Pseudolycoriella whena, Köhler, 2019

Köhler, Arne, 2019, The genus Pseudolycoriella Menzel & Mohrig, 1998 (Diptera, Sciaridae) in New Zealand, Zootaxa 4707 (1), pp. 1-69 : 44-45

Pseudolycoriella whena sp. n.

( Fig. 38 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:73E8E6FC-CF31-4DD9-9751-C8653FAFE299

Material studied. Holotype male. New Zealand: North Island , Western Bay of Plenty , Katikati, Te Mania catchment, Malaise trap, 19.09– 27.10.2016, leg. P.A. Maddison ( NZAC, SDEI-Dipt-0001336) . Paratypes. 6♂♂ South Island , Marlborough , Marlborough Sounds , Okiwi Bay, Moncrieff Scenic Reserve, mixed Nothofagus /podocarp forest, sweep net, 24.12.2001, leg. M. Jaschhof (3x NZAC, SDEI-Dipt-0001118; 3x SDEI, SDEI-Dipt-0001100 & SDEI-Dipt-0001127) .

Description. Male. Head. Head capsule brown. Eye bridge two to three, exceptionally four, facets wide, two at margin. Scape and pedicel mostly paler, contrasting with the brown flagellum. Fourth flagellomere 2.8–3.2 times longer than wide; necks of flagellomeres well differentiated; surface of flagellomeres rough with deep pits, sensilla of two different lengths, setae on the flagellomere robust, longer than flagellomere width, slightly curved. Maxillary palp of medium length and pale, consisting of three palpomeres, first one longest, second shortest, first palpomere with two to three bristles, one of them longer and more robust, located on the outer side; sensilla on first palpomere long. Prefrons and clypeus bulging. Thorax pale brown, mesonotum slightly darker. Posterior pronotum bare. Anterior pronotum with two to four setae. Episternum 1 with four to seven setae. Mesonotum with two to four robust lateral bristles. Scutellum with four robust bristles and several smaller setae. Dorsocentral bristles forming a complete row on the mesonotum, anterior ones smaller. Katepisternum as long as high. Wings of the holotype damaged. Length 1.9–2.1 mm; width/length ratio 0.37–0.41. Membrane transparent and without macrotrichia, anal area present; all posterior veins distinct, except faint stem of M, apical 33–40% of R 5 with macrotrichia on ventral and dorsal side (except two paratypes which each bear only one macrotrichium on the ventral side of R 5); bM and r-m without macrotrichia; R 1 0.6–0.7 times as long as R; c/w ratio 0.72–0.78; r-m 1.0–1.5 as long as bM. Haltere brownish; head of haltere shorter than shaft. Legs pale brown, slightly brighter than thorax. Tibial organ surrounded by a circular border and as wide as or even smaller than half the width of the tibial apex; tibial organ consists of an irregular row of bristles. Fore tibia without robust bristles among the vestiture (two paratypes with only one bristle on one side). Mid tibia with none to two slightly robust bristles among the vestiture. Posteriodorsal row of bristles inconspicuous, four to nine weak bristles. All tibial spurs equal in length. Claws with robust teeth. Abdomen pale brown, as thorax; with long, dark setae. Hypopygium ( Fig. 38 ). Gonocoxites wider than long, inner side of gonocoxites with short setae, outer side with long setae; ventral, inner side of gonocoxites widely separated basally. Gonostylus 2.8–3.1 times longer than wide; elongate and curved, apical part slightly curved inwards, inner side slightly tumid, apical cavity small with scattered macrotrichia; subapically one spine and one long whip-lash hair present. Tegmen of the typical ground plan of the Psl. jejuna complex, with an acuminate basic shape; the dorsal folds strikingly developed; parameral apodemes basally strongly sclerotized, medially fused. Area of teeth absent, exceptionally two paratypes (SDEI-Dipt-0001100 & SDEI-Dipt-0001127) with small aggregations of five and twelve tiny teeth, respectively. Ejaculatory apodeme long and of medium thickness, base of ejaculatory apodeme very delicate, short, and u-shaped. Posterior portion of gonocoxal apodeme medium sized and brown, joined medially. Anterior portion of gonocoxal apodeme long and dark brown.

Body size: 1.8–2.3 mm.

Female. Unknown.

Genetic distances. DNA was successfully isolated from only one specimen. The nearest neighbour is Psl. sudhausi , diverging by a minimum of 5.02%. The available 28S sequence is identical to those of Psl. porotaka and Psl. sudhausi .

Etymology. The Māori word for dwarf — whena —was chosen as epithet, to highlight the minute body size of the new species.

Distribution. New Zealand.

Discussion. With a body size of up to 2.3 mm, Psl. whena together with Psl. jejunella, Psl. nahenahe , and Psl. sudhausi belongs to the smaller species of this species complex. Pseudolycoriella whena can be distinguished from Psl. jejunella and Psl. nahenahe by the longer fourth flagellomere (> 2.8 vs. <2.5). Pseudolycoriella jejunella also differs significantly in the shape of the gonostylus. For the distinction of Psl. whena and Psl. sudhausi see discussion paragraph for Psl. sudhausi .

In two paratypes of Psl. whena atavistic remains of the area of the teeth are present (see Psl. jejuna complex discussion).

Figures

FIGURES 37–42. Pseudolycoriella jejuna complex, hypopygia. 37. Pseudolycoriella sudhausi sp. n. 38. Pseudolycoriella whena sp. n. 39. Pseudolycoriella porotaka sp. n. 40. Pseudolycoriella nahenahe sp. n. 41. Pseudolycoriella raki sp. n. 42. Pseudolycoriella dagae sp. n. Abbreviation: ba = basal angle.