Inocellia indica, Liu, Xingyue & Hajong, Sudhanya Ray, 2015

Liu, Xingyue & Hajong, Sudhanya Ray, 2015, Inocellia indica sp. nov. (Raphidioptera: Inocelliidae): a new snakefly species from northeastern India, Zootaxa 4040 (3), pp. 393-400 : 394-398

Inocellia indica sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–13 )

Description. Male. Body length 14.3 mm; forewing length 9.6 mm, hind wing length 8.1 mm.

Head ( Fig. 1 ) subquadrate, black throughout; clypeus pale brown. Antennae brown, but scape black. Mouthparts blackish brown.

Thorax ( Fig. 1 ) entirely black. Legs yellow, slightly darker on tibiae, with yellowish setae. Wings hyaline, pterostigma dark brown, veins brown. Rs with one forked vein and one simple vein running to wing margin.

Abdomen ( Fig. 1 ) blackish brown; each pregenital segment ventrally with a yellowish transverse stripe on posterior margin, and with pleural areas continuously pale yellow; genital segments orange, but slightly paler on posterior half of gonocoxites 9. Tergum 9 ( Fig. 3 ) approximately 1.5 times as long as sternum 9, anterior margin slightly incised medially, posterior margin shallowly incised. Sternum 9 ( Fig. 5 ) broadly arcuate, with anterior margin prominent. Gonocoxite 9 ( Figs 3–6 ) shell-like, strongly elongate, ~1.5 times as long as width of its proximal portion, proximally with a subtriangular projection on ventral margin; stylus (gonostylus 9) present subdistad on inner surface of gonocoxite 9, flatly and broadly expanded, feebly domed, with rows of bristles; an additional bristle tuft present proximally near dorsal margin. Pseudostyli (gonapophyses 9) ( Figs 5–7 ) feebly sclerotized, foliate, slightly curved anteriorly in ventral view. Fused parameres (complex of gonocoxites, gonapophyses, gonostyli 10) ( Figs 6–7, 9 ) flattened on proximal portion, ventrally bearing a slender and long distal projection, which is distally vertically curved dorsad and rounded at tip. Gonarcus (fused gonocoxites 11) ( Figs 5– 8 ) broad, nearly transversely rectangular, with ventrolateral corners prominent, and with nearly truncate ventral margin in caudal view, medially bluntly produced posteriad. Endophallus ( Figs 5–7 ) short, lateral portions with a pair of bristle tufts directed posterodorsad. Scabrous membranous serratulum present, with a pair of dorsally directed bristle tufts ( Figs 5–7 ). Ectoproct ( Figs 3–4 ) ovoid in lateral view, and subquadrate in dorsal view. Hypandrium internum ( Figs 5, 7 ) small with lateral lobes foliate and slightly sinuate posteriorly.

Female. Body length 12.9 mm (without ovipositor)/ 18.8 mm; forewing length 12.1 mm, hind wing length 9.9 mm.

Sternum 7 ( Figs 10–11 ) nearly trapezoidal in lateral view, posterolateral margins slightly emarginate, posterior margin slightly concave. Subgenital plate (fused gonocoxites 8) ( Figs 10–11 ) mostly membranous, anteriorly with a pair of longitudinal sclerotized areas, posteriorly with a narrow, transverse sclerite. Atrium bursae ( Fig. 12 ) subtriangular, membranous, laterally rugose; sacculus bursae sac-like; receptaculum seminis short, distally with a pair of tubular glandulae receptaculi.

Type specimens. Holotype ♂, INDIA: Meghalaya, East Khasi Hills, Shillong, Umshing, 1420 m, 25°36′43.55″N, 91°53′58.86″E, 28.V.2015, S.R. Hajong and E.S. Lyngchiang ( NCBS). Paratypes: 1♀, same collecting site and collectors as holotype, but collected on 27.V.2015 ( NCBS); 1♂, same collecting data as holotype (collection S.R. Hajong); 2♂ 2♀, same collecting site and collectors as holotype, but collected on 29.V.2015 (1♂ 1♀ in NHM; 1♂ 1♀ in NFIC); 1♀, same collecting site and collectors as holotype, but collected on 30.V.2015 (collection S.R. Hajong); 2♀, same collecting site and collectors as holotype, but collected on 1.VI.2015 (collection S.R. Hajong); 1♀, same collecting site as holotype, 25°36′43.90″N, 91°54′14.3″E, 18.VI.2012, S.R. Hajong (collection S.R. Hajong); 2♀, same collecting site as holotype, but collected on 28.V.2014, S.R. Hajong (collection S.R. Hajong).

