Gondwanoscurus praecipuus (Quate)

Curler, Gregory R., 2009, A revision of the genus Gondwanoscurus Jezek (Diptera: Psychodidae), Zootaxa 2169, pp. 21-34 : 31-32

Gondwanoscurus praecipuus (Quate)

( Figs. 22 –25)

Telmatoscopus praecipuus Quate, 1962 a, 4: 11 (original description); Duckhouse, 1973, 232 (Oriental catalog).

Diagnosis. Adult: Male antennae: flagellomeres 1– 2 each bearing three lateral spines, flagellomere 3 bearing four lateral spines; ascoids each with four digitiform branches, arranged in multiple irregular rows around each node. Male terminalia: gonostyli bifurcate, with medial rami arcuate; parameral sheath constricted medially, expanded apically, not wider than distance between gonocoxal bases; basiphallus laterally compressed basally, bifid apically, with branches of "Y" fused medially, spatulate; distiphallus comprised of paired, sinuous sclerites, articulated with basiphallus basal to "Y"; cercopodia curved approximately 45° at mid-length.

Redescription. Adult Male ( Figs. 22 –25): Measurements, (N = 2) head width 0.5 mm (0.49–0.51), head length 0.5 mm (0.49–0.51), wing length 2.78 mm (2.75–2.80), wing width 1.85 mm, palpomere proportion: 1–1.7–1.6–2.3. Head: frontal scar patch subquadrate anteriorly, bilobed posteriorly, without median spur; antennae with scape approximately 2.5 times longer than wide; flagellomere nodes not exserted laterally; flagellomeres 1– 2 each bearing three lateral spines, flagellomere 3 bearing four lateral spines, spines with apices blunt, rounded; ascoids each with four digitiform branches, arranged in multiple irregular rows around each node. Wing: broadly rounded, slightly longer than wide; medial fork basal to radial fork, both arising basal to apex of CuA2; base of M2 incomplete. Terminalia: gonocoxites approximately 1.25 times longer than wide, widely separated at base; gonostyli bifurcate; lateral rami stout, tapered, with acute apices; medial rami of gonostyli arising at about mid-length on medial surface of lateral rami, slender, arcuate, with rounded apices; parameral sheath constricted medially, expanded apically, not wider than distance between gonocoxal bases; basiphallus laterally compressed basally, bifid apically, with branches of "Y" fused medially, spatulate; distiphallus comprised of paired, sinuous sclerites, articulated with basiphallus basal to "Y"; cercopodia curved approximately 45° at mid-length; retinacula spathulate, numbering 7.

Adult Female: Unknown.

Type material. Holotype [adult male]: NORTH BORNEO [ MALAYSIA, SABAH]. Tenompok, approximately 50 km E of Jesselton, 18.x.1958, coll. L. W. Quate. Type deposited at BPBM. Paratype: same locality as holotype, 20.x.1958 [1 adult male, partial specimen], coll. L. W. Quate. Paratype deposited at BPBM.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Remarks. Adult males of G. praecipuus are larger than males of all other described Gondwanoscurus species, and can be readily distinguished by the blunt spines on antennal flagellomeres 1– 3, and the gonostyli with arcuate medial rami. Males of G. praecipuus are most similar to those of G. e x i m i u s in the structure of the antennae, and broadly rounded wings.

Two female specimens lacking collection data and labeled only as " praecipuus ?" were examined with the holotype. It is impossible to positively associate these females with the male of G. praecipuus , but the terminalia are similar to females of G. ejundicus , confirming that they are Gondwanoscurus .

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).