Poecilosomella sabahi, Papp, 2002

Papp, L., 2002, Eighteen New Oriental Species Of Poecilosomella Duda (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 48 (2), pp. 107-156 : 140-141

Poecilosomella sabahi sp. n.

( Figs 50–53 )

Holotype male ( NMNH): MALAYSIA: Sabah, Kinabalu National Park, Poring , el. 570m, 8 Sept. 1983, G. F. Hevel & W. E. Steiner.

Paratype male ( HNHM): same as for the holotype (damaged, wings wrinkled, right tarsomeres 2–5 of mid and hind tarsi lost; abdomen with genitalia in a plastic microvial with glycerine) .

Measurements in mm: body length ca. 2.55 (holotype, abdomen downcurved, i.e. not precisely measurable), 2.55 (paratype), wing length 2.18 (holotype), ca. 2.05 (paratype), wing width 1.00 (holotype), ca. 0.90 (paratype).

Orbits and ocellar triangle dark, interfrontal stripe silvery, other parts of frons red, face reddish yellow, genae dirty (greyish) yellow. Aristal cilia are 0.035 mm, cilia on apex of flagellomere as long. Three pairs of very short ifr. Genal bristle almost as long as first flagellomere.

Male fore tibia as well as three basal tarsomeres with long fine hairs (definitely longer than tibial/tarsal diameter at bases). Armature of mid tibia: anterodorsals: very strong and long seta at 11/32 and 21/34 each, shorter at 8/34 and 18/34; a very long dorsal at 27/34; posterodorsals: a very small at 5/34, a small at 13/34 and at 19/34, a long seta at 26/34; no true anterior seta. Mid tibia ventroapically without a distinct seta, but with rather long, fine hairs. Scutellum distinctly wider than long.

Wings light brownish, dark brown spots at R 2–5 fork, at apices of R 1 , R 2 +3, and a small dark spot on apex of R 4 +5; base of wing over vein H dark brown. Costa brown, other veins yellow. No vein appendage on R 2 +3. Second costal section 0.55 mm, third section 0.59 mm, ratio 0.94. Intercrossvein section of M/dMCu 0.20/ 0.15 mm, ratio 1.33 (holotype male). Halteres mostly dark, basal half of stalk dirty yellow .

Sternite 5 normal, sternite 6 with a membraneous lobe on the left side, medially with a reverse trapezoid, hairy process ( Fig. 50 ). Subepandrial sclerite ( Fig. 51 ) unique with 6–7 extremely thick black, ventrally directed thorns. Male surstylus ( Fig. 52 ) peculiar, apical lobes extremely short, medial one with a comparatively short tooth; anterior lobe with numerous very long setae; basal (caudal) part of surstylus with thick thorn-like setae. Postgonite ( Fig. 53 ) not strongly sclerotized, peculiarly strongly curved and very broad at the same time, apical half with short but not thin, adpressed scales (rather than hairs).

Female unknown, or rather, cannot be segregated from females of other species from the material available. Indeed, I have not found characteristics to identify females of these closely related species.

Distribution: North Borneo ( Malaysia, Sabah).

P. sabahi sp. n. is a peculiar species, actually distinctly different from all the species in P. varians species-group, by a number of characteristics in male genitalia (also, see key).

Figures

Figs 50–53. Poecilosomella sabahi sp. n., paratype male, postabdomen and genitalia.50 = sternites 5 and 6, ventral view (S5 setae omitted), 51 = right half of subepandrial sclerite, caudal view, 52 = surstylus, lateralview,53 =postgonite,lateralview.Scales:0.2mm for Figs50–52, 0.1mm for Fig.53