Asteia pleurovittata, Grimaldi, 2009

Grimaldi, David A., 2009, The Asteioinea of Fiji (Insecta: Diptera: Periscelididae, Asteiidae, Xenasteiidae), American Museum Novitates 3671, pp. 1-60 : 44

Asteia pleurovittata , new species

Figures 23 , 27

DIAGNOSIS: Very similar to Asteia pleurovitta (see description, above), distinctive similarities being: transverse white band on face of female, brown band on oral margin in male; dorsal half of basal antennomeres brown (ventrally light); mesoscutum brown, with whitish area anterior to scutellum, top of scutellum whitsh; pleura with dark brown stripe just ventral to notopleural suture, whitish beneath stripe; ocellar setae minute, barely visible, 3 pairs dorsocentrals (no acrostichals); male terminalia with pair of large, slender epandrial lobes anteromedial to surstyli; aedeagus short, sclerotized, bulbous.

Differs from Asteia pleurovitta by A. pleurovittata having brown coloration on katepisternum, coxae, and proximal halves of legs (vs. light); more extensive brown pigmentation on abdomen (extended laterally); females much darker brown than males; by the flatter frons and more shallow head and thorax; arista with 1 dorsal and 2 ventral branches, exclusive of apical fork (vs. 3D, 2V branches); epandrial lobes more slender, with apical knob bearing fine papillae; aedeagus more bulbous apically and with fine scales.

TYPES: Holotype, male [not dissected], Fiji : Viti Levu : Vuda Prov., Koroyanitu Pk, 1 km E Abaca Vlg , 800 m, 19–26.XI.2002, Malaise 1, coll. Schlinger and Tokota’a, 17.667 ° S, 177.55 ° E, FBA176071. ThL 5 0.94 mm. In BPBM. Paratypes: FBA176072-5 (4 males, 1 dissected [no. 63]). Two females, also 1 km E Abaca Vlg. : 19–26.X.2002, Malaise, E. Schlinger and M. Tokota’a , FJVL02 , MO1.04, FBA085400, 085408. In BPBM and AMNH.

ETYMOLOGY: A variation on the name of the most closely related species, and in reference to the body coloration.

Figures

Fig. 23. Portions of the left lateral habitus of Fiji Asteia (Asteiidae) (to the same scale). A. A. rotundiscuta, n. sp. B. A. pleurovitta, n. sp. C. A. pleurovittata, n. sp. D. A. nigriceps Bezzi.

Fig. 27. Male terminalia of Asteia pleurovitta (A), and A. pleurovittata (B). A. Epandrium, surstyli, and aedeagus, oblique posterior view. B. Epandrium, surstyli, aedeagus, and ejaculatory apodeme, oblique posterior view.