 1200m, N30º48'13" W8º23'43.8", Leg. Dils J. Faes J. [1♂ 2♀ in NMWC, 7♂ 6♀ in PCJD] ; 30 March 2006, Marakech, Tizi-n-Test 1450m, N30º55'55.9" W8º16'19.7", Leg. Dils J. Faes J. [♀ in PCJD] ; 13 March 2007, Ouarzazate, Tizi-n-Bachkoum 1600m, N30º41'13.8" W7º16'19.6", Leg. Dils J. Faes J. [♀ in PCJD] ; 13 March 2007, Tafraoute, Ighrem 1200m, N30º7'4.8" W8º25'11.4", Leg. Dils J. Faes J. [♀ in PCJD]; Tizi-n-Test (road), (South slope 1500–2000m.) , 24 June 1974 / Guichard & Else, B.M. 1974-312 [♂ in BMNH] ; 5 April 2009, Ouarzazate 1800m, Tizi n Bachkoum, N30º41'13.7" W7º16'19.8", Leg. Dils J. Faes J. [4♂ 1♀ 1pair in PCJD] .

Etymology. Name derives from the Latin “ crispa ” = curly, wavy; referring to the dense, wavy-tipped hairs on the apical part of the epandrium.

Diagnosis. A small shining black species so far only recorded from Morocco. Hind femora with short, adpressed hairs, marginal hairs of scutellum about as long as scutellum medially. Male with distinctive wavytipped hairs on tip of epandrium which separate it from all but the closely related U. cryptocrispa , U. paracrispa and potentially U. falcata . From U. falcata by longer scutellar hairs and epandrium approximately square (wider than long in U. falcata ). From U. cryptocrispa and U. paracrispa by shining anepisternum, undusted on central part and undusted, shining tergites. From all three by forked tip of aedeagus. Females very difficult but mesonotum usually more generally matt than close congeners, little contrast between anterior and posterior parts in nature of surface sculpture. Details of female genitalia essential for accurate identification (Plate IV).

Description. Measurements. Body length. 2.4–4.9mm Wing length. 2.5–4.7mm.

Male. Head. Frons relatively narrow and almost parallel sided in hind three fifths, at narrowest point about one sixth head width, rather matt, cuticle shagreened, shining around ocelli, with discrete narrow grey dust spots anterolaterally. Mouth margin exceedingly narrow, linear, practically absent, shining black. Ocellar triangle equilateral, lateral ocelli separated from the eye by about half their diameter. Longest hairs on ocellar tubercle significantly longer than the width across vertex. Occiput covered with grey dust, almost obscuring black cuticle, including area behind vertex which is slightly more shining, and a covering of short black hairs, becoming longer below. Antennae black, mid-length, third segment, about twice as long as scape and pedicel combined, deepest basally, tapering to blunt tip, a few short setae just before apical sulcus, sensilla often whitish or transparent. Proboscis black, naked, about as long as mesonotum. Palps small, black with small apical setae. Thorax. Entirely black, mesonotum subshining with a shagreened surface sculpture most pronounced in front of scutellum, lightly grey dusted on pronotum and postpronotal lobe, notopleuron and above wing. Vestiture as long as that on vertex, acrostichals biserial and separated from dorsocentrals by bare paramedian lines, laterally Vestiture evenly distributed. Scutellum subshining with rough surface sculpture similar to that on hind part of mesonotum, disc largely bare, longer marginal PLATE IV. Usia crispa Gibbs sp. n.; a epiphallic complex ventral, b epiphallic complex lateral, c gonocoxite ventral, d gonocoxite lateral, e epandrium dorsal, f epandrium lateral, g female genitalia ventral, h female sternite 8 ventral.

hairs almost as long as median length of scutellum. Pleurae black, variably grey dusted, shining on anterior half of anepisternum or mostly shining, anepimeron dusted medially or almost entirely, katepisternum dusted dorsally, scattered hairs on posterodorsal part of anepisternum. Wing. Clear to vaguely tinged brownish, veins brown. Anal lobe convex, almost as wide as anal cell. r-m at middle of discal cell. Haltere. Whitish knob, stem infuscated. Legs. Black, shining but with transverse wrinkles on femur, with very short, adpressed black hairs, more dense on tibia. Abdomen. Black, shining, with stellate surface sculpture at hair insertions, evenly covered with relatively short black hairs, becoming slightly longer laterally, Sternites often difficult to see, grey dusted with black hairs along the apical margins. Genitalia. Fairly large usually folded under the abdomen and pressed against the sternites (can be difficult to see in some specimens). Epandrium oblong with lateral, pointed projections well short of the apex, surface texture rough, covered with short hairs, those on the apical part denser, often browner and with wavy tips. Gonocoxite often enclosed in epandrium, base bilobed, shining black and relatively long haired, apicolaterally with brown recurved processes. Epiphallus bifid apically, this occasionally visible in pinned material.

Female. Very similar to the male differing only in its wider frons, about one fifth head width, ocellar triangle usually more obtuse, lateral ocelli a little further from the eye margin. Mouth margin very slightly wider but still narrow and linear. Abdomen clearly shorter-haired, tapering to a rounded point, less compact so tergites longer relative to width. Apical sternite strongly convex basally, transversely striate, shining, haired laterally, apicomedially with a coating of fine silvery dust. When macerated a narrow apical notch is visible. Furca proximally pointed, simply curved dorsally.

Discussion. One of a group of four sibling species ( U. cryptocrispa , U. paracrispa and U. falcata ) mostly differing in the male genitalia, only U. falcata readily distinguished without dissection. All four of them only known from the Maghreb, mainly in Morocco. The limited records so far show no overlap in ranges (although U. paracrispa and U. falcata are found in close approximation) but nor are they clearly associated with any geographical features that would keep them allopatric, except possibly U. falcata .

Distribution. Morocco. Seems to be confined to Morocco from Marrakech south to Tafraoute. Rather local with specimens from only 4–5 localities but can occasionally occur in abundance.