Elaphropeza acrodactyla ( Melander, 1928 )

SHAMSHEV, IGOR V. & GROOTAERT, PATRICK, 2007, Revision of the genus Elaphropeza Macquart (Diptera: Hybotidae) from the Oriental Region, with a special attention to the fauna of Singapore, Zootaxa 1488 (1), pp. 1-164 : 134

Elaphropeza acrodactyla ( Melander, 1928)

Drapetis (Elaphropeza) acrodactyla Melander, 1928: 312 (female).

Re-description. Female. Body length 1.7 mm, wing length 2.4 mm. Occiput black, subshining, finely greyish pollinose, with yellow to brownish yellow setation. Anterior ocellars long, proclinate; posterior ocellars minute. Inner verticals long, outer ones hardly prominent. Antenna with postpedicel brownish (somewhat paler at base), scape and pedicel yellow. Pedicel with circlet of subequally short setulae. Postpedicel about 3.0 times longer than wide. Style normally pubescent, brown, 3.5 times longer than postpedicel and 1.6 times as long as scape, pedicel and postpedicel combined. Proboscis brownish yellow. Palpus yellow, small, rounded.

Thorax wholly yellow, shining, with yellow to brownish yellow bristles. Prothoracic episterna lacking long upturned bristle just above fore coxa, with 1 short bristle in upper part. Postpronotal bristle rather short. Mesonotum with 2 notopleural, 1 postsutural supra-alar, 1 postalar and 4 scutellar (inner ones very long, cruciate; outer ones very short) bristles. Acrostichal bristles 2-serial, lacking on prescutellar depression; dorsocentrals 1-serial, extending to base of scutellum (prescutellars long).

Legs rather long and slender, almost entirely yellow, with yellow to brownish yellow setation; tarsomere 5 of all legs black. Coxae and trochanters with unmodified setation. Fore femur with rows of short antero- and posteroventral bristles (2 bristles near base longer). Fore tibia lacking prominent bristles (except subapicals). Mid femur with 2 rows of spinule-like, short, ventral bristles (becoming shorter in apical part of femur), 1 long thin bristle near base and 1 anterior subapical bristle. Mid tibia with black ventral spinules (1 subapical somewhat longer), lacking prominent bristles (except subapicals). Hind femur bearing 1 row of short anteroventrals and 4–5 erect dorsal bristles near base. Hind tibia bearing 2 anterodorsal bristles; apical projection prominent, small, angular, clothed in dense brown setulae. Tarsi of all legs unmodified.

Wing normally developed, hyaline, covered with uniform microtrichia; veins yellowish to brownish yellow. Costal vein with quite long setulae along anterior margin. Basal costal bristle long, yellow. Costal index: 63/20/44/18. Vein Rs somewhat longer than crossvein bm-cu. Veins R4+5 and M1+2 slightly divergent near wing apex, the former somewhat bowed, the latter straight. Vein CuA1 reaching wing margin. Vein A1 present as fold. Crossvein bm-cu somewhat oblique. Crossvein r-m near middle of cell bm. Halter yellow.

Abdomen largely yellowish; tergite 4 broadest, brown, shining, with squamiform setae.

Male. Unknown.

Type material examined. Lectotype female labelled: Mt. Makiling / Luzon, Baker; TYPE / Elaphropeza / acrodactyla / Mel. [red label]; ALMelander / Collection / 1961.

Paralectotype female, Mt. Makiling / Luzon, Baker; TYPE / Elaphropeza / acrodactyla / Mel. [red label]; CFBaker / collection / 1927; Elaphropeza / acrodactyla / Mel. ( USNM).

Melander (1928) described this species from two females noted above. Both specimens are in good condition.

Distribution. Philippines (Luzon).

Remarks. The relationships of E. acrodactyla are unclear beyond inclusion within the E. ephippiata species group.