Howickia cordata Marshall

Marshall, S. A., Luk, S. P. L. & Dong, H., 2014, A revision of the New Zealand species of Howickia Richards, Zootaxa 3887 (1), pp. 1-36 : 26

Howickia cordata Marshall sp. nov.

( Figs. 57–61 )

Description. Head: Eye height 2.5X genal height. Thorax: Postalar and dorsocentral bristles subequal, apical scutellar bristles longer. Wing absent, halter well developed.

Male abdomen: Sternite 5 as long as sternite 4 medially, with a pale posteromedial lobe ending in a triangular or heart-shaped comb of 15 flat bristles. Subanal plate broad and complete. Surstylus with a single long, narrow posteroventrally directed lobe with two very long preapical spurs. Hypandrium narrowly and symmetrically fused with anterior margin of epandrium, unusually widely separated from base of surstylus. Ventral lobe of hypandrium not conspicuously developed. Posterodorsal apodeme of hypandrium strongly developed, reaching anterior surface of distiphallus near base. Distiphallus very narrow, tubular, tapered. Postgonite broad on basal part, abruptly constricted to a narrow and clubbed distal part. Basiphallus frame-like, projecting posteriorly only very slightly beyond distiphallus base.

Female abdomen (described from undissected abdomen with everted ovipositor): Tergite 8 continuous along posterior margin but mostly divided into narrow bare dorsal sclerite and similarly sized posteriorly setulose lateral sclerites. Epiproct small, with 2 setulae, separate from the simple setose cerci. Sternite 8 mostly microtrichose, bare in anterior quarter, posteriorly with 2 setae on each side. Hypoproct with bare, medially pale anterior area and setulose posterior area.

Type material. Holotype (male, NZAC) and 5 paratypes (2 males, 3 females, NZAC): New Zealand, North Island, Tararua Range, Dundas Hut area, 1250 m, baited pitfall trap, 6–13.Feb.1985, G. Hall.

Etymology. The specific name refers to the characteristic, somewhat heart-shaped posteromedial comb on the male fifth sternite.

Figures

FIGURES 57 – 61. Howickia cordata Marshall, sp. n.: 57, epandrium, posterior; 58, epandrium, left lateral; 59, male sternite 5; 60, aedeagus and associated structures; 61, spermathecae.