Thaumastoptera (Thaumastoptera) spathifera, Starý & Oboňa, 2018

Starý, Jaroslav & Oboňa, Jozef, 2018, Palaearctic species of Thaumastoptera (s. str.) Mik (Diptera: Limoniidae), Zootaxa 4394 (2), pp. 227-234 : 233

Thaumastoptera (Thaumastoptera) spathifera sp. n.

(Figs. 4, 11, 12)

Diagnosis. Small species. Body colouration in general yellow to yellowish brown, with scutellum slightly darker. Wing pattern distinct, almost black, much as in T. (T.) insignis , with spots and seams on (sub)vertical vein elements and tips of longitudinal veins including Sc1, added with blackened costa at about two thirds length between tips of R1 and R3, and R5 slightly beyond its half-length. Venation with upper branch of medial fork about three times as long as its petiole. Femora and tibiae with dark apical rings. Male terminalia with aedeagus about two thirds length of gonocoxite, abruptly narrowed into slender rod at apex ( Figs. 11, 12 ). Wing length 4.8–5.6 mm.

Material examined: Type specimens 10 males, 4 females.

Holotype: male, Italy: North Sicily: Ucria, 0.9 km S, Torrente Praculla (620 m) (38°02'18"N 14°52'60"E), 25.iv.2016 (J. Starý leg., SMOC).

Paratypes: Italy: North Sicily: Ucria, 0.9 km S, Torrente Praculla (620 m) (38°02'18"N 14°52'60"E), 25.iv.2016, 4 males, female, 27.iv.2016, 5 males, 2 females; Raccuia, 0.9 km W, Fiumara di Sinagra (450 m) (38°03'14"N 14°54'03"E), 25.iv.2016, female (all J. Starý leg, SMOC, JSO) .

Description. Male. Head suffused with greyish brown pruinosity on frons, somewhat yellowed on vertex. Rostrum yellowish brown, palpus brown. Antenna 16-segmented, moderately long, reaching to about base of wing, with yellowish brown scape and brown pedicel. Flagellomeres spherical, brown proximally, passing into narrower, more elongate and yellowed distally, with verticils considerably dense, longest ones about twice as long as their respective flagellomeres.

Thorax generally yellow to yellowish brown. Pronotum brown. Prescutum suffused with sparse, pale greyish pruinosity. Scutellum darker than other dorsal parts of thorax, but not as much as in T. (T.) insignis , paler medially. Pleuron shiny yellowish brown, paler posteriorly. Wing membrane tinged yellowish, veins mostly yellow. Wing pattern much as in T. (T.) insignis , with (sub)vertical vein elements and tips of longitudinal veins dark, even black, including Sc1 (Fig. 4, arrow). This pattern, as in T. (T.) insignis , extended from veins onto adjacent wing membrane, thus forming spots and seams. In contrast to T. (T.) insignis , two other short sections of veins tinged with black: costa (wing margin) at about two thirds length between tips of R1 and R3, and R5 slightly beyond its half-length (Fig. 4, arrows). Distinct spot near wing base at basal deflection of M and arculus; humeral cross-vein and a-a also infuscated (Fig. 4, arrow). Venation generally usual for Thaumastoptera s. str. Sc1 ending about opposite halflength of Rs; upper branch of medial fork (M1+2) about three times as long as its petiole (M1+2+3) (Fig. 4). Halter yellow, knob weakly infuscated. Legs pale yellow, femora with short, black, apical rings; tibiae with short both basal and apical rings.

Abdomen with tergites mostly brown, paler anteriorly, ventral side yellow. Male terminalia ( Figs. 11, 12 ) yellow. Segment 9 (basal ring) simple, more or less straight at dorsal posterior margin. Proctiger generally semioval, in part covered with spinulae, with deep, narrow median incision. Gonocoxite moderately long and slender, slightly arched. Gonostylus deeply bilobed, outer lobe broadly rounded, inner lobe tapered into curved beak, the latter lobe with a few setae at apex and row of longer setae at proximal outer margin; group of setae at inner margin near base of gonostylus. Aedeagus about two thirds length of gonocoxite, abruptly narrowed into slender rod at apex. Paramere long and powerful, about twice as long as aedeagus, sinuous, parallel-sided for most of its length, and tapered into subacute point directed medially.

Female. Resembling male in general appearance.

Etymology. The compound name of the new species, spathifera (spatha = the sabre, ferre = to bear; “sabrebearing”) refers to its conspicuous parameres. An adjective in nominative singular.

Distribution. Italy: Sicily.

Discussion. The new species differs from its closest relative, T. (T.) insignis , in having the following three marks on the wings in addition to those present in the latter species: a spot at the tip of Sc1 and a seam each on the costa at about two thirds length between the tips of R1 and R3, and on R5 slightly beyond its half-length (Fig. 4). The male terminalia show other, profound differences ( Figs. 11, 12 ).

Figures

FIGURES 9–12. Male terminalia. 9–10: T. (T.) insignis (Portugal: Algarve), general view (9) and aedeagal complex (10), dorsal; 11–12:T.(T.) spathifera sp. n. (Italy:Sicily), general view (11) and aedeagal complex (12), dorsal.Scale bars 0.25 mm.