Scaptomyza kui Rampasso & O’Grady, 2025

Rampasso, Augusto Santos & O’Grady, Patrick Michael, 2025, Review of Hawaiian Elmomyza species (Diptera, Drosophilidae, Scaptomyza). I. The cyrtandrae, exigua, and obscuricornis species groups, with the descriptions of nine new species, Zootaxa 5729 (1), pp. 1-42 : 21-22

Scaptomyza kui Rampasso & O’Grady , sp. nov.

( Fig. 14 )

Diagnosis. Epandrium broad, with small posterior lobe, acute at apex. Surstylus is large and slightly curved in posterior view, large in posterior view with a dorsal region that extends posteriorly. A row of seven surstylar teeth is distributed in the dorsal portion of the surstylus, concentrated in the region that extends posteriorly. A few large and sparse bristles are found in the ventral portion of the surstylus.

Description. Male (n = 2). Head. Pedicel and first flagellomere ranging from light brown to brown. Arista damaged. Eyes dark red and face brown. Frontal vitta, in the region around the ptilinal suture is yellow brown, becoming brown in ground color and densely gray pollinose in the interorbital area. Frontal triangle, fronto-orbital plates, and ocellar triangle dark brown in ground color and densely gray pollinose. Anterior reclinate inserted posterolaterally to proclinate orbital. Anterior reclinate 37% (33–41%) length of proclinate. Proclinate 94% (80– 107%) length of posterior reclinate. Gena yellow. Subvibrissal setae 52% (50–54%) length of vibrissae. Mouthparts yellow and palps yellow with 2 black apical setae. Thorax. Scutum and scutellum dark brown in ground color and densely gray pollinose. 2 pairs of dorsocentral setae. Acrostichal setae in 6 regular rows when counted between anterior dorsocentral setae, becoming sparse posteriorly. Basal scutellar setae divergent and apical scutellar setae cruciate. Pleura brown in ground color and gray pollinose. 1 postpronotal and 3 katepisternal setae present. Anterior katepisternal setae 49% (45–52%) length of posterior katepisternal setae. Legs. Predominantly yellow. The front basitarsus is about 35% as long as the tibia. Wings. Hyaline without distinct pattern. Abdomen. Dark brown. Male terminalia ( Figs. 14C–E ). Epandrium broad, with small posterior lobe, acute at apex. No anterodorsal phragma or epandrial ventral lobe. Surstylus is large and slightly curved in posterior view, large in posterior view with a dorsal region that extends posteriorly. A row of seven surstylar teeth is distributed in the dorsal portion of the surstylus, concentrated in the region that extends posteriorly. A few large and sparse bristles are found in the ventral portion of the surstylus. Cerci undifferentiated. In lateral view, the cercal plates are two times higher than long.

Measurements. TL = 0.886 ( 0.882 –0.889) mm; WL = 1.72 (1.66–1.77) mm; TL/WL = 0.515 ( 0.513 –0.517); HW/ TL = 0.55 (0.49–0.61); CI = 3.64 (3.58–3.70); 4V = 1.61 (1.57–1.65); 5X = 1.54 (1.50–1.58); 4C = 0.67 (0.66–0.68); M = 0.476 ( 0.475 –0.478).

Female (n = 4). Fits with the male in all characters. Arista with 1–2 dorsal, 0 ventral, and about 4 short inner branches, plus an inconspicuous terminal fork.Anterior reclinate 47% (43–52%) length of proclinate. Proclinate 76% (69–81%) length of posterior reclinate. Subvibrissal setae 52% (45–60%) length of vibrissae. Anterior katepisternal setae 47% (39–54%) length of posterior katepisternal setae. Measurements. TL = 1.04 (1.01–1.08) mm; WL = 2.14 (2.07–2.26) mm; TL/WL = 0.50 (0.48 – 0.52); HW/TL = 0.56 (0.53–0.65); CI = 3.45 (3.22–3.73); 4V = 1.65 (1.53–1.72); 5X = 1.39 (1.29–1.53); 4C = 0.73 (0.72–0.74); M = 0.45 (0.43–0.48).

Distribution. Hawaiian Islands : Oʻahu.

Ecology. Dr. H. L. Carson recorded this species using leaves of native ʻōhā ( Clermontia sp. , Campanulaceae ) as their breeding site.

Types. The holotype male ( UHIM2016.46539 ), allotype female ( UHIM2016.46537 ), and paratypes ( UHIM2016.46538 , 46534–46536 ) are deposited in the University of Hawaiʻi Insect Museum .

Material Examined. Holotype. 1 ♂ (UHIM2016.46539). Allotype. 1 ♀ (UHIM2016.46537). Paratypes. 1 ♂ ( UHIM 2016.46538) and 3 ♀♀ ( UHIM 2016.46534–46536). Palikea, Oʻahu, 11 May 1966, reared ex Clermontia sp. ( Campanulaceae ) leaves, G56A, W. B. Heed col.

Etymology. This species is named after Kū, the god of war, strength, and governance, associated with sacrifice and prosperity.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Habitus of Scaptomyza kui Rampasso and O’Grady, sp. nov. (specimen UHIM2016.46539), in dorsal (A) and left lateral (B) views. Scale bar = 1 mm. Male terminalia of the respective individual in posterior (C), oblique posterior (D) and left lateral (E) views. Scale bar = 0.1 mm.