Asycampta karkloofensis Jaschhof & Jaschhof, 2023

Jaschhof, Mathias & Jaschhof, Catrin, 2023, A review of Afrotropical Porricondylinae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), with descriptions of five new species of Asynaptini from KwaZulu-Natal Province South Africa, Zootaxa 5244 (3), pp. 261-275 : 266

Asycampta karkloofensis Jaschhof & Jaschhof sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:25D8F346-14B5-4389-BAD5-A6266A1410DA

Figs 1–5

Differential diagnosis. This is the only Asycampta in which the phallapodeme has a conspicuously broadened base ( Fig. 4 , arrow 1). The tegmen, which is strongly sclerotized, has a pair of large, virtually right-angled processes ventrally ( Fig. 4 , arrow 2), a pair of small, ventrad directed, horn-shaped processes lateroposteriorly ( Fig. 4 , arrow 3) and the parameral apodemes of unusually large size ( Fig. 4 , arrow 4). The gonostylus is peculiar in having a strongly sclerotized, cutting edge-like apex, which is devoid of vestiture ( Fig. 2 , arrow 5). The tegmen of A. palpata (from Somalia) resembles that of A. karkloofensis sp. nov. in having large, angled processes ventrally ( Mamaev & Zaitzev 1997, fig. 3b), although the outline of these processes differs significantly, as does the structure of both the phallapodeme and the gonostylus. The structure of the tegminal apex as described for A. karkloofensis sp. nov. is similarly found in the other species of Asycampta , as well as the genus Zadbimyia ( Jaschhof & Jaschhof 2014) .

Male description. Body length 2.7 mm. Head. Eye bridge 10–11 ommatidia long at vertex. Antenna shorter than body, with 20 flagellomeres, all with circumfila; apical flagellomere subdivided. Neck of fourth flagellomere 0.4 × as long as node ( Fig. 3 ). Labellum with several stiff setae apically. Palpus 1-segmented, with sparse setae.

Thorax. Pronotum glabrous; 12 anepisternal setae; 6 anepimeral setae. Wing ( Fig. 5 ). As long as body, length/ width ratio 2.5. Basal longitudinal vein markedly bent. Vein M 4 absent. Vein CuA extending to edge of wing.

Legs. Foreleg with femur 1.1 × as long as tibia, T 2 not retained; midleg with femur 1.4 × as long as tibia, tibia 0.7 × as long as T 2. Claws moderately bent, 1 large basal tooth. Empodia vestigial. Terminalia. Ninth tergite (not illustrated) inconspicuous, subtrapezoid, sparsely setose. Gonocoxal synsclerite moderately narrowed anteriorly; anterior margin slightly, broadly rounded, reinforced by strong sclerotization; ventral emargination large, broadly U-shaped, lateral margins strongly sclerotized, basal margin slightly sinuous, with darkly pigmented margin devoid of vestiture; dorsal apodemes short, their lengths equal to distance separating them ( Fig. 1 ). Gonostylus almost 2 × as long as high, slightly bent, moderately convex posteriorly, tapered towards apex, inner surface excavated; basolateral apophysis small; setae near apex clearly smaller than those elsewhere ( Fig. 2 ). Phallapodeme about as long as tegmen, well sclerotized, broadened apically into pointed plate that incorporates the mouths of accessory gland ducts ( Fig. 4 ). Tegminal apex seemingly 2-pointed, with the two points being connected by barely visible, transparent membrane, which results in a tubular or gutter-shaped structure ( Fig. 4 ).

Female unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet karkloofensis , an adjective, is derived from Karkloof Nature Reserve, the type locality of the species.

Typematerialexamined. Holotype. Male, SouthAfrica , KwaZulu-Natal,KarkloofNatureReserve(29°19.1′S: 30°15.5′E), 1325 m elevation, mistbelt forest, 28.ix.–24.xi.2005, Malaise trap, M. Mostovski ( NMSA-DIP 212000 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1–5. Male morphology of Asycampta karkloofensis sp. nov., holotype. 1: Terminalia, ventral view. 2: Gonostylus, ventral view. 3: Fourth flagellomere, lateral view. 4: Tegmen and phallapodeme, ventral view. 5: Wing, dorsal view. Scale bars: Figs 1‒4 = 0.05 mm; Fig. 5 = 0.5 mm. Arrows refer to characters described in the text.