Pnyxiopalpus persimplex, Vilkamaa, Pekka & Hippa, Heikki, 2011

Vilkamaa, Pekka & Hippa, Heikki, 2011, Phylogeny of Pnyxiopalpus Vilkamaa & Hippa, with the description of P. persimplex sp. n. (Diptera, Sciaridae), Zootaxa 2743, pp. 56-62 : 59-61

Pnyxiopalpus persimplex sp. n.

Figs. 1 A–D, 2 A–B, D–E

Material studied. Holotype male. MALAYSIA, Selangor, Ulu Gombak, Univ. of Malaya Field Stud. Center, 3.19N 101.45E, 800 ft., primary forest edge, sweep-net, 26.ii.1997, M. Jaschhof (in SMNH). Paratypes. 1 male, same data as holotype (in MZH); 1 male, same locality as previous but Malaise trap, 24.ii–14.iii.1997, H. Hippa, M. Jaschhof & B. Viklund (in SMNH); 1 male, same data as previous but 2–8.iii.1997 (in SMNH).

Description. Male. Head. Eye bridge 2 facets wide. Anterior vertex with 3–4 setae. Clypeoprefrons with 12– 27 setae. Maxillary palpus 1-segmented, with 3–5 setae, the longest ones slightly longer than width of segment; sensilla in a shallow depression, occupying nearly all of segment apex ( Figs. 2 D, E). Scapus and pedicellus darker than basal antennal flagellomeres, flagellomeres becoming slightly darker towards apex of flagellum; flagellomere 1 longer than other basal flagellomeres, length/width of flagellomere 4 1.50–1.80. Thorax. Dark brown; prothorax, a wide scutellar margin, dorsal part of pleurotergite, episternum 3 and a wide lateral area of mediotergite paler. Antepronotum with 6–14 setae, episternum 1 with 9–13 setae, anterior anepisternum non-setose or with 2 setae, mesothoracic katepisternum non-setose or with 2 setae, episternum 3 non-setose or with one seta, other pleural sclerites non-setose. Thoracic setae unmodified. Wing. Fig. 1 A. Length 1.8–1.9 mm, width/length 0.45–0.50. c/ w 0.80 –0.85, R1/R 1.15–1.30, distance M1-M2/M1-R5 1.10–1.25. bM non-setose, r-m non-setose or with 2 setae, R1 with 10–13 dorsal setae, R with 12–17 dorsal setae. CuA2 slightly darker than CuA1. Halter with knob dark. Legs. Front femur enlarged ( Fig. 1 B). Front tibia without enlarged medial setae ( Fig. 1 C). Apex of front tibia, Fig.1 D. Setae of legs unmodified. Hypopygium, Figs. 2 A, B. Sternite 10 with 2(3) setae.

Female. Unknown.

Discussion. Pnyxiopalpus persimplex most resembles P. s i m p l e x Vilkamaa & Hippa, appears as sister to this species in the cladistic analysis, and if implemented into the key of Vilkamaa and Hippa (1999) would come out together with it in the first couplet. Pnyxiopalpus persimplex is similar to P. s im p le x in that it lacks any enlarged setae on the front tibia, present in all other known Pnyxiopalpus . Pnyxiopalpus persimplex differs from P. simplex in having much shorter antennal flagellomeres, an eye bridge two facets wide and not narrowed into a stripe; an apical tooth that is shorter and mesially smooth, not rugose (compare Figs. 2 B and C); a denser vestiture of the front tibial organ; and an episternum 3 that is much less setose (in Fig. 2 B, the gonostylus of P. persimplex appears at a different angle than in Figs. 2 A and C). Pnyxiopalpus persimplex differs from all other species of Pnyxiopalpus in that the sensillae of its maxillary palpus occur in a very shallow depression, not in a cavity-like pit.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Pnyxiopalpus persimplex sp. n. (A – C holotype, D paratype). A. Wing, dorsal view. B. Front trochanter and femur, retrolateral view. C. Front tibia, retrolateral view. D. Apical part of front tibia, prolateral view. Scale for A 1.0 mm, for B and C 0.5 mm, for D 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 2. Part of hypopygium, ventral view (A), gonostylus, ventral view (B, C), maxillary palpus, lateral view (D) and maxillary palpus, anterior view / apicodorsal view (E). A, B, D, E. Pnyxiopalpus persimplex sp. n. (A, E holotype, B, D paratype). C. P. s i m p l e x Vilkamaa & Hippa (from Malaysia, Pahang). Scale 0.1 mm.