Bittacus shaoguanensis, Zhang & Du & Hua, 2020

Zhang, Yan-Na, Du, Wei & Hua, Bao-Zhen, 2020, Three new species of the genus Bittacus Latreille, 1805 (Mecoptera: Bittacidae), with a key to the species of Bittacidae in South China, Zootaxa 4718 (3), pp. 381-390 : 385-386

Bittacus shaoguanensis sp. n.

( Figs. 4–5 )

Type material. Holotype. ♂, CHINA: Guangdong, Shaoguan, Tsao Kok Wan (24°43′35″N, 113°53′06″E, elev. 300 m), 22 April 2018, Ji-Shen Wang leg. Paratypes. 14♂, 8♀, same data as for the holotype .

Diagnosis. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: 1) three brown single markings, one each at OM, ORs and Scv; pale brown clouding along apical crossveins, two middle streaks in a V-shape ( Fig. 4D ); and 2) epandrial lobe sub-triangular in lateral view ( Fig. 5A ).

Etymology. The new species is named after its type locality, Shaoguan.

Description. Head ( Fig. 4E ). Vertex and frons yellowish; clypeus yellowish brown, darker than frons; labrum brown, darker basally and laterally; maxillary palp dark brown; fifth maxillary palpomere slightly shorter than the fourth. Ocellar triangle black. Antennae filiform and ciliated; scape and flagellum yellowish, pedicel pale brown; flagellum 17-segmented.

Thorax ( Fig. 4B, C, F ). Pronotum blackish brown, with two long setae along anterior and posterior margin, respectively. Anterior two-thirds of mesonotum blackish brown, remaining part and metanotum unevenly brown. Pleura unevenly pale brown. Legs yellowish brown, except for coxae pale brown, femora and tibiae darker apically; tibia with two apical spurs, the longer one about 1.25 times as long as the shorter one in hind leg. Tarsomere IV bearing 24–27 prominent black ventral teeth, with two setae on each side subbasally; tarsomere V with 26–29 ventral teeth.

Wings ( Fig. 4D ). Wing membrane hyaline, tinged with yellowish brown. Forewing length 21.9–23.7 mm, width 4.9–5.8 mm. Pterostigma brown; two Pcv; Av absent; three distinct tawny brown markings, one each at OM, ORs, and Scv; pale brown clouding along apical crossveins, two middle streaks in a V-shape; apical margin slightly infuscate; thyridium at FM conspicuous; Sc ending beyond the level of FRs; 1A ending before FM. Hindwing length 17.2–18.4 mm, width 4.5–4.7 mm, similar to forewing.

Abdomen of male ( Figs. 4A , 5 A–B). Terga II–VI yellowish brown, each with a narrow black antecosta; terga VII–VIII blackish brown; tergum VIII emarginate distally in a V-shape. Epandrial lobe blackish brown, with distal margin pale, shorter than gonocoxites, sub-triangular in lateral view, truncated apically with a series of short black spines on inner side. Upper branch of proctiger yellowish brown, boot-shaped, bearing a bundle of yellowish setae distally; lower branch of proctiger broad basally and tapering toward apex, curved downward and shorter than up- per branch. Cerci pale, slightly shorter than half length of gonocoxites. Gonocoxites blackish brown, separated by a U-shaped membranous area caudally; gonostylus short and blunt distally, with a process on inner side. Aedeagus broad basally; penisfilum elongate and coiled.

Abdomen of female ( Fig. 5 C–D). Terga II–IX unevenly dark brown, each with a narrow black antecosta. Subgenital plate yellowish brown, separated medially by a bullet-shaped membranous area, apically with a series of black setae. Tergum X yellowish brown, extending ventrally. Anal plates consistent in length, blunt apically. Cerci slightly longer than subanal plate.

Distribution. China (Guangdong).

Remarks. Bittacus shaoguanensis sp. n. resembles B. strigatus Hua & Chou, 1988 in appearance, but can be readily separated from the latter by the following characters: 1) femora yellowish brown, darker apically (cf. anterior 2/3 of fore femora blackish brown); 2) epandrial lobe shorter than gonocoxites, sub-triangular in lateral view (cf. epandrial lobe longer than gonocoxites, curved downward); and 3) upper branch of proctiger yellowish brown, boot-shaped apically (cf. upper branch of proctiger strongly sclerotized, digitate).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Bittacus shaoguanensis sp. n. A. Male habitus in lateral view, holotype; B. articulation of basitarsus and tibia, to show two apical tibial spurs, holotype; C. tarsomeres IV–V, paratype; D. right wings, paratype; E. head in frontal view, paratype; F. thorax in dorsal view, paratype. Abbreviations: see Fig. 2 caption. Scale bars: A = 5 mm; B, E and F = 0.5 mm; C = 0.2 mm; D = 2 mm.

FIGURE 5. Bittacus shaoguanensis sp. n. A. Male terminalia in lateral view, holotype; B. male terminalia in dorsal view, holotype; C. female terminalia in lateral view, paratype; D. female terminalia in ventral view, paratype.Abbreviations: see Fig. 3 caption. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.