Tipula (Mediotipula) gjipeensis Keresztes & Kolcsar

Keresztes, Lujza, Menendez, Jesus Martinez, Martin, Luis, Toeroek, Edina & Kolcsar, Levente-Peter, 2018, Description of a new species of Mediotipula from Albania, with consideration of the eastern Mediterranean as a diversity hotspot (Diptera, Tipulidae), ZooKeys 792, pp. 99-115 : 100-103

Tipula (Mediotipula) gjipeensis Keresztes & Kolcsar sp. n. Figures 2, 3, 4A

Material examined.

Holotype: 1 male. Paratypes: 20 males, 2 females, same locality as holotype.

Type locality.

Albania; Vlora district, Illias, Gjipe Goerge, 267 m, 40.144172°N, 19.676905°E, 05.v. 2016, leg. L Keresztes & LP Kolcsár.

Type specimens are deposited in the Diptera Collection of the Faculty of Biology and Geology (DCFBG), University Babes-Bolyai, Cluj Napoca, Romania.

Diagnosis.

Males: Tergite IX–X in males with the posterior margin having a medial spinous extension with a wide base and gradually narrowed tip. Lateral corner of the posterior margin of the tergite IX–X is mostly rounded. Outer gonostylus widened gradually to tip, ending oblique at dorsal margin. The anterior end of the anterior arm of the inner gonostylus has a long beak-like elongation. The posterior arm of the inner gonostylus has in its dorsal margin a concentration of strong stout setae directed anteriorly, and the anterior corner ending with a thorn-like process. On the middle of the posterior part of the inner gonostylus a small triangular posterolateral extension is present. Females have the base of the hypogynal valves bulbous and rounded.

Description.

Medium sized species, Body length: holotype male 10 mm, paratype female 12 mm; wing length: holotype male 15 mm, paratype female 16 mm. Adult habitus: General colour yellowish brown. First two segments of antennae yellowish, third light brown, remainder brown. Nasus yellowish with stout black setae. Dorsal part of head, near antennae, with two whitish patches; rest of head grey-peach coloured with dark setae, except whitish yellow occipital area. Thorax -brownish grey, with four shiny brown stripes on dorsal surface. Scutellum yellowish. Wings transparent, Mediotipula -like, discoidal cell present. Coxae and trochanters yellowish; rest of leg segments brown. Abdomen yellowish, with dark brown patches to continuous bands on the posterior edge and lateral margin of tergites I–VII, tergite VIII entirely brown.

Male terminalia (Figures 2, 3). Tergite IX–X with medial part bearing a narrow medial longitudinal suture with reduced whitish area close to its posterior margin (Figure 2C) and a relatively small medial spiny extension with a wide base and gradually narrowed tip on its posterior margin (Figure 2C, E). Ventral surface of posterior margin of tergite IX–X flat, lacking ventrally produced extension (Figure 2E). Lateral corner of posterior margin of tergite IX–X rounded (Figure 2C). Posterior margin of sternite 8 V-shaped, with posterior margin ending straight (Figure 2D). Gonocoxite has a laterally compressed projection on the posterodorsal corner (Figure 2A, B). Part of the gonocoxite behind the suture, on posterior part, short (Figure 2B). Interior surface of gonocoxite membranous, but with a uniformly sclerotised and relatively flat structure in the middle part. Outer gonostylus widens gradually to tip, ending obliquely at dorsal margin (Figure 3E). Lower anterior part of inner gonostylus with concentration of long setae (Figure 3 A–C). Anterior end of anterior arm of inner gonostylus with a long beak -like elongation (Figure 3 A–C). Posterior arm of inner gonostylus with posterior half of the dorsal margin bearing a concentration of strong thorn-like setae directed anteriorly, anterior corner ending in thorn-like process (Figure 3 A–C). Posterior part of inner gonostylus with a small triangular posterolateral extension medially (Figure 3D). sperm pump with posterior apodemes fused in the horizontal plane (Figure 3 F–H). Parameres small and triangular (Figure 2B).

Female terminalia (Figure 4A). Cercus slightly curved downward and terminating in a rounded apex (Figure 4A). Hypogynal valves only moderately sclerotised and fused for approx. two thirds of their length. End of membranous area of sternite VIII at base of hypogynal valves distinctly acute. Base of hypogynal valves bulbous. Ventral wall of genital chamber, near opening of gonopore is distinctly sclerotised. Vestigial sternite IX present as a slender, but well-sclerotised structure.

Etymology.

The species epithet gjipeensis translates to "from the Gjipe Gorge" and was formed by appending the Latin suffix -ensis to the name of the gorge where the new species was collected.

Ecological notes and distribution.

During our investigation in the south-western part of Albania, the new species described here was only detected in the highly-isolated humid habitat in the Gjipe Gorge, near the shore of the Adriatic Sea and very close to Gjipe Beach. The gorge is cut by a small stenotherm brook, fed by a spring ca. 2-3 km upstream. The river bed is filled with large limestone boulders and rocks, and has abundant mossy cover. The brook spring is surrounded by dense riparian vegetation, where the adults flew during daytime or were sometimes seen to rest on trees near the river. The microclimate of the river valley was roughly 10 °C cooler than in the surrounding macchia (L Keresztes pers. obs.). Specimens were collected in early May. The river was completely dry in June and no additional flying adults were collected, suggesting a short phenology between April and May (LP Kolcsár pers. obs).