Howickia wahaika Marshall

Marshall, S. A., Luk, S. P. L. & Dong, H., 2014, A revision of the New Zealand species of Howickia Richards, Zootaxa 3887 (1), pp. 1-36 : 35

Howickia wahaika Marshall sp. nov.

( Figs. 70–74 )

Description. Head: Eye 2.8–3.0X genal height. Thorax: Scutellum 2.0X as wide as long; basal and apical marginal bristles subequal in length.

Male abdomen: Sternite 5 as long as sternite 4 medially, posteromedial area pale with a very pale central strip flanked by about 7 inclinate, short, stout bristles on each side; posteromedial margin with a straight comb of about 20 closely appressed flat bristles. Subanal plate complete, unusually high, fringed with short bristles on each side; ventral part of cercus projecting well below subanal plate, with one long and several shorter bristles. Surstylus broadly ovate, with a single long, narrow anteroventrally directed lobe bristle behind a posteriorly directed fingerlike lobe; fingerlike lobe with a smaller pale apical bristle. Distiphallus very narrow, tubular, tapered. Postgonite long and narrow, curved in apical third. Basiphallus frame-like, projecting posteriorly beyond distiphallus base for a distance almost equal to width of distiphallus base.

Female. No females with everted ovipositors were available for study.

Type material. Holotype (male, NZAC): "Upper Maitai, 3.5.50, E.S. Gourlay" (near Nelson, South Island). Paratypes: Same as holotype (2 males, one headless, NZAC); South Island, Lewis River Valley, Duggan’s Creek, fungus trap #3, beech forest, S. Hodge, 1998, debu00104550 (male, DEBU); Titi Island, Cook Straight, in litter at entrance of petrel burrow, J.G. Stahl, 17.Jan.2012 (9 specimens in alcohol; NMNZ; 2 males with abdomens removed).

Etymology. The specific epithet is from the Maori name for a short war club, and refers to the short and broad surstylus of this species.

Figures

FIGURES 70 – 74. Howickia wahaika Marshall, sp. n.: 70, epandrium, posterior; 71, epandrium, left lateral; 72, male sternite 5; 73, aedeagus and associated structures; 74, spermathecae.