Potophila verrucosa, Kvifte, 2014

Kvifte, Gunnar M., 2014, Description of Potophila verrucosa, gen. n. et sp. n. (Diptera: Psychodidae: Psychodinae) from the West Usambara mountains, Tanzania, African Invertebrates 55 (2), pp. 413-413 : 414-416

Potophila verrucosa sp.n.

Fig. 1

Etymology: From Latin verruca ­(wart),­referring­tO­the­rugOse­field­On­the­paramere.

Diagnostic characters: As for genus. Description:

Male.

Head ( Fig. 1A ): Wider than long; vertex long, c. 0.4 of total head length, tapering tOwards­ anteriOr­ end,­with­ small­ lateral­ knObs­(fig.­1A);­eYebridge­ Of­ three­ rOws­ Offacets, separated by one-facet diameter width; interocular suture present, obtuse; ocular bristles absent; frontal scar patch crown-shaped with median band of alveoli reaching interOcular­suture;­labellum­bulbOus,­setOse;­OnlY­first­palp­segment­present­On­specimen,­ 71­µm­lOng;­scape­cYlindrical,­pedicel­spherical,­0.8­×­length­Of­scape;­flagellOmereselOngate,­sYmmetricallY­nOdifOrm;­first­flagellOmere­with­nOde­verY­elOngate,­mOre­thanthree­times­as­lOng­as­internOde;­Other­flagellOmeres­with­internOde­as­lOng­as­nOde;­ each­flagellOmere­with­twO­ascOid­attachment­pOints,­ascOids­missing­frOm­specimen;­ sOme­flagellOmeres­with­spinifOrm­sensillae.

Thorax: Anepisternum and dorsum densely setose; anepisternum with anterior spiracle present; anepimeron triangular without additional sclerite; laterotergite bare around margins; katepisternum and katepimeron bare; pronotum setose; metathoracal spiracle densely setose; coxae with longitudinal row of setae; legs missing.

Wing ( Fig. 1B ): 3.135 mm long × 1.26 mm wide; ovoid; basal costal node enlarged; membrane unpatterned, without vestiture; Sc terminating blind in the wing, reaching origin of R 5; R 2+3 not connected to R 4; radial fork in distal half of the wing, medial fork in basal half; basal part of M 2 weakened; r-m and m-cu faint; R 5 terminating slightly below apex of wing; CuA 2 terminating slightly distally to middle of wing but basal to radial fork; bases of M 1+2 and CuA 2 expanded; basal cells terminating close to base of wing. Abdomen without special features.

Terminalia ( Fig. 1C, D ): With hypandrium narrow, straight; gonostyle 1.5 × length of gonocoxite; gonostyle basally with a cluster of lateral setae, with scattered spiniform sensilla along length; gonocoxal condyles triangular in dorsal and ventral views; aedeagus asymmetrical; basiphallus broad in dorsal view, connected laterally to parameres by parameral-aedeagal membrane, medially to distiphallus, morphodorsally with pointed connection to ventral epandrial plate; distiphallus comprised of two lateral phallomeres and morphodorsal phallic membrane forming duct; distiphallus twisted 90° to the left; parameres triangular with a morphoventral projection carrying small, verruca-like rugae; epandrium ( Fig. 1D ) broader than long; with single pseudospiracular opening; subepandrial plate large, semicircular in dorsal view; hypoproct broadly U-shaped, densely pilose, covering bases of epandrial claspers; epiproct small, oval; epandrial claspers curved, carrying three distal tenacula in one row; tenacula spatulate, 87 µm long, tips slightly expanded.

HOlOtYpe:­ ♂ ­ TANZANIA:­Tanga­regiOn,­West­Usambara­Mts,­Mazumbai­fOrest­reserve,­1440­m,­ 23.Xi.1990,­ Tanzania Expedition leg, sweep net ( ZMB).

Figures

Fig. 1. Potophila verrucosa, gen.­n­et­sp.­n,­hOlOtYpe­♂:­(A)­head­(dOrsal­view);­(B)­wing;­(C)­terminalia­ (laterodorsal view); (D) epandrium and proctiger (laterodorsal view).Abbreviations:a ap – aedeagal apodeme; d – distiphallus; gcx – gonocoxite; gcx c – gonocoxal condyles; gst – gonostyle; hyp – hypandrium; lk – lateral knob; p – paramere; pam – parameral-aedeagal membrane; pp – parameral projections; vepa – ventral epandrial plate/aedeagal connection. Scale bars: 100 µm (A), 40 µm (C & D).