Pseudoscelolabes fulvescens (Miller)

(Figs 1A–F, 2A–C, 3A–G, 4A–D, 7A–C, 8)

Leptopeza fulvescens Miller, 1923: 448 . Type locality: Otira, New Zealand.

Scelolabes fulvescens (Miller): Collin, 1928: 13.

Pseudoscelolabes fulvescens (Miller): Collin, 1933: 49.

Type material [ viewed via photos (Figs 7A–C)]. HOLOTYPE ♀, labelled: “1254”; “ HOLOTYPE / Leptopeza / fulvescens/ Miller [pink label]”; “ NZ Arthropod Collection / NZAC 04021403 ” (NZAC).

Additional material examined. NEW ZEALAND. BR: Nelson Lakes NP [National Park], Mt. Robert [ca 41°49′34″S 172°48′37″E], 1100 m, 10–23.xii.1983 , MT [Malaise trap], L. Masner (4 ♂, 15 ♀, CNC; 1 ♂, 2 ♀, INPA); Nelson Lakes NP, Lake Rotoiti, St. Arnaud Trail, above 1000 m [ca 41°49′16″S 172°52′18″E], 16.ii.1995 , Nothofagus forest, B.J. Sinclair (1 ♂, 2 ♀, CNC); 19 km E Springs Junction, Lewis Pass, 898 m, 42°22′40.91″S 172°24′0.402″E, 20.xi.2019 , A. Borkent (1 ♂, CNC). NC: Arthur’s Pass [ca 42°54′28″S 172°33′32″E], 900 m, 31.xii.1983 , L. Masner (2 ♂, 3 ♀, CNC); Arthur’s Pass summit, 942 m, 42°54′26.64″S 171°33′34.41″E, 26.xi.2019 , A. Borkent (2 ♂, CNC); 3.1 km N Arthur’s Pass town, 42°55′9.396″S 171°33′29.905″E, 817 m, 26.xi.2019 , A. Borkent (4 ♂, 1 ♀, CNC); 5.5 km N Arthur’s Pass town, 42°53′54.773″S 171°33′31.581″E, 950 m, 25.xi.2019, A. Borkent (7 ♂, 1 ♀, CNC) . NN: North-West Nelson State Forest Park [Kahurangi National Park], Mt. Arthur Tablelands, 17–18.ii.1995, + 1000 m, Nothofagus forest [ca 41°10′51″S 172°44′02″E], yellow pan trap, B.J. Sinclair (1 ♂, CNC) .

Diagnosis. Male scutum variable from mostly dark brown to yellow (as in female); eyes of female closely approximated; female scutum mostly yellow with pair of narrow stripes, widening at the prescutellar disc; male and female abdomens mostly pale brown, anterior margins of tergites darker in female and pale-form male.

