Leptopezella spinosa, Sinclair, Bradley J. & Cumming, Jeffrey M., 2007

Sinclair, Bradley J. & Cumming, Jeffrey M., 2007, Leptopezella, a new Southern Hemisphere genus of Ocydromiinae (Diptera: Empidoidea: Hybotidae), Zootaxa 1629, pp. 27-37 : 35

Leptopezella spinosa , sp. nov.

( Figs. 13–15 )

Holotype male labelled: “ AUSTRALIA: TAS/ Launceston/ Cataract Gorge Res./ 14.xi.1999 / V. Zherikhin”; “ HOLOTYPE / Leptopezella / spinosa / Sinclair & Cumming” [red label]” ( AMS).

Paratypes: Australia: ACT: Canberra, Black Mountain, CSIRO, yellow pan trap, 35°16'S 149°06'E, 25.x.–1.xi.1998, G. Gibson (2 ɗ, CNC). Tasmania: Same data as holotype, 9–10, 12–13, 23–24.xi.1999, V. Zherikhin (2 ɗ, 1 Ψ, AMS, ZFMK); Cradle Mountain, 860 m, alpine forest, yellow pan traps, 20–22.ii.1993, B.J. Sinclair (1 ɗ, 1 Ψ, CNC); Fern Tree, near Hobart, 27.iii.1980, G.F. Hevel & J.A. Fortin (1 ɗ, 1 Ψ, USNM); 16 kmNW Ouse, 28.iii.1980, G.F. Hevel & J.A. Fortin (1 ɗ, USNM). Victoria: Otway Ranges, Melba Gully State Park, temperate rainforest, 4.xii.1994, B.J. Sinclair (1 ɗ, CNC).

Recognition. This species is distinguished by the following features: upper portion of occiput shiny and lacking tomentum, spine-like setae on hind first tarsomere robust and long, hypandrium with hook-like projection on left corner, left epandrial lamella near base of left surstylus with spine-like seta, and hypoproct with hook-like left subapical projection.

Description. Wing length 2.5–2.6 mm.

Male. Scape and pedicel yellowish on inner margin, postpedicel dark. Frons and ocellar triangle shiny, lacking tomentum. Occiput shiny on upper portion to level of setae, remaining clothed in grey tomentum; 2 long postocular bristles subequal to ocellar bristles. Mouthparts yellow, including palpus.

Scutum dark and shiny; apex of postpronotal lobe yellow; lower notopleuron, postalar ridge and scutellum with grey tomentum. Acrostichals biserial, subequal in length with dc, extending nearly length of scutum; 1 pprn with several long setulae; 1 npl with many setulae; 1 long pal; dc uniserial; 2 pairs sctl, apical pair stouter and approximately three times longer than lateral.

Fore and midlegs yellowish, darker on tarsomeres 2–5. Coxae of all 3 legs distinctly paler compared to dark thorax. Fore tibia not expanded about gland; setae surrounding gland pale. Hind femur as pale as anterior legs basally, darker on middle third, paler apically. Hind tibia pale basally; distal two-thirds darker. Hind tarsomeres dark, except tarsomere 1 pale basally; tarsomere 1 with 3 pairs of spine-like ventral setae, distal 2 pairs longer than width of tarsomere; tarsomeres 2–3 with several stout, dark ventral setae.

Abdomen shiny. Hypandrium elongate, slightly twisted with asymmetrical apex; left corner of apex with long hooked projection; right side with rounded, V-shaped extension ( Fig. 15 ). Left epandrial lamella with corner prolonged into rounded V-shaped prolongation beyond base of apical spine-like seta; apical spine-like seta one-half length of left surstylus; left epandrial lamella with additional spine-like seta near base of left surstylus ( Fig. 13 ). Left surstylus strongly bent near mid-length with elbow-like expansion; apex truncate to slightly bifid. Right surstylus flattened, broadest at base, gradually arched and tapered towards rounded apex. Hypoproct stout, mostly truncate apically with hook-like subapical projection from left side. Sclerotized rods dorsal to ejaculatory apodeme absent. Distiphallus spinose for nearly entire length ( Fig. 14 ).

Female. Similar to male.

Distribution. This species is known from forested regions of Tasmania and the southeastern mainland of Australia.

Etymology. This species is named in reference to the two spine-like setae on the left epandrial lamella and the robust spine-like setae on the hind first tarsomere.

Figures

FIGURES 13 – 15. Male terminalia of Leptopezella spinosa, sp. nov., 13. Dorsal view with phallus removed. 14. Left lateral view. 15. Ventral view of hypandrium and left epandrial lamella. Abbreviations: epand – epandrium; hypd – hypandrium; hyprct – hypoproct. Scale bar = 0.1 mm.