Chelipoda venatrix, Published, 2007

Published, First, 2007, The Hemerodromiinae (Diptera: Empididae) of New Zealand II. Chelipoda Macquart, Zootaxa 1537 (1), pp. 1-88 : 31-32

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.1537.1.1
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/6A078784-BA7A-FFA2-AFFE-FE9A1C9EF671
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Chelipoda venatrix
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

17. Chelipoda venatrix View in CoL sp. n.

[ Figs. 63–66 View FIGURES 63–70 , 113 View FIGURES 104–116 , 129 View FIGURES 124–129 ]

Type material. Holotype ♂: New Zealand, Poor Knights Is, ND Tawhiti Rahi, 7/xii/1980, CFB, Beaten ex Dysoxylum [ NZAC] . Paratypes: 8♂, 12♀, same data as holotype on various dates 4–9/xii/1980, CFB & MFT , swept generally and from Xeronema and ferns [ NZAC]; 4♂, 1♀, CL, Alderman Is., Ruamahuaiti Is., 5–11/xii/ 1994, JWE & RFG, 5m asl., [ NMWC] ;

Additional material. 1♂, 9♀, same data as holotype, xii/1980, [ NZAC] ; 1♂, CL, Little Barrier Is., Summit Track, 210–310m asl., 9/xi/1985; 1♂, 2♀, CL, Little Barrier Is., Awaroa Stream , 12/xi/1985, ARP , [ NMWC] ; 1♀, CL, Little Barrier Island , Kaurie Gully and tracks, 24/xi/1954, RAH [ NZAC] .

Etymology: from venatrix (Latin) , a huntress.

Description. Male: Length 3.0–4.0mm. Similar to C. otiraensis and distinguished as follows.

Head: Head black with grey dusting; face with silvery pile; setae similarly positioned and coloured as in C. otiraensis ; postpedicel ( Fig. 113 View FIGURES 104–116 ) 1.5–2X as long as deep with arista about 3X as long.

Thorax: ground colour similar to C. otiraensis , perhaps somewhat darker but yellow pleural stripe conspicuous and clearly delineated from darker surrounding pleura; anepisternum and side of prothoracic episternum usually yellowish-black but anepimeron and laterotergite black, the latter with black katatergite contrasting clearly with yellow stripe below and anatergite bearing about 5 black setae originating from a very dark surround. Dark yellowish-black coloration on lower katepisternum extending ventrally between C 1 and C 2. Mesonotum with a broad and strong dust stripe, varying much less with perspective than C. otiraensis and rather clearly differentiated from black lateral stripes which extend from near dc2 to just above base of wing; viewed from in front, mesonotum with a broad darker area medially in front continued posteriorly as a much narrower dark median stripe on prescutellar depression. A strong dust stripe from pprnlb to base of wing. Pleural dust stripes less apparent than in C. otiraensis but lower stripe prominent, following and obscuring the yellow ground colour stripe between near base of C 1 and prothoracic spiracle; an upper dust stripe, less continuous and weaker, starting posterior to prothoracic spiracle, fading below wing base but reappearing on anatergite posteriorly; upper and lower dust stripes usually linked by a vertical dusted extension near posterior margin of anepisternum. Chaetotaxy similar to C. otiraensis in both position and strength.

Legs: all legs rather shorter and more robust than C. consignata , of similar build to C. otiraensis ; yellow with apical tarsal segments darkened; mid and hind legs slightly darker, T 2 and T 3 often with a darker subterminal ring 0.7 from base (varies from distinct to absent). C 2 and C 3 with a few yellow hairs on outer face and fine yellow apical bristles; C 1 with rather longer yellowish or brownish-yellow apical bristles. F 1 ( Fig. 129 View FIGURES 124–129 ) similarly inflated to C. otiraensis with a ventral bristle (often yellowish) 0.2 from base and the usual row of black spines and denticles on distal 0.6–0.7; femoral formula 3(3–3)/13(12–15)/3(1–3)/9(8–10), the spines of the pv series being of unequal length, shorter spines being intermixed with longer ones and probably bristlelike developments of the posterior series of denticles; true denticles (lacking any spine-like development) are few in number and invariably sited close to the most basal two pv spines; the three av spines grouped as in C. otiraensis with a basal pair and a more distal singleton. F 2 and F 3 similar to C. otiraensis , no pv bristle on F 2. T 1 0.65X as long as F 1 with a series of rather erect hairs ventrally and similarly long av. Front tarsi with at2 <0.2X at1 and <0.5X length of at3.

Wing: similar to C. otiraensis .

Abdomen: brownish, rather lighter than abdomen, thinly dusted grey, subshining; tergites with short hairs on margin and disc, no strong setae on tergite 5 posteriorly. Genitalia ( Figs. 63–66 View FIGURES 63–70 ) with epandrium narrow bearing long bristles apically and on posterior margin apically. Hypandrium with a pair of distinct setae posteroventrally and a stronger pair of crossed dark setae above margin, only short bristly hairs between. Cercus slightly longer than epandrium, apically, one or two distinct setae apically, a fan of long fine bristles anteriorly on inner face. Postgonite ( Fig. 66 View FIGURES 63–70 ) terminally inflated, bearing two small but distinct setae.

Description. Female: Very similar to male; femoral formula 3(3–3)/14(12–16)/2(1–3)/10(8–11), abdomen with terminal papillae slender, pale haired.

Comments. C venatrix is a species of the C. consignata -group distinguished by having pleura with only one well defined yellow stripe and postpedicel short. It is similar to C. otiraensis but F 1 only has 3 denticles in the pv row and these are situated basally. This species is apparently confined to islands off the northern part of the North Island and has been collected in November and December in forest and scrub habitats below 310 m.