Sigmoleia separata Jaschhof & Kallweit

Jaschhof, Mathias & Kallweit, Uwe, 2009, The Cycloneura Marshall group of genera in New Zealand (Diptera: Mycetophilidae: Leiini), Zootaxa 2090, pp. 1-39 : 14-17

Sigmoleia separata Jaschhof & Kallweit sp. n.

( Figs 16 , 65–68 )

Diagnosis. This species differs from S. peterjohnsi , with identical wing venation, in details of the male terminalia, particularly tergite 9, gonocoxites, gonostyli, and tegmen (see Figs 65–67 versus Figs 69–70 ).

Description. Male. Head. Nodes of antennal flagellomeres 1.3 times as long as wide ( Fig. 68 left). Apical segment of maxillary palpus little longer than preceding segment.

Wing. Fig. 16 . Length 1.6–2.1 mm. C ending clearly before wing apex. M-stem longer than M2. M-fork V-shaped. Ventral setae present on R1 and R5.

Terminalia. Sclerotized portions of tergite 9 separated by weak membranous portion ( Fig. 67 ). Basal portion of gonocoxites short, with few setae; ventrolateral processes very long, apices curved slightly mesally, widely separate from one another, with sparse, fine setae ( Fig. 65 ). Stalk clearly distinguished from main body of gonostylus, with 1 short apical macroseta and large setae elsewhere ( Fig. 67 ). Tegmen apex wide and blunt ( Fig. 66 ).

Female. Head. Nodes of antennal flagellomeres 1.2 times as long as wide ( Fig. 68 right).

Wing. Length 1.5–2.0 mm.

Distribution and phenology. Endemic to NZ: NO (AK), SO (BR, KA, MC, OL, SL). Very local in the North Island, widespread in the South Island. Adults captured in beech, podocarp and mixed beech/podocarp forests from November to April. Visits tree crowns of black beech Nothofagus solandri and totara Podocarpus totara up to a height of 17 m.

Etymology. From Latin, separatus, separate, referring to the outline of ninth tergite.

Types. Holotype. Male*, New Zealand, South Island, Otago Lakes, Fiordland National Park, Eglinton River valley, Deer Flat, in beech forest, 4–24 Jan. 2002, by Malaise trap, M. & C. Jaschhof (in NZAC). Paratypes. 1* male, 2* females, same data as the holotype (in NZAC); 1* male, NO, AK, Huia, in native bush, Jan. 1981, by Malaise trap, B. Mau (in NZAC); 1* male, SO, KA, Blue Duck Sc. Res., 300–400 m, in mixed podocarp/beech forest, 29 Nov. 1990, by window trap in crown of a black beech Nothofagus solandri tree 15 m above ground, R.K. Didham (in NZAC); 1* male, same loc. but 6 Dec. 1990, 13.5 m above ground (in NZAC); 2* females, same loc. but 31 Jan. 1991, by window traps in crown of a totara Podocarpus totara tree 12 and 17 m above ground (in NZAC); 1* male, 1* female, SO, MC, Cass, Middle Bush, in forest of black beech Nothofagus solandri , 9 April 1998, by Malaise trap, P.M. Johns (in NZAC); 1* male, same loc. but 10 Dec. 1998 (in SMTD); 2* males, 1* female, SO, BR, Ahaura, Granville S. F., 170–250 m, in forest of hard beech Nothofagus truncata, Dec. 1994 , by Malaise trap, J. Hutcheson (in SMTD).

Other material. SO. SL: 1 male, 4 females, Catlins Coastal Rain F. P., Catlins R. valley, 27 Jan.–5 March 2002, M. & C. Jaschhof.

Figures

FIGURES 13 – 18. Wings. 13: Paradoxa fusca Marshall, dorsal view. 14: Sigmoleia melanoxantha Edwards, ventral view. 15: Sigmoleia similis sp. n., ventral view. 16: Sigmoleia separata sp. n., dorsal view. 17: Sigmoleia peterjohnsi sp. n., vental view. 18: Cycloneura triangulata Tonnoir, ventral view.

FIGURES 65 – 70. Morphology in Sigmoleia spp. 65 – 68: Sigmoleia separata sp. n.. 69 – 70: Sigmoleia peterjohnsi sp. n. 65: Male terminalia, ventral view. 66: Tegmen, ventral view. 67: Terminalia, dorsal view. 68: Flagellomeres 1 – 5, lateral view, male left, female right. 69: Male terminalia, ventral view. 70: Male terminalia, dorsal view. Length of scale bar = 0.05 mm (for 66) and 0.1 mm (for 65, 67 – 70).