Aphasmaphleps stuckenbergi, 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 : 42-43

Aphasmaphleps stuckenbergi sp. n.

Figs 6, 11

Etymology: The species is named for the late Brian Stuckenberg (1930–2009), the doyen of Afrotropical dipterology.

Diagnosis: Male. Antennal stylus without apical lamella. Distal stylomere of arista-like stylus about 4× longer than 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. bickeli in all respects including morphology of hypopygium, except for the following features. (All specimens are quite discolourated due to long-term storage in alcohol.)

Male.

Body length 2.3 mm (in alcohol). Antenna 1.2 mm. Wing 1.6 mm long, 0.6 mm wide. Head. Antenna ( Fig. 6 ): 9, 6, 11, 21, 82; stylus without apical lamella.

Wing. CuAx proportion 0.05.

Legs. It: 1.5, 1.2, 0.8, 0.9, 0.8. IIt: 3.5, 1.3, 1.5, 1.1, 0.7. IIIt: 2.3, 2.4, 1.5, 1.1, 0.9. IIt 1 ( Fig. 11 ) unmodified. IIt 1 without rows of stiff hairs; IIt 2 about as long as IIt 3.

Female. Unknown.

Holotype: ♂ (in glycerol) MADAGASCAR: Tul [éar Province], Morondava [19°53'S 44°28'E], 50 km N, 13 xii.1991, A. Pauly, forêt, rivière de sale ( ISNB).

Paratypes: 24♂ (in alcohol), same data as holotype ( ISNB) .

Additional material: MADAGASCAR: 4♂ (in alcohol, strongly damaged), same data as holotype ; 1♂ (in glycerol, damaged) Fia[narantsoa Province], Ranomafana [National Park, 21°00'S 47°30'E], 19.i.1992, A. Pauly, forêt ( ISNB) .

Comments: A. stuckenbergi sp. n. is similar to A. bickeli sp. n., but can be distinguished from the latter by having the antennal stylus without an apical lamella.

Figures

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).