Achelipoda vietnamensis, Plant, Adrian R., 2009

Plant, Adrian R., 2009, Revision of the east Asian genus Achelipoda Yang, Zhang & Zhang, 2007 (Diptera: Empididae: Hemerodromiinae) including designation of a neotype for Achelipoda pictipennis (Bezzi, 1912) and descriptions of six new species, Zootaxa 2020, pp. 37-50 : 47-48

7. Achelipoda vietnamensis sp. n.

[ Fig. 6 ]

Type material. Holotype 3: Vietnam, Lam Dong Province, Bidoup – Nui Ba National Park, nr Hòn Giao Station, 12°10'45.5''N 108°42'20.6''E, 1513 m, ‘swept primary rain forest’, 11.vi.2008, C. Daugeron (2008VIE014) [ MNHN]. Holotype deposited in MNHN.

Diagnosis. A black species similar to A. kharkhema but wings with a strong banding pattern and vein CuA2 extending to wing margin. The legs are quite dark and the male genitalia are distinctive with subepandrial process, apex of cercus and phallus strongly projecting anteriorly.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the type locality, Vietnam.

Description. Male: length 2.5 mm.

Head: black, subshining with whitish dusting strongest on face above mouth opening; all setae dark, small, but pile on lower occiput prominent and pale. Antenna with basal segments yellowish; postpedicel black, 2.5X as long as wide with stylus 1.5X as long. Mouthparts brownish black.

Thorax: black with pale dust. Chaetotaxy damaged but scutellars and dorsocentrals fine, only supraalar strong.

Legs: brownish yellow with femora dorsally, tibiae, distal tarsomeres, C2 and C3 darker. C1 0.9X as long as thorax with a few setae anteriorly, longest distally. C3 inflated, subspherical; of same length as C2 but distinctly broader. F1 inflated, widest 0.3–0.4 from base; femoral formula approximately 5/24/19 /6 +1 with only basal spine and two most proximal spines of pv series and basal spine of av series strong and yellow.

Abdomen: black, bare. Hypandrium + epandrium distinctly quadrate, about as long as high in lateral view, rather transparent whitish through which brownish grey internal structure visible and with external more strongly sclerotized irregular dark area laterally ( Fig. 6 ). Cercus very narrow and dark posteriorly, becoming wider and paler anteriorly with median lobe bearing 2–3 strong setae and anterior lobe yellowish apically spatulate, bearing strong marginal setae. Subepandrial process strongly curved anteriorly, rather flattened and twisted with bluntly pointed apex. Phallus very long, thread-like, extending anteriorly of tip of cercus and subepandrial process.

Wing: veins blackish, membrane clear with distinct but diffusely edged dark bands subapically and level with end of basal cells. Cell br slightly longer than bm, crossveins closing them not strictly linearly aligned. Ve in C u A 2 reaching margin.

Description. Female: unknown.

Comment. At present, A. vietnamensis is only known from a mountain forest biotope in southern Vietnam.

FIGURES 9–11. Morphology of Achelipoda spp. 9. Achelipoda tumida sp. n., Ƥ habitus. 10. Achelipoda kharkhema sp. n., 3 wing. 11. Achelipoda tumida sp. n. Ƥ wing. Abbreviations: br, first basal cell; bm, second basal cell; CuA2, vein CuA2.

Figures

FIGURES 5 – 8. Genitalia of Achelipoda spp. 5 – 6. 3 genitalia, lateral view. 5. Achelipoda tumida sp. n. 6. Achelipoda vietnamensis sp. n. 7 – 8. Achelipoda tumida sp. n. Ƥ genitalia. 7. lateral view. 8. ventral view.