Edenophorus irwini, Sinclair, 2002

Sinclair, Bradley J., 2002, Revision of the South African endemic genus Edenophorus Smith (Diptera: Empididae), African Invertebrates 43, pp. 109-122 : 115-116

Edenophorus irwini sp. n.

( Figs 6, 7 )

Etymology: Named in honour of the collector, Mike E. Irwin, who has contributed greatly to the knowledge of South African Diptera .

Holotype male labelled: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: ‘ South Africa, Natal Prov / Karkloof Range ,near Mt / Alida ; temp.forest assoc/ 17 June 1974, near pond/ ME Irwin (2930Ab)’ ( NMSA).

Recognition: This species is distinguished by its short proboscis, presence of cell dm, and the enormous, erect male terminalia, with their cerci positioned anteriorly.

Description:

Male:

Head: Eyes nearly touching above antennae; facets above antennae enlarged; setulae on face; 4 pairs of setulae on frons, upper-most longest. Antenna with basal segments slightly paler than the postpedicel; scape very short, pedicel globular with fringe of setulae; postpedicel conical, clothed in fine pubescence; twice length of pedicel, gradually tapered to style. Stout occipital setae in several rows. Proboscis light brown, slightly longer than height of head; palpus one-quarter length of proboscis, pointed bearing long, pale setae.

Thorax: Dusted entirely with brownish grey pruinescence. Thoracic setae generally short, reduced to numerous rows: Acr biserial; dc uniserial, with 4 pairs of long bristles at prescutellar depression; inter-alar setulae scattered, extending to wing base; 2 pprn (lower directed forward, upper directed posteriorly) and numerous short setulae; 1 ph; 3 npl, posterior bristle short; 1 pal; 4 sctl, inner pair stronger, nearly twice length of outer. Antepronotum with 1 pair of short, stout setae. Upper half of anepisternum with greater than 10 setulae; precoxal bridge with 1 stout seta above fore coxa.

Legs: Yellowish, darker on apical tarsal segments; clothed in fine setulae, lacking modified setae; fore coxa with 1–2 pairs of long pale lateral setae on lower half, longer than width of coxa.

Wings (length 2.4 mm): Stigma faint. Venation similar to E. knysna ; cell dm present. Halter yellowish brown.

Abdomen: Pale brown, concolorous with thorax. T8 membranous, S8 divided into 2 small square sclerites.

Terminalia ( Figs 6, 7 ): Held upright, greatly enlarged compared to abdomen, cercus anterior; cercus and epandrium yellowish. Cercus thinly sclerotised, setose. Epandrium with slightly twisted finger-like lobe on inner margin. Hypandrium reduced. Phallus with large basal, inflated sperm chamber; apex encircled by subapical toothed crown; ejaculatory apodeme broad, stout, articulated at base of chamber, one-third length of terminalia. Postgonite triangular in posterior view, divergently encircling tip of phallus; fused posteriorly with base of phallus.

Female: Unknown.

Additional material examined: Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: 4 males, same data as holotype ( NMSA) .

Figures

Figs 2–7. Edenophorus characters. 2. E. spinosus sp. n., head. 3. E. hiemalis sp. n., antenna. 4. E. knysna Smith, wing. 5. E. hiemalis sp. n., wing. 6–7. E. irwini sp. n., male terminalia. 6. Lateral view. 7. Posterior view. Scale bar = 0.1 mm, except Figs 2, 4, 5, where scale bar = 0.5 mm. [Abbreviations: cerc = cercus; ej apod = ejaculatory apodeme; epand = epandrium; epand lb = epandrial lobe; goncx apod = gonocoxal apodeme; pgt = postgonite; ph = phallus; sp ch = sperm chamber.]