Rhipidia (Rhipidia) shennongjiensis, Zhang, Xiao, Li, Yan & Yang, Ding, 2014

Zhang, Xiao, Li, Yan & Yang, Ding, 2014, A review of the genus Rhipidia Meigen from China, with descriptions of seven new species (Diptera, Limoniidae), Zootaxa 3764 (3), pp. 201-239 : 231-232

Rhipidia (Rhipidia) shennongjiensis sp. nov.

( Figs. 69–74 )

Diagnosis. Male antenna with eight bipectinate flagellomeres. Pleuron brown with a conspicuous brownish black longitudinal stripe. Wing grayish white with numerous partially combined pale brown spots; spots along anterior margin dark; Sc1 ending near midlength of Rs; basal section of CuA1 proximad of fork of M. Male hypopygium with three long rostral spines.

Description. Male. Body length 5.0 mm, wing length 6.0 mm.

Head (fig. 70). Black, dusted with grayish white. Hairs on head black. Antenna 1.5 mm long. Scape and pedicel brownish black, flagellomeres one to ten pale yellow with basal enlargements and branches brownish black, remaining flagellomeres brownish black. First flagellomere stout basally; each of flagellomeres two to nine inclusive with two branches which are the longest at fifth flagellomere and nearly twice as long as corresponding flagellomere; tenth flagellomere with single short branch; eleventh flagellomeres enlarged but not pectinate; terminal flagellomere longated, exceeding penultimate. Labellum and palpus brownish black with black hairs.

Thorax (fig. 69). General brown, dusted with grayish white. Pronotum brownish black. Prescutum, scutum, scutellum and mediotergite brown. Pleuron brown with a conspicuous brownish black longitudinal stripe extending from cervical region to base of abdomen. Hairs on thorax white. Coxae brown; trochanters pale yellow; femora yellow with tips brownish yellow; tibiae and tarsi brownish yellow. Hairs on legs brown. Wing (fig. 71) grayish white; all cells with numerous partially combined pale brown spots; spots along anterior margin dark; veins pale yellow, darker in clouded areas. Venation: Sc1 ending near midlength of Rs, Sc2 near its tip; basal section of CuA1 proximad of fork of M. Halter 0.7 mm long, white with knobs darker.

Abdomen (fig. 69). Tergites and sternites brownish black. Hairs on abdomen white.

Hypopygium (figs. 72–74). Posterior margin of tergite 9 emarginate. Gonocoxite with a single simple ventromesal lobe. Clasper of gonostylus arched at 2/3 length, suddenly narrowed to an apical spine. Lobe of gonostylus moderate-sized; rostral prolongation relatively long with three long spines near midlength. Paramere with mesoapical lobe blackened, tip acute.

Female. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype male ( CAU), China: Hubei, Shennongjia Forest Region, Pingqian, 2007. VII. 25, Qifei Liu.

Distribution. China (Hubei).

Etymology. The species is named after the type locality Shennongjia.

Remarks. This new species is somewhat similar to R. (R.) triarmata ( Alexander, 1930) from China, but it can be separated from the latter by the pleuron being brown with a conspicuous brownish black longitudinal stripe (fig. 69), the wing spots being partially combined, and Sc1 ending near midlength of Rs (fig. 71). In R. (R.) triarmata , the pleuron is brownish yellow without conspicuous stripe (fig. 86), the wing spots are mostly combined and almost obliterating lighter areas, and Sc1 ends near one-third length of Rs (fig. 89). In addition, its rostral prolongation (figs. 72–74) is somewhat stouter and shorter than that in R. (R.) triarmata (fig. 90).

Figures

FIGURES 69 – 71. Rhipidia (Rhipidia) shennongjiensis sp. nov. 69: Habitus of male, lateral view; 70: Head of male, lateral view; 71: Wing. Scale bar: 69 = 2.0 mm; 70 = 0.5 mm; 71 = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 72 – 74. Rhipidia (Rhipidia) shennongjiensis sp. nov. 72: Hypopygium, lateral view; 73: Hypopygium, dorsal view; 74: Hypopygium, ventral view. Scale bar: 72 – 74 = 0.2 mm.