Asteia vitiensis, Grimaldi, 2009

Grimaldi, David A., 2009, The Asteioinea of Fiji (Insecta: Diptera: Periscelididae, Asteiidae, Xenasteiidae), American Museum Novitates 3671, pp. 1-60 : 47-50

Asteia vitiensis , new species

Figures 24 , 29

DIAGNOSIS: This and A. vanuaensis are among the most distinctive species of the genus, both easily distinguished from other Asteia by the long branches of the arista; a very broad, shiny face; a large, thick stigma at the apices of R 1 and R 2+3; and asymmetrical surstyli, with the right surstylus at least 2X the length of the left one. Asteia vitiensis is best distinguished from vanuaensis based on males: the aedeagus is about one-half the size of that in vanuaensis , such that it barely protrudes in undissected specimens, and the apex of the left surstylus is broadly rounded instead of acute and with an apical tooth.

DESCRIPTION: ThL 5 0.47. Body coloration: Vertex of head, ocellar triangle, frontoorbital plates, postgena, postocciput, mesoscutum, scutellum, postnotum, laterotergites, halteres, and tergites II, III, IV dark brownish black. Ocelli light orange; eyes red. Face light brown, with light blue, metallic shine; oral margin tan. Frons and antennal bases ochre. Proboscis and palps, cheeks, legs, rest of abdomen, and portion of pleura light cream colored; remainder of pleura light yellow. Wing hyaline except for basal stigma, no markings/infuscation. All setae black, except for blond setae on katepisternum.

Head: Inner and outer vertical setae present; IVs upright and parallel, OVs lateroclinate, divergent. Postocellars minute; ocellar setae small, length ca. 2X diameter of ocellus. Fronto-orbital setae slightly reclinate; anterior FOs very small, ca. 0.3X the length of posterior FOs, separated from each other by length of AFO. Fronto-orbital plates shiny, extended only to AFO; frons dull. Bases of antennae divergent; pedicel with 3 thick, stout setae on anterodorsal edge, dorsalmost seta 2X length of others, pointed upwards (two shorter setae pointed forwards). Flagellomere 1 with fine, blond setulae. Arista black, with 3 dorsal, 2 ventral, long branches (not including basal fork); longest branch 0.7X length of arista. Face very large, broad, ventrally broader than frons. Ptilinal suture dark brown on cheek; pair of strong, thick vibrissae present, lengths about equal to that of PFO. Clypeus narrow, cheeks shallow (depth approximately equal to 3X diameter of eye facet). Palp long, slender, ventrally with ca. 6 long setae. Eyes bare (no setulae), with posterior margin slightly emarginate.

Thorax: Mesoscutum and scutellum with sparse, light pollinosity; small, polished strips without pollinosity lateral to dorsocentrals and on supraalar areas; no acrostichal setulae present. Three pairs dorsocentrals, stiff, upright, about equidistant from each other; anterior pair slightly shorter than others. Two pairs scutellar setae, anterior scutellars about 0.3X size of posterior scutellars; posterior scutellars upright. No setae on postpronotal lobe; one notopleural setae (thick, stiff); 2–3 fine, yellow setae on dorsal half of katepisternum. Coxae and ventral portion of thorax with some light yellow setae. Legs: Fore femur with thick, black seta on anterior portion of ventral surface; other ventral setae light, fine. Basitarsomeres with two thick, longitudinal rows short, scalelike setae. Distal tarsomeres with long setae on dorsal surface; distal tarsomere of each leg light brown; claws black, pulvilli large. Wing with R 1, R 2+3 short, meeting in thick, coriaceous stigma; no humeral or subcostal breaks; vein C ending slightly beyond apex of vein M; veins R 4+5 and M nearly parallel, barely convergent towards apex; vein CuA 1 incomplete apically; CuP very fine, short, barely distinguishable along anal margin; anal lobe and alula absent; only cross vein br-m present, slightly oblique to longitudinal veins.

Abdomen with tergites highly reduced and barely sclerotized; sternites essentially lost. Male terminalia: Epandrium crescent shaped, with four large, thick setae posteriorly; cerci small, largely membranous; surstyli grossly asymmetrical, with right surstylus almost entirely overlapping left surstylus, left surstylus with rounded apex, right surstylus scoop shaped, both surstyli with microtrichia on inner surfaces, setulose on outer surfaces; aedeagus mostly sclerotized, with about 5 twists, proximal end swollen, apex membranous, as figured.

TYPES: Holotype, male: FIJI: Viti Levu , VII.11.08, 18 ° 029150S, 178 ° 109030E, in rolled banana leaf, 100 m, D. Grimaldi coll. In AMNH, not dissected. Paratypes: 5 males, 3 females , same data (1 male dissected, no. 47). All in AMNH. Other specimens: Viti Levu : VII.9.08, Nakobalevu Rd. 394 m, 18 ° 039310S, 178 ° 249550E, in rolled leaves, D. Grimaldi (3 males [nos. 46, 48 dissected], 1 female) ; VII.11.08, Namosi Road, 200 m, 18 ° 069110S, 178 ° 109290E, in rolled banana leaves, D. Grimaldi coll. (5 females) ; VII.10.08, Savura Topline Road, 150 m, in rolled leaves of wild ginger, D. Grimaldi (5 males [nos. 43, 49 dissected], 4 females). Sigatoka Prov. , Sigatoka Sand Dunes N.P., FJ-6C, malaise ,

coastal forest, 14.XII–22.XII.02, M. Irwin, E. Schlinger, M. Tokota’a, 177 ° 309E, 18 ° 909S, 10 m, FBA007087 (female), 007075 (female). In AMNH and BPBM.

ETYMOLOGY: Species epithet from Viti [Levu], in reference to its distribution.

COMMENTS: Coloration of the frons can vary from light ochre to a very deep blackbrown (seen in 1 female from type locality).

1.

Figures

Fig. 24. Wings (entire and detail of bases) of Fiji Asteiidae and Xenasteiidae. A, B. Asteia pleurovitta, n. sp. C, D. Asteia vitiensis, n. sp. E, F. Xenasteia fijiana, n. sp. A, C, E to same scale; B, D, F to same scale.

Fig. 29. Asteia vitiensis, n. sp. A. Oblique frontal view (detail of head). B. Lateral habitus of Asteia vitiensis. C. Epandrium and surstyli, posterior view. D. Aedeagus, posterior view. This species and the similar A. vanuaensis, n. sp., are common in the rolled leaves of understory gingers.