Leptomorphus couturieri Matile

Borkent, Christopher J. & Wheeler, Terry A., 2012, Systematics and Phylogeny of Leptomorphus Curtis (Diptera: Mycetophilidae) 3549, Zootaxa 3549, pp. 1-117 : 24-25

8. Leptomorphus couturieri Matile

( Figures 9, 49, 97, 135, 150, 153)

Leptomorphus (Gymnoscutum) couturieri Matile, 1997: 144 .

DIAGNOSIS: The only extant species of Leptomorphus with the following combination of characters: laterotergite, anepisternum and anepimeron yellow; scutellum yellow; abdominal tergite 6 brown, tergite 7 yellow; male tergite 9 with basal 2/3 of lateral margins bulbous, tapering posteriorly, ventrally directed process at base of tergal evagination a single point, concavity of posterior margin of tergite 9 longer in diameter than width of sternite 9, tergal evagination tapering to blunt points ( Fig. 97).

This species can most easily be confused with other Afrotropical species with a completely brown tergite 6 ( L. aliciae , L. carnevalei , Figs 1, 8, 9). It can be distinguished from these species based solely on the male genitalia ( Fig. 97) which are as long as wide, with sternite 9 not reaching margins of gonocoxite, and apex of the posterior lobes gradually tapering to a point, rather than having a step like constriction ( Fig. 96) or a bulbous apex ( Fig. 91).

DESCRIPTION: Male. ( Fig. 9) Head: yellow, circular in anterior view. Antenna dark brown; scape yellow, with brown setae in single apical row extending from dorsum laterally into thick patch covering apicoventral process, basal third and entire medial surface bare, anterobasal patch of setulae present; pedicel yellow, with 2–3 large bristles, several setae on apicodorsal margin, number of fine setae on apicoventral margin; flagellomere 1 with tapered base yellow remainder dark brown; flagellomere 6 1.5X as long as broad. Clypeus yellow, dorsoventrally elongate oval; bristles on clypeus light brown, 4–6 strong bristles on ventral margin directed ventrally, remaining setae directed medioventrally, clypeus 2X as long as face. Face yellow; shape a just longer than wide triangle, with few bristles ventrolaterally. Frons yellow; with few bristles medioventrally, frontal furrow running 1/2 distance from dorsal margin towards ventral margin, frontal cleft just anterior of median ocellus. Palpus with segments 1–4 yellow, segment 5 brown; segment 1 hidden behind eye, segments increasing in length, segment 5 2X length of segment 4 with central half thinner than base and apex, segment 3 with apicolateral patch of fine yellow setae encircled by strong dark setae. Labellum yellow. Eye with very few, short inter-ommatidial setulae scattered on surface. Occiput yellow with appressed, anteriorly directed setae. Ocelli in a straight line, space between ocelli less than diameter of laterals, lateral ocelli 2X their own diameter from eye margin, ocellar triangle dark brown/black with electric blue green specks. Thorax: Length 1.33 ± 0.09 mm (1.27–1.39 mm, n = 8). Dark brown dorsally, yellow laterally. Scutum dark brown/black with blue-green specks, yellow anteromedial triangular spot pointing posteriorly and circle on each posterolateral corner; surface of scutum bare; acrostichal setae absent; dorsocentral setae present as fine setae for most of length; multiple rows of lateral setae present; patch of setae on scutum at wing base small. Scutellum yellow; with 6 large bristles and few small bristles. Prescutum yellow. Mediotergite yellow to light brown with 6 bristles on posterolateral corners, anteromedial patch of small bristles. Laterotergite yellow; anterior margin of laterotergite not reaching katepisternum. Anepimeron yellow. Anepisternum yellow. Katepisternum yellow. Antepronotum and proepisternum yellow. Margin of anterior and posterior spiracles yellow with yellow trichia. Metepisternum yellow. Anapleural suture with anterior portion slightly curved dorsally. Halter stem yellow, knob light brown. Legs: principally yellow; hind femur light brown at very apex; extreme anteroapical corner dark brown on all femora; hind tibia light brown. Midfemur without apical spine-like process. Tibia with covering of brown macrotrichia, foretibia without comb of short setae along length of anteroventral surface, tibial spurs brown, foretibial spur length 2.5X apical thickness of foretibia, midtibia with faint, dorsal, bare patch of even thickness for 3/4 of its length, placed centrally, shortest midtibial spur 0.9X length of longest, longest midtibial spur 4X apical thickness of midtibia, shortest hind tibial spur subequal to length of longest, longest hind tibial spur 4.5X apical thickness of hind tibia. Foreleg first tarsomere 1.6X length of foretibia. Wing ( Fig. 49): Length 5.8 ± 0.4 mm (5.5–6.2 mm, n = 7). Hyaline; apical macula light, beginning at apex of R 1 and M 4 and reaching wing tip; medial macula absent. Macrotrichia in all cells, though absent from posterobasal margin of cell a. Setae on basal posterior margin of wing (along base of cell a) alternating long, short. Calypter with group of macrotrichia. Vein sc-r present, apical end joining R at 2–3X its own length prior to origin of Rs. R 4 absent. R 5 straight, slight posterior turn near tip. M 1 reaching apex before R 5, apices of M veins fading before wing margin. M 4 -CuA fork arising apically of origin of r-m. A 2 faintly present as crease. Abdomen: Tergites principally yellow. T3–5 with posterior 1/4 dark brown, T6 dark brown. Tergite 8 smaller than all other abdominal sclerites, with ~8 bristles on each apicolateral corner. Genitalia ( Fig. 97): yellow. Sternite 9 sclerotized oval, 1/3 the width of genitalia at widest point, just reaching medial margin of gonoxite. Tergite 9 as wide as long, rounded margins tapering into two pointed lobes with medial U-shaped indentation, a ventrally extending thin point at base of posterior lobe. Gonocoxite placed basally on T9, medial margin not reaching medial line, bearing gonostylus on apical 1/3. Gonostylus swelling from base into a triangular lobe with apex pointed, gonocoxite III fused to dorsolateral margin. Aedeagus 4/5 length of gonocoxite, tapering towards apex (slight central swelling), apodemes 1/3 total length. Parameres a simple taper, apodemes ~4/5 length of parameres.

Female. Unknown.

Immatures. Unknown.

BIOLOGY: Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION: Ivory Coast and Ghana, ( Fig. 135), 120–200 masl.

DISCUSSION: As discussed below in the phylogeny section, the placement of Leptomorphus species in subgenera ( Matile 1977) is not supported by our phylogenetic results. This species is therefore removed from the subgenus Gymnoscutum and placed solely in Leptomorphus .

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Holotype: adult male, pinned on double mount minuten, genitalia in glass vial on pin, labelled “COTE-D’IVOIRE/ TAI/ 9-II-[19]85/ G. COUTURIER leg.; FORET DENSE / SEMPERVIRENTE; [Red label] HOLOTYPE; Leptomorphus (g.)/ couturieri n. sp. / ♂ holotype / L. Matile det. 1995” [MNHN].

Paratype: labelled as for holotype except 6.v.1980 (1♂, MNHN) .

Other material: GHANA, Western Region , Ankasa game prod. Reserve, 9.xii.1993, J. Kjaerandsen; T . Andersen. (1♂, ZMUN); same except 8–15.xi.1994. (2♂, ZMUN); 31.x–8.xi.1994. (3♂, ZMUN) ; IVORY COAST, Taї , 6.v.1980, G. Couturier. (1♂, MNHN) .