Elaphropeza abdominenotata Senior-White, 1922

SHAMSHEV, IGOR V. & GROOTAERT, PATRICK, 2007, Revision of the genus Elaphropeza Macquart (Diptera: Hybotidae) from the Oriental Region, with a special attention to the fauna of Singapore, Zootaxa 1488 (1), pp. 1-164 : 132-133

Elaphropeza abdominenotata Senior-White, 1922

Elaphropeza abdominenotata Senior-White, 1922: 151 (female).

Re-description. Female. Body length 1.25 mm. Occiput black. Antenna with scape pale yellowish, pedicel and postpedicel brown. Style moderately pubescent, 1.5 times as long as scape, pedicel and postpedicel combined. Palpus white.

Thorax almost entirely reddish yellow, shining, metapleuron blackish in upper part. Prothoracic episterna lacking long upturned bristle just above fore coxa, with 1 very short bristle in upper part. Acrostichal bristles 2-serial, lacking on prescutellar depression; dorsocentrals 1-serial, extending to base of scutellum, prescutellars long.

Legs long, slender, largely yellow; fore and mid tibiae (the latter less distinct) and tarsi of all legs slightly brownish. Fore femur with rows of short antero- and posteroventral bristles and 2 longer bristles near base. Fore tibia lacking prominent bristles (except subapicals). Mid femur with spinule-like, short, ventral bristles (becoming shorter in apical part of femur), 1 long thin bristle near base and 1 anterior subapical bristle. Mid tibia with 1 row of ventral spinules along whole length and 1 longer, stronger, somewhat curved spinule at apex, lacking prominent bristles (except subapicals) [Senior-White [l.c.: 152] indicates "mid tarsi with strong, short, black spines and an apical tooth" that is evidently a misprint and this phrase should be actually referred to the mid tibia]. Hind femur bearing 1 row of short anteroventrals and 3–4 erect dorsal bristles near base. Hind tibia with 2 anterodorsal bristles near middle; apical projection small, rounded, clothed in dense brownish setulae. Hind tarsomere 1 somewhat thickened.

Wing hyaline, costal vein with rather long setulae along anterior margin. Vein R2+3 meeting costa at 1/4 to 1/3 of distance between veins R1 and R4+5. Halters pale yellowish.

Abdominal tergites 4 and 5 bearing squamiform setae. Segment 8 elongate, brown, with some long bristles posteriorly. Cercus brown. (Missing structures taken from Senior-White (1922)).

Male. Unknown.

Type material examined: Holotype female labelled: CEYLON: / Matale District, / Suduganga / 12.ix.1921.; Elaphropeza / abdominenotata / Senior White male / TYPE; Holotype; BMNH (E) # 244885 ( BMNH).

Senior-White (1922) described this species from a single female that is now deposited in the BMNH. On the label Senior-White indicated that it is a male but in the paper the female sex is correctly applied. Additionally, the date of collecting is different on the label (see above) than in the text of the paper (23.VIII.1921). Currently, the head, one fore leg, one mid leg and wings are lost from the holotype; otherwise it is in fairly good condition .

Distribution. Sri Lanka.

Remarks. The relationships of E. abdominenotata are unclear beyond inclusion within the E. ephippiata species group. Elaphropeza abdominenotata is very similar to E. litoralis described by Smith (1965) from Nepal. In E. abdominenotata the metapleuron is blackish in upper part (vs. wholly reddish yellow in E. litoralis ) and the legs appear to have a little different brownish pattern.