Tipula (Vestiplex) scripta Meigen

Starkevich, Pavel, Podenas, Sigitas & Gelhaus, Jon K., 2020, Taxonomic review of Tipula (Vestiplex Bezzi) crane flies (Diptera: Tipulidae) in Mongolia, Zootaxa 4837 (1), pp. 1-88 : 65-69

Tipula (Vestiplex) scripta Meigen

( Figs 6 , 16 , 152–162 ; Map 12 )

Tipula scripta Meigen, 1830: 286 ; Riedel, 1913: 37; Pierre, 1924: 56; Lackschewitz, 1936: 262.

Tipula (Vestiplex) scripta: Edwards, 1931: 80 ; Mannheims, 1953: 118; Hemmingsen, 1956: 251; Savchenko, 1960: 144; Starkevich & Podenas, 2015: 9.

Tipula (Vestiplex) scripta scripta: Savchenko, 1964: 158 .

Tipula (Vestiplex) immunda Alexander, 1934b: 403 .

Tipula (Vestiplex) scripta immunda: Savchenko, 1964: 162 ; Oosterbroek & Theowald, 1992: 158; Starkevich & Podenas, 2015: 9 (synonymy).

Material examined. MONGOLIA. Khentii Aimag: 1 ♀, Omnodelger Soum, Khurkhiyn Gol , 39 km NE Tsenkhermandal, N48.04989, E109.32549, 1364 m, 15.vii.2011, S. Podenas, MAIS2011071502 . Selenge Aimag: 1 ♂, Mandal Soum, Bar Chuluu at upstream bridge c. 6 km above downstream bridge, N48.99356, E106.95023, 1053 m, 20.vii.2003, SRPT, SRP03072001 ; 4 ♂, Selenge Soum, West Branch of Khartsain Gol , 33.8 km WNW Hyalgant, N49.6509, E103.88078, 1480 m, 8–9.vii.2005, SRPT, SRP05070802 . Tov Aimag: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 2.2 km N Ulaanbaatar [N48.022912, E106.903313], 13–16.vii.1996, B. Namhadorj # Ex: taken in border woodlands ; 1 ♂, Tov Aimag, Erdene Soum, Gorkhi Terelj NP, stream 0.5 km N Gorkhi Davaa ( Pass ), N47.94981, E107.45511, 1593 m, 11.vii.2011, S. Podenas, MAIS2011071101 .

Elevation range in Mongolia. Adults were collected at altitudes ranging from 1000 m to 1600 m.

Period of activity. Adults are active through July.

Known distribution. The species is widely distributed in West and East Palearctic including Mongolia ( Map 12 ).

Redescription. Male. Body length 14.8–16.7 mm, wing length 14.5–17.2 mm. General body coloration brownish yellow.

Head. Brownish gray, vertex and occiput light gray, with brown median line. Rostrum brown with nasus conspicuous. Antenna 13-segmented, if bent backward reaching base of wing. Scape, pedicel and first flagellomere yellow, succeeding flagellomere bicolored. Each flagellomere except first one with small basal enlargement and slightly incised.Apical flagellomere very small, reduced, distinctly shorter than preceding segment. Verticils as long as respective segments. Palpus with 2 basal segments brown, succeeding dark brown.

Thorax. Brownish gray. Pronotum brown with median line. Prescutum and presutural scutum with 4 longitudinal stripes bordered by brown. Intermediate pair brownish, fused anteriorly and posteriorly, separated in middle. Lateral stripe grayish. Interspace between median and lateral stripes light brown. Postsutural scutum brown, scutal lobe with 2 spots bordered by brown. Scutellum brown, sparsely dusted with gray, postnotum gray. Both sclerites with median line. Pleura gray. Coxae gray. Trochanters and femora brownish yellow. Tibiae yellowish with darkened distal part. Tarsal segments brown. Tarsal claws without tooth. Wing distinctly patterned with brown. Halter with pale stem and dark brown knob.

Abdomen. Yellowish brown, with pale interrupted dorsal stripe and indistinct lateral stripe. Tergite 1 yellow, laterally sparsely dusted, tergites 2–6 yellow, tergites 7–8 brown. Lateral margins of tergites pale. Sternite 1 sparsely dusted with gray, sternites 2–4 brownish yellow, succeeding sternites brown.

