Thornburghiella montana Ježek, Oboňa & Manko, 2021

Ježek, Jan, Oboňa, Jozef & Manko, Peter, 2021, Two new Palaearctic species of moth flies (Diptera, Psychodidae, Psychodinae) from the Caucasus Mts., Zootaxa 4985 (4), pp. 582-594 : 583-587

Thornburghiella montana Ježek, Oboňa & Manko sp. nov.

( Figs 1–21 )

Description. Male. Head hardly as long as broad ( Fig. 1 ), 1.2 times broader. Vertex conically a little inflated dorsally ( Figs 1 ) with a cut top. Numerous setae alveoli are almost regularly spaced over the entire surface in spite of scar free areas above C-shaped compound eyes laterally. Eyes separated, interocular suture arcuate ( Figs 1 , 12 ), eye bridge formed by five facet rows, frontal marginal rows are reduced to four facets. Minimum distance between eyes corresponds roughly to six facet diameters; index of distance from tangential points of eye apices to minimum of frons 3.2. Setae alveoli of frontoclypeus arranged almost in a triangular centrally placed patch near the base of antennae, tapering to a dorsoventral stripe of hairs close below frontal suture ( Figs 1 , 12 ). Patagia cylindrical, bag-shaped, constricted and contracted in one third, bent, covered with microsetae, see Fig. 11 . Antenna with 15 articles; scape club-shaped ( Fig. 2 ), somewhat widened apically, 2.5 times as long as its maximum width, narrowed et base, 4.9 times as long as its minimum width. Pedicel pitcher-shaped, symmetrical. Flagellomere 1 (postpedicel) cylindrical, hardly as long as three following flagellomeres together ( Fig. 2 ). Postpedicel with six conspicuous, strong bristles arranged in a row, sometimes is the longest distal bristle doubled (from the same insertion). Scape and pedicel with stiletto-shaped scales in contrast to needle-shaped macrosetae of flagellomeres. Flagellomeres 2–12 ovoid, with needle-shaped paired ascoids, a little bent, shorter than flagellomeres in which are inserted; apical flagellomere twice as long as the previous one including digital apiculus placed a little out of longitudinal axis ( Fig. 13 ). Length ratio of maxillary palpus segments 1.0:1.2:1.5:2.1; apical segment annulated ( Fig. 3 ). Terminal labial lobes ( Fig. 14 ) with diverging rows of spines between them. Ratio of maximum length of cibarium ( Fig. 4 ) to length of epipharynx 1.7:1.

Thorax. Anepisternum setae patch is almost trapezoid, anepimeron with triangular setose patch ( Fig. 15 ). Spiracles set low on mesothorax. Wings ( Fig. 16 ) lanceolate, 3.3 mm in holotype, 2.9–3.4 mm in paratypes, rounded distally, a little expanded at the posterior margin. The ending of R 5 beyond the tip of wing. Wing membrane slightly infuscated between Sc, R 1 and C and ends of all veins are a little strengthened distally with dark spots. Following veins or their parts strengthened: Sc with conspicuously marked origin and end, R 1 in distal three quarters, R 2, R 5, basal field, cross vein m 1 – m 2, CuA 1 and CuA 2 (conspicuously basally). Radial fork complete, medial fork in a form of a cross vein, their position see on Fig. 16 . Both forks and the ending of CuA 2 are in one line (almost central area of wing). Wing index 2.4. Knob of halteres globular, with three close sensory microsetae ventrally, a prolonged stem as usually developed ( Fig. 5 ). Ratio of maximum length of halteres to their maximum width approximately 2.8:1. Ratios of lengths of femora, tibiae and first tarsal segments P 1 2.0:2.3:1.0, P 2 2.1:2.8:1.1, P 3 2.4:3.2:1.2. Paired tarsal claws of P 1 gradually tapering, bent distad ( Fig. 6 ).

Male genitalia. Ejaculatory apodeme almost straight, only inconspicuously bent proximally and contracted distally ( Figs 8 , 21 ), aedeagal complex with paired sclerotized boomerang-shaped ribs diverged laterally and converged caudally. The basis of distiphallus is braced by gonocoxal apodeme – a chitinized stripe with three prolonged lobes (arms) of different shape and length (triangular and pale-shaped) on both sides ( Fig. 8 ). Gonocoxites almost hemisphaerical ( Figs 8–10 ), gonostyli ovoid basally, with irregular margins, conspicuously scelrotized, distal parts V-shaped, forked in two protuberances: sickle-shaped thin longer arm and thicker shorter saw-shaped one with numerous teeth ( Figs 18–19 ). Epandrium ( Figs 7 , 17 ) almost semicircular in dorsal view, hardly rectangular from lateral one, not bare, (see two divided areas of insertions of hairs distally), posterior margin conspicuously sclerotized, emarginate, with a deep cleft. Basal paired apertures conspicuous, crevice-shaped, connected. Ventral epandrial plate reduced ( Fig. 17 ). Hypandrium narrow with a lobulus in the middle ( Fig. 8 ). Epiproct inconspicuous, as a rounded fold, covered with microsetae and dark structures inside; hypoproct conspicuous, setose, tongueshaped, rounded apically from dorsal view ( Figs 7 , 17 ). Epandrial claspers (surstyli) strong, enlarged basally in contrast to the top, almost straight from dorsal view ( Fig. 17 ), bent at about one-third from lateral view ( Fig. 7 ). Tenacula are numerous (30–35), formed in longitudinal rows on inner sides of clasping lobes, apically frayed.

