Similsciophila, Shi & Shih & Ren, 2014

Shi, GuiFeng, Shih, ChungKun & Ren, Dong, 2014, A new genus with two new species of mesosciophilids from the Middle Jurassic of China (Diptera: Nematocera: Mesosciophilidae), Journal of Natural History 49 (19), pp. 1147-1158 : 1149-1150

Similsciophila gen. nov.

Type species: Similsciophila singularis sp. nov.

Species included: Similsciophila singularis sp. nov. and Similsciophila sinuata sp. nov.

Diagnosis

Body medium-sized, covered with long and dense pubescence. Mesonotum convex. Scutellum sharp and clearly projecting. Forewing Sc elongate, shorter than one-half of wing length; sc-r situated distinctly basal to Rs origin, arising near midway between h to Sc ending at margin; cell r distinctly large, longer than one-sixth of wing length; Rs furcated distad to fork of M 1+2; bRs longer than r-m; R 1 slightly curved; both R 1 and R 4+5 divergent terminally; R 4+5 arched near its mid-length; stem of M not developed and thin; M 1+2 furcated slightly distad to level of Sc ending. Tibiae and tarsi with short sparse setae.

Etymology

The generic name is derived from the Latin (simil -), in reference to similar, and sciophila is from the generic name Mesosciophila .

Remarks

Based on the venation, Similsciophila gen. nov. is distinguished from Mesosciophilopsis Blagoderov, 1993 and Jurasciophila Li and Ren, 2009 by the following characters: wing longer and wider; cell r distinctly larger, and longer than one-sixth of wing length. The new genus is similar to the genus Paramesosciophilodes Zhang, 2007 , but differs mainly by bRs longer than r-m. It also differs from Mesosciophilina Kovalev, 1985 , Mesosciophilodes Rohdendorf, 1946 and Mesosciophila Rohdendorf, 1946 in that R 4+5 arched near its mid-length.

Distribution

China.

Key to genera of mesosciophilid gnats

1. Cell r distinctly small, equal to or shorter than one-sixth of wing length .......... 2

- Cell r distinctly large, longer than one-sixth of wing length ............................... 3

2. bRs equal to or shorter than r-m .................. Mesosciophilopsis Blagoderov, 1993

- bRs significantly longer than r-m ........................ Jurasciophila Li and Ren, 2009

3. R 4+5 arched near its mid-length .......................................................................... 4

- R 4+5 slightly arched or almost linear near its mid-length ................................... 5

4. bRs equal to or shorter than r-m ................... Paramesosciophilodes Zhang, 2007

- bRs longer than r-m ........................................................ Similsciophila gen. nov.

5. Cross-vein r-m converges with M 1+2 at obtuse angle ......................................... 6

- Cross-vein r-m converges with M 1+2 at right angle ........................................... ............................................................................ Mesosciophilina Kovalev, 1985

6. R 2+3 straight, almost perpendicular to R 4+5 ...... Mesosciophilodes Rohdendorf, 1946

- R 2+3 oblique, cross with R 4+5 at obtuse angle ........ Mesosciophila Rohdendorf, 1946