Scatopsciara (Xenopygina) subfratercula, Mohrig, Werner & Kauschke, Ellen, 2016

Mohrig, Werner & Kauschke, Ellen, 2016, New Black Fungus Gnats (Diptera, Sciaridae) of North America Part I. Genus Scatopsciara Edwards, 1927, Zootaxa 4150 (4), pp. 401-435 : 427

Scatopsciara (Xenopygina) subfratercula sp. n.

( Fig. 9 C–F)

Locus typicus: Canada, Alberta, Berland River at Hwy 40, 53.42°N, 118.20°W, pine forest. Holotype: Male , 30.iv.–11.vi.1994, leg. E. Fuller, Malaise trap ( PWMP).

Description. Male. Head. Brown. Eye bridge 3 facets wide. 4th flagellomere with l/w-index 2.0, haired somewhat shorter than wide. Palpus 3-segmented, short; basal segment without deepened sensory pit, with 1–2 bristles. Thorax. Brown; scutum haired shortly, fine and whitish. Wings pale; R1 rather long, longer 1/2 R; c = 2/3 w; y shorter x, bare; posterior veins distinct, bare. Haltere short, pale. Legs brownish; tibial organ small, with two bristles only; spurs of middle and hind tibiae with long but unequally long spurs; claws toothless. Abdomen. Brownish, haired short, fine, sparsely and whitish. Hypopygium brownish, ventral base closed and haired denser than inner ventral margin of gonocoxites; gonocoxites slightly longer than gonostylus; gonostylus without apical tooth; with 3–4 spines near the apex and 2 closely situated spines on a common strong protuberance in the middle of inner side; all spines with rather strong bases. Tegmen with strong lateral corners. Body size: 2.0 mm.

Comments. The species is characterized by a strong protuberance in the middle of the inner side of gonostylus with a pair of closely neighboring spines and 3–4 spines on the apex. The species is similar to Sc. fratercula (Vilkamaa & Hippa) . It differs by a larger protuberance in the middle of gonostylus, the base of two spines in the middle of inner side, and a lesser number of spines on the apex. It might be considered as a “missing link” to the species Sc. hastata (Johannsen) and Sc. paradoxa (Frey) , which are seen as isolated so far. The species belongs to the Sc. paradoxa group.

Distribution. Canada (Alberta).

Figures

FIGURE 9. A. Scatopsciara (Xe.) hastata (Johannsen), after Mohrig et al. (2013), Fig. 54. B. Scatopsciara (Xe.) paradoxa (Frey), after Menzel & Mohrig (2000), Fig. 472. C – F. Scatopsciara (Xe.) subfratercula sp. n. C. Gonostylus, ventral view. D. Arrangement of apical spines on gonostylus. E. Part of hypopygium, ventral view. F. Apex of fore tibia.