Platycephala apicinigra, An & Yang, 2009

An, Shuwen & Yang, Ding, 2009, Four new species of Platycephala with a key to the Chinese species (Diptera, Chloropidae), Journal of Natural History 43 (7 - 8), pp. 399-409 : 400-402

Platycephala apicinigra sp. nov.

( Figure 1 )

Type material

Holotype: male, China: Guangdong: Ruyuan, Nanling , 23 July 2003, Shuwen An.

Diagnosis

Body large-sized. Wing with a black spot at base of R 2+3. Hind femur brown, but black apically.

Description

Body length 7.5 mm (male), wing length 4.6 mm (male).

Head ( Figure 1A–B ) brown, triangular in profile, about 1.2 times longer than high; frons not strongly produced beyond anterior level of eye, in profile about 0.27 times as long as long axis of eye; gena prominently broadened posterad, anteriorly strongly narrowed below eye; parafacial about 0.04 times as long as long axis of eye. Frontal triangle trapezoid, occupying most area of frons, reaching its anterior margin and semicircular anteriorly with many transverse grooves occupying median longitudinal area in front of ocelli; ocellar triangle and surrounding area black; area between eye and frontal triangle depressed and brown-yellow. Setulae and setae on head brown. Antenna ( Figure 1C ) brown; pedicel blackish, 0.8 times as long as third antennal segment; third antennal segment nearly rectangular, 1.5 times longer than wide, rounded apically, with black dorsal margin; arista pale yellow with brown basal segment, pale short pubescent. Proboscis and palpus pale yellow with pale setulae.

Thorax black, slightly narrower than head; anterior portion of humerus brown, propleuron and upper portion of anepimeron yellow; mesonotum 1.2 times longer than wide, with prominent setigerous punctures; scutellum 1.3 times wider than long, with a brown margin. Setulae and setae on thorax pale; katepisternum with some long thin setulae. Legs brown; apical portion of mid tibia brownish; fore tarsomeres 3–5, mid and hind tarsomeres 4–5 blackish; apical portion of hind femur and most tibia black; hind femur ( Figure 1D ) thickened, about 3.9 times longer than wide and 2.2 times thicker than fore femur; hind tibia somewhat curved. Setulae on legs pale; hind femur with some long setulae. Wing ( Figure 1E ) hyaline, with a rounded black spot at base of R 2+3; veins mostly brown. Relative lengths of costal sections second:third:fourth55:6:5.8. Squama yellow with pale setulae. Halter black.

Abdomen blackish, light microtrichose; dorsum rugose; venter yellow. Setulae on abdomen pale. Genitalia („) ( Figure 1F–G ): epandrium blackish, slightly wider than long, with some long setae; surstylus dark brown, attached to epandrium narrowly at base, its apex narrow and long; hypandrium dark brown, in dorsal view higher than wide; gonites separated by a distinct suture; pregonites nearly parallel-sided with broad base; both distal ends of postgonites acute.

Distribution

China (Guangdong).

Etymology

The Latin prefix apic - means apical and the Latin nigra means black. The epithet of the species refers to the hind femur with the black apex.

Remarks

The new species is very similar to Platycephala maculata An and Yang from Guizhou, China in having the black spot on the wing, but can be separated from the latter by the brown hind femur with the black apex. In maculata , the hind femur is entirely black ( An and Yang 2003).

Figures

Figure 1. Platycephala apicinigra sp. nov. (male): (A) head, dorsal view; (B) head, lateral view; (C) antenna, lateral view; (D) hind femur and tibia, anterior view; (E) wing, lateral view; (F) epandrium, posterior view; (G) hypandrium and phallic complex, ventral view. Scale bar 0.25 mm.