Aphasmaphleps bickeli, Capellari & Grichanov, 2012

Capellari, Renato S. & Grichanov, Igor Ya., 2012, Review of the Afrotropical genus Aphasmaphleps Grichanov (Diptera: Dolichopodidae), African Invertebrates 53 (1), pp. 35-35 : 40-42

Aphasmaphleps bickeli sp. n.

Figs 3, 4 , 7, 8 , 12–16

Etymology: Named after Daniel Bickel (Sydney, Australia), who has greatly contributed to the taxonomic knowledge of the family.

Diagnosis: Male. Antennal stylus with apical lamella; distal stylomere about 4× as long as basal stylomere. Veins R 4+5 and M parallel, M strong. Tarsomeres of mid leg unmodified, IIt 1 without rows of stiff hairs; IIt 2 about as long as IIt 3.

Description:

Very similar to A. bandia , except for the following features.

Male.

Body length 1.5–1.6 mm. Antenna 1.1–1.3 mm. Wing 1.2–1.5 mm long, 0.5–0.6 mm wide. Head. Antenna ( Fig. 7 ): 12, 6, 8, 21, 94; postpedicel basally yellow, stylus with a small apical lamella (MSSC); distal stylomere about 4× as long as basal stylomere.

Thorax. Bluish green, darker.

Wing ( Fig. 3 ). Membrane hyaline, all veins brown. C ending in M, at wing apex; R 4+5 and M parallel after dm–cu, M strong; CuAx proportion 0.04; knob of haltere whitish.

Legs. I: 2.0, 1.9, 0.4, 0.3, 0.1, 0.1, 0.1. II: 2.3, 2.3, 1.1, 0.5, 0.3, 0.3, 0.2. III: 2.5, 2.8, 0.7, 0.8, 0.4, 0.3, 0.2. Tarsus II unmodified: IIt 1 without rows of hairs, IIt 2 slightly longer than IIt 3.

Abdomen. Mostly coppery, shining green.

Hypopygium ( Figs 12, 13 ). Hypandrium and phallus slightly constricted at level of emergence of genital capsule.

Female.

Body length 1.5–1.6 mm. Wing 1.4–1.6 mm long, 0.6–0.7 mm wide. Very similar to females of A. bandia , except as noted. Antenna ( Fig. 8 ): 5, 6, 7, 3, 45. Wing ( Fig.4 ). CuAx proportion 0.1. Legs. I: 1.8, 1.6, 0.7, 0.3, 0.3, 0.2, 0.2. II: 2.3, 2.2, 1.0, 0.5, 0.3, 0.2, 0.2. III: 2.5, 2.6, 0.8, 0.6, 0.4, 0.3, 0.2. Brownish setae on coxae. Terminalia ( Figs 14–16 ).

Anterior margins of Tg6–7 with incision; Tg8 divided into two rod-like sclerites; St8 divided into two sclerites connected mesally at apex, enlarged and moved ventrally; sclerites of Tg8 and St8 connected anteriorly; hemitergites of Tg10 each with 3 or 4 thick spines.

Holotype: ♂ MADAGASCAR: Mahajanga, NP Tsingy de Bemahara, 3.4 km E Bekopaka, Tombeau Vazimba , 19°08'31"S 44°49'41"E, 50 m, 6–10 xi.2001, Fisher et al., tropical dry forest ( CAS).

Paratypes: 31♂ 20♀ same data as holotype ( CAS) .

Additional material examined: MADAGASCAR: 21♂ same data as holotype ; 21♀ same data as holotype, but 10.6 km 126° ESE Antsalove , 19°42'34"S 44°43'05"E, 150 m, 16–20 xi.2001 ( AMS) ; 2♂ Tul [éar Province], Morondava [19°53'S 44°28'E], 50 km N, 13 xii.1991, A. Pauly, forêt, rivière de salle ( ISNB) .

Comments: A. bickeli sp. n. is similar to A. stuckenbergi sp. n., but can be distinguished from the latter by having the antennal stylus with the apical lamella.

Figures

Figs 1–4. Wings of Aphasmaphleps spp., permanent slides: (1, 2) A. bandia Grichanov, male (1), female (2); (3, 4) A. bickeli sp. n., male (3) female (4). Scale bars = 0.5 mm. See Material and Methods for explanation of abbreviations.

Figs 5–11. Antennae and tarsi of Aphasmaphleps spp., transmitted light: (5–9) antennae: A. paulyi sp. n., male (5); A. stuckenbergi sp. n., male (6); A. bickeli sp. n., male (7) and female (8); (9) A. sp. A, apex of male stylus; (10, 11) male mid tarsus: A. paulyi sp. n. (10), A. stuckenbergi sp. n. (11). Scale bars = 0.2 mm (5, 6), 0.1 mm (7–11).

Figs 12–16. Aphasmaphleps bickeli sp. n.: (12, 13) hypopygium, left lateral (12), ventral (13); (14–16) oviscapt, dorsal (14, 16), right lateral (15). Scale bars = 0.1 mm. See Material and Methods for explanation of abbreviations.