Etymology. The specific epithet “ indica ” refers to the geographical distribution of this new species which is currently known only from India.

Distribution. This new species is currently known only from Shillong of East Khasi Hills in Meghalaya, northeastern India ( Fig. 14 ).

Ecological notes. Collection of the new species was done by using a light trap, which consisted of a 125W HPMV Mercury vapor lamp hung against a white sheet of cloth. The trap was run from 6 pm in the evening till 10 pm. Not more than 3–4 individuals could be collected during this period. The collecting site ( Fig. 13 ) is located adjacent to a forest patch consisting of tall Khasi pine trees ( Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon ) which were of around more than 30 meters tall. The new snakeflies appear to inhabit the tree canopy because attempts to collect them using sweeping net from lower branches of small pine trees were unsuccessful. Nothing is known about the biology of the new species and no immatures could be collected from the tree bark where they purportedly dwell.

Remarks. The new species belongs to the genus Inocellia as evidenced the absence of the MA base in the hind wing and the presence of the foliate pseudostyli. Hajong (2013) mentioned the possibility that the new species is conspecific with Parainocellia burmana U. Aspöck and H. Aspöck, 1968 from northern Myanmar. However, it is now clear that they are distantly related because of the male genitalic structures, especially the pseudostyli which are claw-like in P. burmana (H. Aspöck et al. 1991) but foliate in the new species as in the other members of Inocellia . The new species should be placed within the I. fulvostigmata species group due to the form of the male gonocoxite 9, which is wider than long, and the presence of a scabrous membranous serratulum [see identification key to species of Inocellia in Liu et al. (2012b)]. The new species appears to be closely related to I. bhutana as both have a similar male gonocoxite 9 ventrally with a subtriangular projection, and by having a generally similar gonarcus, which is prominent at its ventrolateral corners and posteriorly produced medially. However, I. indica sp. nov. can be distinguished from I. bhutana by its male gonocoxite 9 possessing a broad, flat stylus, the presence of a bristle tuft on the anterodorsal portion of the inner surface of gonocoxite 9, and the presence of a pair of bristle tufts respectively on the endophallus and serratulum. In I. bhutana , the stylus of gonocoxite 9 is slenderly digitiform, and the endophallus and serratulum lack bristles.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Habitat of Inocellia indica sp. nov.

FIGURE 14. Geographic distribution of inocelliid species from South Asia. ● — Inocellia fulvostigmata; ■ — Inocellia bhutana; ★ — Inocellia indica sp. nov. [Records of I. fulvostigmata and I. bhutana follow H. Aspöck et al. (1991)]

FIGURES 1 – 2. Habitus images of Inocellia indica sp. nov. 1 — holotype male; 2 — paratype female. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 3 – 12. Inocellia indica sp. nov. 3 — male genital segments, lateral view; 4 — male genital segments, dorsal view; 5 — male genital segments, ventral view; 6 — male genital segments, caudal view; 7 — male ninth gonocoxite with internal structures, lateral view; 8 — gonarcus, dorsal view; 9 — fused parameres, dorsal view; 10 — female genital segments, lateral view; 11 — female sternite 7 and subgenitale, ventral view; 12 — bursa copulatrix, lateral view. Abbreviations: ab — atrium bursae; e — ectoproct; ep — endophallus; g — gonarcus (= fused gonocoxites 11); gr — glandula receptaculi; gx 9 — gonocoxite 9; hi — hypandrium internum; o — ovipositor; p — fused parameres (complex of fused gonocoxites, gonapophyses, and gonostyli 10); ps — pseudostyli (= gonapophyses 9); r — receptaculum seminis; S — sternum; sb — sacculus bursae; ser — serratulum; sg — subgenitale; st — gonostylus 9; T — tergum. Arrow indicates ventral projection of male gonocoxite 9. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.