Sycorax dispar Satchell, 1950

Curler, Gregory R. & Jacobson, Amanda J., 2012, New species of Psychodidae (Diptera) from Australasia, with a checklist of the world species of Bruchomyiinae and Sycoracinae, Zootaxa 3552, pp. 43-65 : 60-61

Sycorax dispar Satchell, 1950

( Figs. 30–31 )

DIAGNOSIS. Male terminalia: ejaculatory apodeme dorsoventrally compressed, clavate; parameres with posteromedial process digitiform, posterior lobes sinuous with pointed hooks apically; aedeagus with branches sickle-shaped, each with a single dens laterally.

REDESCRIPTION. Male ( Figs. 30–31 ): Wing: radial fork about 2/3 as long as medial fork. Terminalia: gonostylus with subterminal seta as long as apical spine, inserted near the base of style; ejaculatory apodeme dorsoventrally compressed, clavate; aedeagus with branches sickle-shaped, each with a single dens laterally; parameres with posterior lobes sinuous with pointed hooks apically; dorsomedial process of paramere digitiform, extending slightly beyond apices of aedeagus.

TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype [adult male]: New Zealand. NORTH ISLAND: Nihotupu, 23.ii.1923, coll. A.L. Tonnoir; deposited NZAC.

DISTRIBUTION. Collected from one location in northern New Zealand.

COMMENTS. Satchell (1950) described four species of Sycorax from New Zealand. Of these four species, S. dispar is the only one that is very similar to, and could potentially be confused with some species collected from New Caledonia, especially S. webbi . S. dispar is redescribed and illustrated here in order to clarify differences between it and S. webbi , particularly the dorsoventally compressed ejaculatory apodeme in the former species compared to the laterally compressed ejaculatory apodeme in the latter species. Females of S. dispar were included in the type series, but not described in detail by Satchell (1950). Regardless, specimens were dissected and mounted in a way that made it impossible to examine pertinent characters of the female genitalia. Therefore, they were not redescribed here.

Figures

FIGURES 30 − 34. Sycorax dispar Satchell, male. 30. Parameres and aedeagus, dorsal view. 31. Right gonopod, dorsolateral view. Sycorax tridentata Curler sp. nov., male. 32. Parameres and aedeagus, dorsal view. 33. Genital tract, dorsal view. 34. Left gonopod, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.05 mm.