Usia cryptocrispa Gibbs, 2011

Gibbs, David, 2011, 2960, Zootaxa 2960, pp. 1-77 : 31-33

Usia cryptocrispa Gibbs sp. nov.

(Plate V)

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE: Morocco, 15 April 2006, Beni Slimane 330m, SE Beni Slimane R 404, N33º32'19.6" W6º58'23.8" Leg. Dils J. Faes J. [♂ in NMWC] . PARATYPES: [ Morocco], Maroc, Rabat, J.M.Mimeur coll./ Parageron sp. [♂ in MNHN]; 7 May 2008, Azilal 1150m, Afourer, N32º10'48.8" W6º31'13.6" , leg. Dils J. Faes J. [♀ in PCJD] .

Etymology. Name derived from the Greek “ crypto ” = κρʋπτóς, kryptos, hidden, secret, + the Latin “ crispa ” = curly, wavy; referring to the fact that this species was initially overlooked, hidden in the series of Usia crispa Gibbs sp. nov.

Diagnosis. A small shining black species very similar to U. crispa and U. paracrispa and like them with short adpressed ventral hairs on hind femur and marginal scutellar hairs as long as scutellum medially. Male from all but U. crispa , U. paracrispa and potentially U. falcata by wavy-tipped hairs on tip of epandrium. From U. falcata by longer marginal hairs on scutellum and less globular epandrium. From U. crispa by dusted centre of anepisternum and base of tergites dulled by dust and U. paracrispa by matt tergites. Females more shining than U. crispa (mesonotum not matt) and shorter-haired then U. paracrispa . Both sexes only reliably identified by examining details of genitalia (Plate V).

Description. Measurements. Body length. 3.7mm Wing length. 2.8–3.9mm.

Male. Only three specimens available and many characters are likely to be more variable than shown in this series. 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, anterolateral dust spots barely visible.

PLATE V. Usia cryptocrispa 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 furca lateral, i sternite 8 ventral. 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 short, about equal to the width across vertex. Occiput covered with grey dust, almost obscuring black cuticle, area behind vertex is noticeably 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, parallel sided, square ended, 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, this tends to be more restricted than in U. crispa , lightly grey dusted on pronotum and above wing but postpronotal lobe and notopleuron almost dust-free. 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 bare, longer marginal hairs about half as long as median length of scutellum. Pleurae black, variably grey dusted, particularly anterior half of anepisternum dusted (shining and undusted in U. crispa ), anepimeron almost entirely dusted or medially shining, katepisternum dusted dorsally, scattered hairs on posterodorsal part of anepisternum. Wing. Clear to vaguely tinged brownish, veins brown. Anal lobe convex, narrower than anal cell and narrower than in U. crispa . 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, subshining, with stellate surface sculpture at hair insertions creating a rough surface subtly different from U. crispa , tergites 2–7 with narrow dusted basal bands, most conspicuous laterally. 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 sternite (can be difficult to see in some specimens). Epandrium oblong with broad lateral lobes much larger than in U. crispa almost encompassing the apex, surface texture rough, covered with short hairs, those on the apical part longer, 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, medially produced with a tuft of dense hair. Epiphallus pointed apically (bifid in U. crispa ).

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. Apical sternite broader than in crispa , with a strongly convex boss basally, transversely striate, shining, hairy laterally. When macerated a narrow apical notch is visible, narrower than in U. crispa . Furca proximally pointed, strongly curved dorsally then recurved at tip.

Discussion. Part of a complex with U. crispa , U. paracrispa , and U. falcata that seem to replace each other northeast to southwest in the western Maghreb.

Distribution. Morocco. Only three specimens known from three different localities so seems to be local and very scarce.