Female. Unknown.

Differential diagnosis. Thornburghiella montana sp. nov. resembles T. kovari Ježek, 1993 in body size, as well as wing venation. The new species have head vertex a little inflated dorsally ( Fig. 1 ); frons with a dorsoventral stripe of hairs ( Figs 1 , 12 ); postpedicel not constricted subapically ( Fig. 2 ); hypandrium narrow with a lobulus in the middle ( Fig. 8 ); gonostyli with two protuberances. ( Figs 8–10 , 18, 19 ); aedeagal complex with paired sclerotized boomerang-shaped ribs diverged laterally and converged caudally ( Figs 8 , 20, 21 ). Thornburghiella kovari is readily distinguishable by vertex of head, conspicuously elevated dorsally; frons without dorsoventral stripe of hairs; postpedicel constricted subapically; hypandrium stripe-shaped of the same width; gonostyli with three quite different bizarre protuberances; aedeagal complex with two parallel almost spatula-shaped cut protuberances and inner two linear ribs diverged caudally by conspicuous sclerotized hooks protruded outline of distiphallus.

Type material. Holotype male: Transcaucasia , Georgia, Mtskheta – Mtianeti region , above the village Snotskali, a tributary of the Snotskali river, 1900 m a.s.l., 42°35’49.0”N 44°38’26.0”E ( Fig. 38 ), 5.vii.2019, by sweep netting, Manko leg. Slide with a dissected specimen, Cat. No. 34899, Inv. No. 25956 ( NMPC).

Paratypes of 15 males (slides, some specimens dissected): The same locality, method, collectors and date, Cat. No. 34900-34909, Inv. No. 25957-25966 ( NMPC) ; Gveleti , a stream beneath small waterfall, 1630 m a.s.l., 42°42’08.4”N 44°37’09.7”E, 12.vii.2019, by sweep netting, Kovács, Murányi and Vinçon leg., Cat. No. 34910- 34913, Inv. No. 25967-25970 ( NMPC) ; Pansketi , the Snotskali River at its confluence with the Terek River, 1745 m a.s.l., 42°38’14.0”N 44°37’56.0”E, 12.vii.2019, by sweep netting, Kovács, Manko, Murányi and Vinçon leg., Cat. No. 34914, Inv. No. 25971 ( NMPC) .

6. Tarsal claw of P 1, lateral view. 7. Epandrium and epandrial claspers, lateral view. 8. Aedeagal complex and gonopod, dorsal view. 9. Gonopod, lateral view. 10. Same, caudal view. 11. Patagium. [Scale: 1-5, 7-11 = 0.2 mm; 6 = 0.05 mm]

Type locality. Georgia, Mtskheta – Mtianeti region, Snotskali.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word “montanus – a – um“ (adjective) = montane (mountain); it refers to the high elevation of the studied habitats of this species.

Bionomics. Unknown, males were collected near montane waterfalls and streams or confluences of rivers, 1630–1900 m a.s.l.

Distribution. Currently recorded only from Georgia.

Figures

FIGURE 38. Type locality of Thornburghiella montana Ježek, Oboňa & Manko sp. nov., tributary of the Snotskali River, above the village Snotskali, Mtskheta – Mtianeti region (Georgia).

FIGURES 1–11. Thornburghiella montana Ježek, Oboňa & Manko sp. nov. male. 1. Head, frontal view, antennae omitted. 2. Basal antennomeres. 3. Maxilla and palpus maxillaris. 4. Cibarium, epipharynx and labrum, dorsal view. 5. Haltere, lateral view.

FIGURES 12–21. Thornburghiella montana Ježek, Oboňa & Manko sp. nov. male. 12. Frons and facets in detail, frontal view. 13. Apical flagellomeres. 14. Terminal lobes of the labium. 15. Thoracic sclerites, lateral view. 16. Wing. 17. Epandrium and epandrial claspers, dorsal view. 18. Gonostylus, latero-dorsal view. 19. Same, a diagonal variant. 20. Aedeagal complex, dorsal view. 21. Same, lateral view. [Scale: 16 = 1 mm; 15 = 0,5 mm; 12, 14, 17-21 = 0.2 mm; 13 = 0.1 mm]