Hypopygium. Brownish. Tergite 9 forming pale yellow plate ( Fig. 152 ). Posterior margin of tergal plate broadly emarginated, posterior lobes pale, provided with long setae. Anterior portion brown with saucer, raised border appearing as elevated transverse quadrate plate with margin narrowly blackened. Saucer about 1/3 width of tergite 9. Gonocoxite ends with strong curved spine, apex acute and blackened ( Fig. 153 ). Outer gonostylus club-shaped ( Fig. 154 ). Inner gonostylus in shape of moderately curved plate, dorsally with sharp spine, beak extended into rostrum with distal margin blackened ( Fig. 155 ). Gonocoxal fragment with medial sclerites slender, posteriorly broadly flattened, anteriorly fused into small base and together forming V-shaped structure ( Figs 6 , 156 ). Lateral sclerite small, outer lobe short, inner lobe inconspicuously differentiated. Aedeagal guide in shape of depressed flattened plate, posteriorly produced into acute shoulders ( Fig. 157 ). Sperm pump with central vesicle lightly swollen ( Fig. 158 ). Compressor apodeme with median incision. Posterior immovable apodeme about same length as compressor apodeme, relatively narrow. Anterior immovable in shape of low plate. Aedeagus shaped as relatively short yellow tube, about twice as long as sperm pump, distal part ventrally truncated, funnel-shaped ( Fig. 159 ).

Female. Body length 20.2–21.1 mm, wing length 16.4–17.1 mm. Generally similar to male. Antenna short, scape, pedicel and two basal flagellomeres yellow, flagellomeres 3–8 bicolored, succeeding brownish. Abdomen with distinct dorsal stripe.

Ovipositor ( Figs 160–162 ). Tergite 10 shiny brown. Cercus brown, slender, with tip narrowed and up-turned, outer margin with rough serration ( Fig. 160 ). Hypovalva in shape of pale yellow elongated filament, with trichia at tip ( Fig. 161 ). Median incision between hypovalvae distinctly deeper than posterior margin of sternite 8. Lateral incision very small. Sternite 9 posteriorly with slender and acute apex ( Fig. 162 ). Two slender posterior extensions on either side beneath apex. Lateral angle of sternite 9 rounded. Furca anteriorly narrowed, posteriorly broad. Bursa copulatrix and spermathecal ducts without sclerotisation. Spermatheca spherical, broadened at base ( Fig. 20 ).

Figures

FIGURES 4–9. Gonocoxal fragments of Mongolian T. (Vestiplex), epandrium and hypandrium removed, dorsal view. 4. T. (Vestiplex) longitudinalis; 5. T. (Vestiplex) mediovittata; 6. T. (Vestiplex) scripta; 7. T. (Vestiplex) pallitergata; 8. T. (V). balioptera; 9. T. (Vestiplex) leucoprocta. Abbreviations: aa, anterior apodeme of medial sclerite of gonocoxal fragment; pa, posterior apodeme of medial sclerite of gonocoxal fragment; b, base of medial sclerite of gonocoxal fragment; gcx, gonocoxite; ig, inner gonostylus; il, inner lobe of lateral sclerite of gonocoxal fragment; ls, lateral sclerite of gonocoxal fragment; ms, medial sclerite of gonocoxal fragment; ol, outer lobe of lateral sclerite of gonocoxal fragment. Scales of 4–6, 8–9 = 0.5 mm, 7 = 0.25 mm.

FIGURES 14–27. Spermathecae of Mongolian T. (Vestiplex). 14. T. (Vestiplex) longitudinalis; 15. T. (Vestiplex) virgatula; 16. T. (Vestiplex) pallitergata; 17. T. (Vestiplex) laccata; 18. T. (Vestiplex) balioptera; 19. T. (Vestiplex) nubeculosa; 20. T. (Vestiplex) scripta; 21. T. (Vestiplex) kiritshenkoi; 22. T. (Vestiplex) mediovittata; 23. T. (Vestiplex) subcentralis; 24. T. (Vestiplex) sintenisi; 25. T. (Vestiplex) coronifera; 26. T. (Vestiplex) tchukchi; 27. T. (Vestiplex) leucoprocta.

FIGURES 152–159. Hypopygium of male T. (Vestiplex) scripta. 152. Tergite 9, dorsal view; 153. Gonocoxite, lateral view; 154. Left outer gonostylus, lateral view; 155. Left inner gonostylus, lateral view; 156. Gonocoxal fragment, dorsal view; 157. Aedeagal guide, ventral view; 158. Sperm pump, dorsal view; 159. Distal part of aedeagus, lateral view. Scale of 152–158 = 0.5 mm, 159 = 0.25 mm.

FIGURES 160–162. Ovipositor of female T. (Vestiplex) scripta. 160. Ovipositor, left lateral view; 161. Sternite 8 with hypovalvae, ventral view; 162. Sternite 9, furca and bursa copulatrix, dorsal view. Abbreviation: li, lateral incision. Scale of 160 = 0.7 mm, 161–162 = 0.5 mm.

MAPS 10–12. Distribution maps of T. (Vestiplex) crane flies in Mongolia. 10. T. (Vestiplex) nubeculosa; 11. T. (Vestiplex) pallitergata; 12. T. (Vestiplex) scripta.