Trichomyia styloryncha Curler

Curler, Gregory R. & Moulton, John K., 2010, Descriptions of three new species of Psychodidae (Diptera) from the southeastern United States, Zootaxa 2524, pp. 51-62 : 52-54

Trichomyia styloryncha Curler sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–7 )

Diagnosis. Adult: Male eyes separated by 6 facet diameters at frons; vertex with a pair of circular sensilla anteriorly, separated by 2 facet diameters; wing with radial fork at same level as tip of CuA1. Male terminalia: gonostyli digitiform, curved approximately 45° at mid length, with rostriform projection apically; aedeagus spatulate, bifurcate posteriorly, with apices recurrent. Female terminalia: subgenital plate entire, rounded posteriorly; cerci elongate, about 2.5 times longer than wide; spermathecae with ducts annulated anteriorly, pyriform apically; median apodeme with 2 sclerotized projections anteriorly, 3 sclerotized projections posteriorly; median posterior projection 2 times longer than lateral projections.

Description. Adult Male ( Figs. 1–5 ): Measurements, (n = 5) head width 0.39 mm (0.35–0.41), head length 0.27 mm (0.26–0.28), wing length 1.56 mm (1.43–1.60), wing width 0.62 mm (0.53–0.67), palpomere proportion: 1–0.5–0.5. Eyes with medial margins parallel; separated by 6 facet diameters at frons. Vertex with paired, translucent, circular sensilla anteriorly; sensilla separated by 2 facet diameters. Antennae: 15- segmented; scape approximately 1.25 times longer than wide; pedicel globular; all flagellomeres with paired ascoids; ascoids elongate, digitiform, inserted basally on each node, extending to mid-length of following node; apical flagellomere with apical process globular. Mouthparts extending slightly beyond basal palpomere; labellum truncate, about as wide as clypeus; palpi 3-segmented; basal palpomere with circular depression medially, bearing 5 or 6 digitiform sensilla. Wing: radial fork at same level as tip of CuA1, medial fork arising basal to apex of CuA2; with R5 ending in apex. Terminalia: hypandrium narrow, transverse band, slightly arched, not extended posteriorly; gonocoxites membranous basally, with conspicuous posterodorsal lobes; lobes bearing numerous setiform sensilla; gonostyli digitiform, curved approximately 45° at mid length, slightly inflated apically, with beak-like projection dorsoapically; aedeagus spatulate, bifurcate posteriorly, with apices acuminate, recurrent; sperm ducts lightly sclerotized, annulated, inserted in heavily sclerotized, cylindrical projections of sperm pump; epandrium short, about 1/3 as long as wide; cercopods pyriform in dorsoventral view, with apices constricted Tergite X quadrate, diamond-shaped, about 3/4 as long Adult Female ( Figs. 6–7 ): Head nearly as in male, with antennal flagellomeres smaller. Mouthparts and palpi as in male. Wing venation as in male. Terminalia: subgenital plate entire, rounded posteriorly; cerci elongate, about 2.5 times longer than wide; sclerotized arch between cerci digitiform, microsetose, about 1/3 as long as cerci; spermathecae with ducts annulated, slightly inflated anteriorly, pyriform apically; median apodeme with 2 sclerotized projections anteriorly, 3 sclerotized projections posteriorly; median posterior projection 2 times longer than lateral projections.

