Gondwanoscurus mcclurei (Quate)

Curler, Gregory R., 2009, A revision of the genus Gondwanoscurus Jezek (Diptera: Psychodidae), Zootaxa 2169, pp. 21-34 : 29-31

Gondwanoscurus mcclurei (Quate)

( Figs. 19–21 )

Telmatoscopus mcclurei Quate, 1962 b, 4: 227 (original description); Duckhouse, 1973: 232 (Oriental catalog). Gondwanoscurus macclurei (Quate) , Jezek, 2001: 8 (lapsus calami for mcclurei )

Diagnosis. Adult: Male antennae: scape approximately 2 times longer than wide; flagellomere 1 with node 1.5 times longer than wide; flagellomeres 2–14 with nodes bulbous, not exserted laterally; ascoids lanceolate, arranged in multiple irregular rows around each node. Male terminalia: gonostyli bifurcate; lateral rami, digitiform, elongate, about 6 times longer than wide, with blunt apices bearing numerous setiform sensilla; basiphallus dorsoventrally compressed basally, bifid apically, with branches nearly parallel; distiphallus comprised of paired, spathulate sclerites; cercopodia straight, elongate, about 14 times longer than wide. Female terminalia: hypovalvae with lobes digitiform, slightly longer than wide; subgenital plate with prominent bulge medially; bulge covered with dense patch of alveoli.

Redescription. Adult Male. See Quate (1962b) and Jezek (2001). ( Figs. 19–21 ): Measurements, (N = 1) head width 0.42 mm, head length 0.51 mm, wing length 2.25 mm, wing width 1.0 mm, palpomere proportion: 1–2.0–1.8–2.3. Head: frontal scar patch subquadrate anteriorly, bilobed posteriorly, without median spur; antennae with scape approximately 2 times longer than wide; flagellomere 1 with node 1.5 times longer than wide; flagellomeres 2–14 with nodes bulbous, not exserted laterally; ascoids lanceolate, arranged in multiple irregular rows around each node. Wing: ovate; medial fork basal to radial fork, both arising basal to apex of CuA2. Terminalia: gonocoxites approximately 2.5 times longer than wide, widely separated at base; gonostyli bifurcate; lateral rami digitiform, elongate, about 6 times longer than wide, with blunt apices bearing numerous setiform sensilla; medial rami arising at base of gonostylus, not more than five times longer than wide, with apices tapered, acuminate; parameral sheath smoothly tapered, not wider than distance between gonocoxal bases; basiphallus dorsoventrally compressed basally, bifid apically, with branches nearly parallel; distiphallus comprised of paired, spathulate sclerites, articulated with basiphallus at apices of branches; cercopodia straight, elongate, about 14 times longer than wide; retinacula spiniform, numbering more than 20, clustered at mid-length and apically on cercopod.

Adult Female. See Quate (1962b). Terminalia: cerci lightly sclerotized, teardrop-shaped from lateral aspect, about two times longer than tall; hypovalvae with lobes digitiform, slightly longer than wide; subgenital plate with prominent bulge medially; bulge covered with dense patch of alveoli.

Type material. Holotype [adult male]: MALAYA [ MALAYSIA, FEDERATION OF MALAYA]. Kuala Lumpur, Batu Caves, Penney Room, Cavern C, light trap, 3.v.1960, coll. K. E. McClure. Allotype: same locality as holotype, 24.iii.1960 [adult female], coll. K. E. McClure. Holotype and allotype deposited at BPBM. Paratypes: same locality as holotype, ix, xii.1959 [6 adult males]; ii, v.1960 [13 adult females] coll. K. E. McClure. Paratypes deposited at USNM and BMNH.

Distribution. Known from two localities in Malaysia.

Remarks. Adult males of G. mcclurei are unique among described Gondwanoscurus species, and can be distinguished by characters of the antennae such as the fusiform flagellomere 1, and lanceolate ascoids, as well as characters of the terminalia, particularly the elongate, digitiform gonostyli with acuminate medial rami, and the elongate cercopodia. Females of this species can be distinguished by the subgenital plate with a prominent medial bulge and digitiform hypovalvae. The wing of G. mcclurei was figured by both Quate and Jezek, and was examined and reillustrated in the current paper. All specimens of G. mcclurei examined in this study, including the holotype, had a rounded apex and infuscation of the wing membrane as figured by Quate and myself. The wing figured by Jezek shows a pointed apex and a greater degree of infuscation, suggesting a difference in interpretation, or that G. mcclurei may actually be more than one species. Adults of G. mcclurei exhibit sufficient characters to support inclusion of the species in Gondwanoscurus , but the male is quite unusual and difficult to compare with other known species in the genus. Regardless of its affinities, G. mcclurei is the type species of the genus.

Figures

FIGURES 13 – 24. Gondwanoscurus eximius (Quate). 14. Male head, frontal view. 15. Male antennal flagellomere 8 with ascoids, left antenna, frontal view. 16. Male gonopods and phallus, ventral view. 17. Male cercopod and tenth tergite, dorsal view. 18. Wing. Gondwanoscurus mcclurei (Quate). 19. Male antennal scape, pedicel and flagellomeres 1 – 2, left antenna, frontal view. 20. Male gonopods and phallus, vental view. 21. Wing. Gondwanoscurus praecipuus (Quate). 22. Male antennal scape, pedicel and flagellomeres 1 – 3, left antenna, frontal view. 23. Male gonopods and phallus, dorsal view. 24. Wing. 25. Male cercopod and tenth tergite, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.05 mm (15), 0.25 mm (14), 0.125 mm (16 – 17, 19 – 20, 22 – 23, 25), 0.5 mm (18, 21, 24).