Curiosimusca orientalis, Rung & Mathis & Papp, 2005

Rung, Alessandra, Mathis, Wayne N. & Papp, László, 2005, Curiosimusca, gen. nov., and three new species in the family Aulacigastridae from the Oriental Region (Diptera: Opomyzoidea), Zootaxa 1009 (1), pp. 21-36 : 30-32

Curiosimusca orientalis , sp. nov. ( Figs. 9–14 )

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: Face strongly projected anteriorly, wing mostly brown infuscate but with several white spots, especially over crossveins dm­cu and r­m.

Description. Coloration and vestiture: Frons ( Fig. 10 ) mostly dark brown, weakly shiny, moderately microtomentose with microtomentum continued to bases of vertical setae, with small area between ocellar tubercle and vertical setae bare, shiny; ocellar tuber­ cle moderately microtomentose; anterior margin of frons slightly lighter in color, brown. Antenna brown, appearing darker from some angles of view. Face brown, with sparsely white microtomentose stripe at ventral margin much weaker than genal stripe. Palpus brown. Thorax uniformly dark brown, sparsely microtomentose, partially shiny; dorsal portion of anepisternum shinier. Wing ( Fig. 11 ) maculate, mostly darkly infuscate, with white spots as follows: cell r 1 variegated in coloration, without distinct white spots; cell r 2+3 with 2 spots, larger spot at midlength, more strongly developed toward posterior portion of cell, apical spot of cell part of larger, apical spot of wing; cell r 4+5 with small white spot at middle of anterior margin, apical spot part of larger, apical wing spot; crossveins rm and dm­cu with transversely oval spots over them; crossvein r­m distinctly aligned distal to apex of vein R 1; halter with base light brown, most of knob dark brown, with apex of knob whitish. Forecoxa light brown; forefemur and foretibia dark brown with extreme apices slightly lighter; foretarsus light brown; mid­ and hindcoxa pale, almost white; base of mid­ and hindfemora concolorous with respective coxa, remainder of mid­ and hindfemora and tibiae dark brown but with apex of tibiae light brown, concolorous with respective tarsi. Abdomen ( Fig. 12 ) uniformly dark brown, moderately microtomentose; base of syntergosternite 6–8 moderately microtomentose, remainder of syntergosternite and epandrium bare, shiny.

Morphology: Head: Conspicuously longer than high in lateral view, head ratio nearly 0.50 ( Fig. 9 ); considerably wider than high in anterior view; ventral portion of head conspicuously projected. Eye ( Fig. 9 ) oval with posteroventral margin concave, obliquely oriented to general plane of head. Thorax: Costal vein ratio 0.07 ( Fig. 11 ); crossvein r­m aligned transversely well beyond apex of vein R 1 and at midlength of combined cell dm­bm.

Male terminalia: epandrial height in lateral view ( Fig. 13 ) about 3X width; surstylus in lateral view ( Fig. 13 ) angulate, elbowed, somewhat L­shaped, setulose only on external surface of angle; cercus ( Fig. 14 ) weakly sclerotized, mostly membranous, about as wide as high, bearing a large seta dorsally and 4–5 much shorter setulae laterally and medially, not generally setulose; phallapodeme projected posteriorly, not ventrally and shielding phallus; distiphallus with 2 internal, rod­like sclerites.

Measurements and ratios: Body length 3.50 mm. Wing ( Fig. 11 ) length 2.90–3.10 mm; width 1.10–1.25 mm.

Type material. The holotype male is labeled “ THAILAND, [Nan:] Tham Sakoen N[ational]P[ark] 30.11.2003 [30 Nov 2003] 19º23’N 100º38’E /along creek at forest border leg. A. Szappanos / HOLOTYPE ♂ Curiosimusca orientalis Rung, Mathis & Papp HNHM [red].” The holotype is double mounted (minuten in a triangular card), is in good condition (right wing removed and slide mounted; abdomen removed, dissected, with parts in an attached microvial) and is deposited in the HNHM .

Type locality. THAILAND. Nan. Tham Sakoen National Park (19º23’N, 100º38’E) .

Distribution. Oriental: Thailand (Nan).

Etymology. The species epithet, orientalis , refers to the zoogeographic region where this species has been collected.

Remarks. This species and C. maefangensis are more similar to each other than either is to C. khooi , and these similarities probably represent synapomorphies, which indicate a closer phylogenetic relationship. The similarities are especially evident in the maculation pattern and venation of their wings (see respective descriptions and photos of wings).

Figures

FIGURES 9–11. Curiosimusca orientalis, sp. nov. 9, Head and thorax, lateral view. 10, Head, dorsal view. 11, Wing, dorsal view.

FIGURES 12–14. Curiosimusca orientalis, sp. nov. 12. Abdomen, lateral view. 13, Male terminalia, lateral view. 14, Same, posterior view.