Peromyia debilis, Jaschhof, 2010

Jaschhof, Mathias, 2010, New species of Peromyia from Tasmania, with a revision of S´s and S´s types of Australian Micromyinae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 60 (1), pp. 33-55 : 48-49

Peromyia debilis sp. n.

( Fig. 7 A-C)

Diagnosis:

The thorax in proportion to the head in Peromyia debilis is unusually small and the wings are rather narrow, which represents the first case of atrophy observed within the genus Peromyia . The whorl of short hair-shaped sensilla on the antennal flagellomeres is irregular and intermingles with subbasal setae ( Fig. 7A ), which is unusual among species of the modestamodesta group where P. debilis is assigned. This character, in combination with curved gonostyli, is species-specific.

Description:

Male. Body size: 0.7-0.8 mm.

Head: Postfrons asetose. Eye bridge 2-3 ommatidia long. Postocular bristles in 1 row. Neck of fourth antennal flagellomere longer than node ( Fig. 7A ). Node subovate, with short subbasal setae intermingled with 1 irregular whorl of short hair-shaped sensilla, 1 mesal double whorl of long setae, and 1 distal whorl of long hair-shaped sensilla. Maxillary palpus 3-4-segmented, first to third segments with hair-shaped translucent sensilla.

Thorax: Small in proportion to head. Wing: Narrow. AntC ending at juncture with R5 or extending slightly beyond R5. ApicR1 = 3.0-3.5 times the length of Rs. Legs: Pretarsal claws without teeth.

Terminalia: Sclerotization of tg9 mesally interrupted for a short distance. Ventral emargination of gonocoxites broadly V-shaped, extending beyond midlength ( Fig. 7B ). Gonostylus curved inwards, tapering towards apex, excavated mesally ( Fig. 7B ). Tegmen shorter than gonocoxites, almost parallel-sided, rounded apically; ventral plate indistinct, traceable only by its apical margin ( Fig. 7C ). Both cerci and st10 well developed, pubescent; cerci setose.

Female and preimaginal stages: Unknown.

Etymology:

From the Latin, meaning feeble.

Types:

Holotype: Male, Australia, Tasmania, Warra LTER site, Bird Observation Track , 7 Dec. 2007 - 7 Jan. 2008, Malaise trap, M. & C. JASCHHOF (in AMS) . Paratypes: 4 males, same data as the holotype (in AMS and SDEI) .

Figures

Fig. 7: Peromyia debilis sp. n., holotype male. – A: fourth antennal flagellomere, lateral view; - B: terminalia, ventral view; - C: tegmen, ventral view. Length of scale bar = 0.05 mm.