Type material. Holotype [adult male]: U.S.A. TENNESSEE: Sevier Co: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Twin Creeks near ATBI headquarters, 35°41’N 83°29’W, 14–28.ix.2006, coll. J. Gulbransen, Malaise trap; deposited LACM. Specimen dissected, mounted on micro-slide. Allotype [adult female]: U.S.A. TENNESSEE: Cocke Co: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Snake Den Ridge, 35°44’30”N 8311’30”W, 14.viii–10.ix.2001, coll. I.C. Stocks, Malaise trap; deposited LACM. Specimen dissected, mounted on microslide. Paratypes: TENNESSEE: same location as holotype, 3–5.vii.2006 [1 adult female (slide)], 15–17.viii.2006 [1 adult female (slide)] coll. J. Gulbransen, Malaise trap; Cocke Co: GSMNP, Snake Den Ridge, 35°44’30”N 83°11’30”W, 2.vii–1.viii.2002 [6 adult males (slides)], coll. C.R. Parker, Malaise trap; Union Co: Property of R.S. Donahoo, 36°10’N 83°52’W, 2.vi.2007 [1 adult male (slide)], 9.vi.2007 [1 adult female (slide)], 6.viii.2008 [1 adult male (slide)] coll. G.R. Curler, CDC trap; ALABAMA: Mobile Co: University of Mobile, site 16, 30°47’N 88°7’W, 20.iii.2007 [1 adult male (slide)], coll. E. Benton, Malaise trap; Baldwin Co: Fort Morgan Road, site 3, 30°14’N 88°51’W, 19.iii.2007 [3 adult males (slides)], coll. E. Benton, Malaise trap; Raft River, 30°46’N 87°57’W, 4.x.2006 [1 adult male (slide)], coll. J.W. McCreadie, Malaise trap. Paratypes deposited in LACM, USNM, GSMNP, CUAC and UTK.

Other material examined. U.S.A. TENNESSEE: Cocke Co: GSMNP, Snake Den Ridge, 35°44’30”N 83°11’30”W, 2.vii–1.viii.2002 [1 adult male, 1 adult female], coll. C.R. Parker, Malaise trap; Cocke Co: GSMNP, Albright Grove, 35°45’N 83°16’W, 19.vi–6.vii.2001 [1 adult male], coll. M. McCord, Malaise trap, 5–20.vii.2002 [1 adult male], coll. B. Merritt, Malaise trap; Union Co: Property of R.S. Donahoo, 36°10’N 83°52’W, 14.viii.2006 [1 adult female], coll. G.R. Curler, CDC trap; ALABAMA: Baldwin Co: Fort Morgan Road, site 3, 30°14’N 88°51’W, 3.xi.2006 [1 adult male], coll. E. Benton, Malaise trap; KENTUCKY: Taylor Co: Little Angel Spring, 37°26’40”N 85°21’18”W, 27.ix.2005 [1 adult male], coll. J.K. Moulton, black light trap.

Etymology. From the Latin styloryncha , meaning “beaked style”, in reference to the shape of the gonostylus.

Phenology. Adults of T. styloryncha were collected from late March to early November in southern Alabama and from early June to late August in Tennessee.

Distribution. Collected from several locations in southern Alabama and eastern Tennessee, as well as one location in central Kentucky.

Remarks. Adults of T. styloryncha are easily distinguished from other Nearctic Trichomyia by the shape of the genitalia, particularly the spatulate aedeagus and beaked gonostyli in the male, and the shape of the subgenital plate and spermathecae in the female. The Costa Rican species Trichomyia intricata Quate, 1996 is nearly indistinguishable from T. styloryncha according to Quate’s description and illustration; however, an examination of the paratype of T. intricata revealed the following character states that clearly differ from those of T. styloryncha : aedeagus with median filamentous projection; gonostyli tapered, not inflated apically, not strongly curved; lobes of gonocoxites tapered from base to apex.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Trichomyia styloryncha Curler sp. nov. 1. Male head, frontal view. 2. Male wing. 3. Male antennal flagellomeres 7 – 8, frontal view. 4. Male terminalia, dorsal view. 5. Male epandrium and cercopods, ventral view. 6. Female terminalia, internal structure, ventral view. 7. Female terminalia, external structure, ventral view. Scale bars = 0.05 mm (3 – 7), 0.2 mm (1), 0.5 mm (2). (abbreviations: aed = aedeagus; cpod = cercopod; gcl = lobe of gonocoxite; gst = gonostylus; mapd = median apodeme; sdct = sperm duct; sgp = subgenital plate; spth = spermathecae; sen = sensilla; tgX = tergite X).