Redescription. Male (Fig. 1A). Body length: 2.9–5.5 mm. Wing length: 3.8–4.6 mm. Head (Figs 1C, E). Eyes closely approximated, very nearly touching; eye bare, facets not enlarged. Ocellar triangle protuberant covered with grey pruinosity with 1 pair of proclinate ocellar setae, long and strong. Frons narrower than anterior ocellus, black, covered with greyish pruinosity (Fig. 1C). Face 2X wider and about 1.3X longer than frons, with dense pale yellow to grey microtrichia. Antenna (Fig. 1E) inserted at mid-height of head, dark brown; scape slightly shorter than pedicel; postpedicel long, conical, about 3X length of scape and pedicel combined, covered with dense brown microtrichia; arista-like stylus dark brown, about as long as scape, pedicel and postpedicel combined. Proboscis brown and short, about 1/4 of eye height, with several short, wavy setae on labellum; palpus short, oval, as long as retracted proboscis, light brown, covered with dense yellow pruinosity and several long, thin pale brown setae, 1 longer near middle. Occiput black, covered with dense yellowish pruinosity; 1 row of short black postocular setae, occipital setae with 1 row of longer and stronger black setae on upper half of head, lower half with long, thin pale setae. Thorax (Fig. 2A). Prosternum broad, fused to proepisterna forming precoxal bridge. Antepronotum dark brown to yellow, covered with grey pruinosity, with 1 row of short, slender setae. Scutum shiny, slightly longer than wide, dark brown, sometimes posterior margin of postpronotal lobe, notopleuron and postalar callus yellow (Fig. 2A), or scutum mostly yellow with pair of stripes between acrostichals and dorsocentral rows (as in Fig. 2B); pruinescence along lower margin of notopleuron. Scutellum shiny, dark brown to yellow (Fig. 2A, as in 2B). Mesopleuron yellow, except anepisternum, one spot on lower margin of katepisternum, upper margin of anepimeron, one spot on lower margin of meron, laterotergite and mediotergite brown or pleura dark brown; sometimes pleura nearly entirely yellow; grey pruinosity on laterotergite and from anterior spiracle down along anterior margin of katepisternum. Acrostichals biserial, dorsocentrals uniserial, all short, slender and sparse; 2 pairs of dorsocentrals slightly longer at prescutellar disc; postpronotal lobe with a few short, slender setae; scutellum with 2 pairs of short, slender lateral setae and 1 pair of long, strong apical setae; notopleuron with 1 long, strong seta; postalar callus with 1 long, strong anterior seta and 2 short, slender posterior setae. Wing (Fig. 2C). Broad, membrane light brown; basal costal seta absent; pterostigma pale brown, elongate and narrow, situated at apex of cell c; Rs long, arising near mid-length of cell br; vein R 1 long, ending at apical 1/3 of wing; cell dm shorter than basal cells, approximately 2.5 x longer than wide, M 1 and M 4 ending close to, but not reaching, wing margin; cell br longer than cell bm; cell cua about half length of cell bm; CuA complete, reaching CuP vein; CuA+CuP weak, but reaching wing margin. Anal lobe developed. Halter whitish yellow. Legs (Figs 1A, F). Yellow, except hind femur with preapical ring, base and apex of hind tibia, apex of tarsomeres 1–2 and entire tarsomeres 3–5 brown on all legs; femora darker dorsally in darker form. Legs stocky, fore femur slightly swollen on basal half, hind femur strongly swollen on apical 2/3, 2X wider than mid femur at broadest point. Hind tibia geniculate at base. Chaetotaxy of legs: fore femur with anteroventral row of fine setae; mid femur with row of long, slender anteroventral setae, 3 anterodorsal and 1 posterodorsal strong setae near apex; hind femur with 1 long, strong dorsal seta near apex, 3 anterodorsal, 2 anteroventral and 1 strong posterior setae at apical 1/3, with ventral row with 10–11 short, strong spine-like setae, shortening toward apex of femur and inserted on short tubercles, five apical most tubercles finger-like (Fig. 1F). Fore tibia with several rows of fine, erect ventral setae, shorter with width of femur and 1 short anterodorsal seta near base; mid tibia similar to fore tibia, with erect row of posterior setae twice width of tibia; hind tibia with similar erect setae and long anterior erect setae, 1 long, slender anterodorsal seta near base and 2 long, strong dorsal setae near apex. Abdomen (Fig. 1A). Shiny, mostly pale brown to yellowish, anterior margin of tergites sometimes paler, covered with long, slender yellow setae. Terminalia (Fig. 3). Epandrial lamella subtriangular, with several long, slender setae on surface; right epandrial lamella slightly longer than wide, slightly narrowing towards apex (Fig. 3C); left epandrial lamella as long as wide (Fig. 3D); dorsal connection between lamellae narrow (Figs 3A, D). Surstylus short, about 1/3 length of epandrial lamella, subtriangular with sharpened apex in lateral view, with several long, slender setae on margins (Fig. 3E); basal width nearly as long as length in posterior view (Fig. 3E). Bacilliform sclerites symmetrical, with short, slender inner setae. Basal margin of subepandrial sclerite deeply split forming diamond-shaped concavity near distal margin (Fig. 3G). Hypandrium very short, deeply emarginated at apical margin, U-shaped (Fig. 3B), both lateral arms abruptly widening dorsoventrally with 1 seta on tubercle on each side and additional seta on right (Figs 3C, D). Phallus long and slender, longer than epandrial lamellae, phallic shaft strongly curved near base (Figs 3B, D, F), cylindrical, without protuberances, articulated apex of phallus short, subequal in length to surstyli. Cercus symmetrically long, digitiform, weakly sclerotized, covered with long and slender setae (Fig. 3A). Hypoproct fused to subepandrial sclerite, subrectangular with one small, pointed apical projection on each side (Fig. 3G).

Female (Figs 1B, 1D, 2B). Similar to male, except frons wider, about as wide as anterior ocellus (Fig. 1D); scutum yellow, usually with 2 complete brown stripes, occasionally reduced anteriorly or entirely absent, slightly widened on prescutellar disc (Fig. 2B); scutellum yellow, except anterior margin brown (Fig. 2B); anterior margin of abdominal tergites darker, tergite 7 completely brown. Terminalia (Fig. 4). Tergite 8 about 4X longer than wide, slightly narrowing at distal margin, with deep mid concavity, reaching 1/3 of length of tergite, covered with short setae (Fig. 4A); syntergite 9+10 medially divided into two subtriangular sclerites (Figs 4C, D); sternite 8 about 5X longer than wide, narrowing at apical 1/3 and covered with short setae (Fig. 4B); sternite 10 divided in two digitiform hemitergites, about half length of cercus and covered with short setae; cercus long and slender, digitiform, about 3X length of syntergite 9+10 (Figs 4C, D).

Distribution (Fig. 8). This species is currently confirmed from South Island, New Zealand.

Remarks. The association of the additional material with the holotype was made in part due to their proximity to the type locality, the colour pattern of the abdomen and the dorsally distinctly separated eyes. Unfortunately, the scutum of the holotype is obscured by the pin and median stripes are not visible. A possibly conspecific female specimen was discovered on the iNaturalist website (Figs 7D, E) from Borland Lodge (South Island). The scutum lacks stripes, but the abdomen is similarly patterned.