Dolichocephala grandistylus, Wagner & Andrade & Gonçalves, 2025

Wagner, Rüdiger, Andrade, Rui & Gonçalves, Ana, 2025, Report on Brachystomatidae and Empididae (Hemerodromiinae, Clinocerinae) from continental Portugal and neighbouring countries, Zootaxa 5722 (3), pp. 345-368 : 356-357

Dolichocephala grandistylus sp. nov.

( Figs 9, 10 , 14, 17 , 24, 25 )

Diagnosis. A dark brown species; wings with numerous not well-defined pale spots, R 2+3 –R 4 crossvein missing; terminalia with scythe-shaped surstylus larger than the almost straight clasping cercus.

Description. Male. Body brown, body length 2.7 mm. Head dark brown with blackish eyes. Face covered by whitish pruinescence. Occiput with well-marked longitudinal stripe of whitish pruinescence. Scutum with noticeable longitudinal stripe of whitish pruinescence on posterior half (prescutellar depression) between dorsocentral lines, which extends to scutellum. Whitish-brown pruinescence also covers pleura and less noticeably elsewhere (pruinescence visible only in living specimens). Thorax. Mesonotum shiny dark brown with 5 dorsocentral (dc); 2–3 acrostichal (ac) setae near extreme anterior margin. Legs pale brown without remarkable setae. Wings brown translucent with numerous differently sized pale spots, not well-defined as in other species of group; venation typical for genus but without R 2+3 to R 4 auxiliary crossvein; radial fork (R 4 and R 5) running almost parallel. Wing length 2.8 mm, width 0.8 mm. Terminalia. Hypandrium elongate, 2x longer than high, bent; basiphallus strong and curved; distiphallus 1/3 length of basiphallus; epandrium rhomboidal, longer than high, with remarkably large and strong scythe-shaped surstylus, larger than clasping cercus; clasping cercus straight, apically wider; surstylus and clasping cercus without conspicuous areas of setae, but with numerous setae of different sizes.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: ♂ (slide mounted): Portugal: 24.II.2020, Porto, Valongo, Valongo ( Parque das Serras do Porto), 41°09' 33.4"N, 8°29' 05.6"W; leg. RA . PARATYPES (all specimens in ethanol): Portugal: 5 ♂, 6 ♀, same as holotype ; 1 ♂, 10.X.2023, Castelo Branco, Covilhã, Cortes do Meio ( Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela ), 40°15'25.1"N, 7°34'57.2"W ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 27.III.2021, Porto, Paredes, Aguiar de Sousa ( Parque das Serras do Porto), 41°07'39.6"N, 8°25'37.9"W ; 1 ♀, 06.VIII.2020, Viana do Castelo, Paredes de Coura, Bico e Cristelo ( Paisagem Protegida de Corno de Bico ), 41°52'03.3"N, 8°31'17.7"W ; 4 ♂, 5 ♀, 22.II.2012, Porto, Valongo, Valongo ( Parque das Serras do Porto), 41°09'33.4"N, 8°29'05.6"W ; ibidem: 1 ♂, 29.II.2012; 2 ♂, 3 ♀, 09.III.2012 ; 3 ♂, 1 ♀, 26.III.2012; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 04.I.2013, Porto, Valongo, Campo e Sobrado ( Parque das Serras do Porto), 41°10'31.9"N, 8°28'48.5"W ; ibidem: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 26.I.2015; all leg. RA.

Etymology. The new species is named in reference to the unusually large size of its surstylus.

Remarks. Based on the pattern of the pale spots on the brownish wing, the new species is part of the D. irrorata - group. However, in contrast to the species mentioned above, there are some differences: the R 2+3 to R 4 auxiliary crossvein is absent; the margins of the pale spots are diffuse; the enormously enlarged surstylus distinguishes the new species from its congeners.

Ecological notes. This species has been found in watercourses of various sizes, ranging from brooks and rivulets to mountain rivers with rocky streambeds ( Figs 3, 4 ). On one occasion, a male was recorded as prey of a salticid spider of the genus Heliophanus Koch ( Fig. 10 ).

Figures

FIGURES 9–10. Dolichocephala grandistylus sp. nov. 9. Adult male; 10. Salticid spider of genus Heliophanus feeding on male specimen.

FIGURES 11–18. Wings and male genitalia, lateral view. Pseudheleodromia haenii (11, 15), Hemerodromia auremensis sp. nov. (12, 16), Dolichocephala fumosa sp. nov. (13, 18), Dolichocephala grandistylus sp. nov. (14, 17). Scale bars: 0.1 mm (15–18); 0.2 mm (12); 0.5 mm (11, 13, 14).

FIGURES 19–25. Male genitalia, lateral view. 19. Hemerodromia auremensis sp. nov.; 20. Ibidem, inner view; 21. Dolichocephala fumosa sp. nov., hypandrium and phallus; 22. Ibidem, epandrium and clasping cercus; 23, Ibidem, inner view; 24, Dolichocephala grandistylus sp. nov.; 25. Ibidem, epandrium, surstylus and clasping cercus, inner view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 1–4. Habitats of aquatic empidids in Portugal. 1. Nabão River near village of Agroal, type locality of Hemerodromia auremensis sp.nov.;2.RibeiradeDorna,smallrockystreamnot farfrom townofCastroLaboreiro,typelocalityofDolichocephala fumosa sp. nov.; 3. Ferreira River near village of Couce (Valongo), type locality of Dolichocephala grandistylus sp. nov.; 4. Ribeira de Cortes, mountain stream that runs near village of Cortes do Meio, habitat of several species of aquatic empidids, such as Chelifera monostigma, Ch. subangusta, Hemerodromia baetica, D. grandistylus sp. nov. and Wiedemannia czernyi.