Parochthiphila (Euestelia) ephesi Raspi 2013, new species

Abstract

Parochthiphila (Euestelia) ephesi new species Figs 1-7 HOLOTYPE: 3, W. TURKEY, Pamucak, near Ephesus /beach, 29.IV.1998, D.M. Ackland legit. PARATYPES: 633, 3♀♀, same data as holotype. – 1♀, W. Turkey: near Bodrum, 4 Km NNE, headland, 26.IV.1998, D.M. Ackland legit. The holotype and 6 paratypes (433 & 2♀♀) are deposited in the MHNG and 4 paratypes (233 & 2♀♀) in the CDSL. ETYMOLOGY: The specific name refers to the type-locality. DIAGNOSIS: Body grey with a gilded brown sheen at certain angles of light, more evident on scutellum and abdomen. Mesopleuron without setae. Frons at level of anterior orbital seta with a transverse irregular row of scattered small setulae and, only in the female, a transverse brown or black band which may be less evident sometimes. Antenna brown-black. Mesonotum usually bare, 1 + 3 dorsocentral setae. Male and female with 2 pairs (2 median and 2 lateral) of large, sub-oval elongate, brown-black spots on tergites 3-5. Tibiae and tarsi dark brown-black. DESCRIPTION: 3 & ♀ (Figs 1-4). Body 2-2.5 mm long; grey with a gilded pale brown sheen more marked on scutellum and abdomen. Head: About 1.1 times higher than long; frons at level of anterior ocellus 0.4 times width of head. Frons matt grey, fronto-orbital plate pale grey and raised; at level of anterior orbital seta with transverse irregular row of scattered small setulae and, only in the female, a transverse brown or black band, less conspicuous sometimes, shaded off towards the top and laterally; 2 reclinate orbital setae, the anterior setae reaching anterior third of frons. Ocellar plate silvery grey and slightly raised; ocelli about equidistant. Ocellar setae proclinate, inner vertical seta shorter than outer vertical seta, postocellar setae small and convergent. In the female with a conspicuous narrow dark brown-black band above border of lunule, continuing on the side along margin of the eye. Lunule bare, grey, large and sub-rectangular. Face between bases of the antennae with a prominent thin and short brown facial carina. Antenna brown-black, inserted at middle of the head. First flagellomere elongate, with pointed apex, 1.5 times as long as high, setulae white, longer and more visible along upper border. Pedicel grey pruinose on inner part. Arista dark brown, third aristomere 6 times as long as second, with short and white setulae. Ratio height of gena: height of eye about 1: 2.5. Genal bristles present. Palpus brown-black, labellum yellow. Thorax: Mesonotum bare, grey with a faint gilded brown sheen; line of a few scattered setulae along two short barely noticeable dark grey median stripes. Chaetotaxy: 1 + 3 dorsocentral setae roughly equidistant from each other, sometimes a small setula before presutural dorsocentral seta; no prescutellar setae present; 1 postpronotal, 1 presutural supra-alar, 2 notopleurals with anterior distinctly longer than posterior, 1 supra-alar, 1 posterior intra-alar and 1 postalar seta about twice the length of posterior intra-alar seta. Prescutellum barely distinguishable. Scutellum bare, grey with a more marked gilded brown sheen, 1 pair of basal setae half the length of subapical pair. Anepisternal seta absent; Katepisternum with 1 strong seta preceded by 1 short seta along upper edge. Wing: Hyaline with dark microtrichia, veins pale brown. Crossvein r-m at or just beyond middle of discal cell. Veins R 4+5 and M weakly divergent in distal part. Apical section of CuA 1 1.5 times longer than crossvein dm-cu. Haltere pale yellow. Legs: Coxae and femora dark grey with a gilded brown sheen; apical part of femora and base of all tibiae yellow, tibiae dark brown-black, tarsi dark brown in dorsal and lateral part, yellow in ventral part. Abdomen: Grey, with a gilded brown sheen. Syntergite 1+2 brown-grey gilded, darker along posterior and posterolateral edge. Male and female with 2 pairs (2 median and 2 lateral) of large, suboval elongate, brown-black spots on tergites 3-5. Tergites 3-5 covered with sparse setulae, arranged in approximately four irregular transverse rows, longer and stronger at postero-lateral angles and along posterior edge. Male terminalia (Figs 5, 7): Pregenital sclerites: two narrow separate sclerites present dorsally between fifth tergite and epandrium, sixth tergite transversally narrow and elongated sub-rectangular, sixth sternum mostly membranous, only a narrow arched asymmetrical and very weak sclerite; syntergosternite 7 + 8 forming a ring, more sclerotized dorsally; almost membranous ventrally except for a narrow and asymmetrical sclerotized margin along upper edge. Epandrium sub-rectangular in lateral view, about twice as high as wide, with strong setae. Aedeagal apodeme sub-triangular, small and slender. Aedeagus, in lateral view, abruptly curved from broad base and tapers gradually towards the tip. Female terminalia (Fig. 6): Seventh sternite subrectangular and bilobed distally. Seventh tergite with 2 large subtriangular and elongate symmetrical sclerites becoming abruptly narrower in distal third; first third of tergite distinctly more sclerotized. Seventh tergite, seventh sternite and cercus brown. Eighth sternite with 2 symmetrical suboval elongate weak sclerites in distal half, eighth tergite with 2 symmetrical elongate very weak sclerites; 2 pairs of strongly sclerotized spherical spermathecae present. REMARKS: The new species can be assigned to the P. (E.) coronata (Loew) group on the basis of its 1+3 strong dorsocentral setae. Within this group only P. (E.) kimmerica Tanasijtshuk, 1968, with dark tibiae, and also known from Turkey (Raspi & Ebejer, 2008), is similar to the new species, but they differ in the colouration of body (gilded brown sheen in the new species) and in the brown or black frontal band that is present only in the female in P. ephesi sp. n. but in both sexes in E. kimmerica. Further, they differ in the structure of the male genitalia. BIOLOGY: Unknown. Judging from its generic position it may be speculated that the larvae may be found between the leaf sheaths and secondary stalks of Gramineae infested by Pseudococcidae (Sternorrhyncha), where they prey on mealybugs as other species of Parochthiphila and Chamaemyia with known biology (Raspi, 1983 a, 2006).Published as part of Raspi, Alfio, 2013, Contribution to the knowledge of the Chamaemyiidae (Diptera) of Italy, Switzerland and some Mediterranean countries with the description of Parochthiphila (Euestelia) ephesi n. spec. from Turkey, pp. 13-28 in Revue suisse de Zoologie 120 (1) on pages 14-19, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.582862