Antennardia suorkensis Jaschhof & Jaschhof 2020, sp. nov.

Antennardia suorkensis sp. nov.

Figs 1–4

Diagnosis. This new species, whose morphology is absolutely characteristic for the genus Antennardia (Jaschhof & Jaschhof 2009: 196), is distinguished as follows. As regards diagnostic characters of the male, the compact, straight gonostylus is clearly broadened basally (Fig. 1, ↓ 1). The aedeagal apodeme is markedly longer than the tegmen (↓ 2), which corresponds with the condition found in A. saxonica Jaschhof (Jaschhof 2003: fig. 3C) but differs from both A. antennata (Winnertz) and A. gallicola Mamaev, in which the apodeme and tegmen are equally long (Jaschhof 1998: figs 96b and 94c). The neck of the fourth flagellomere of A. suorkensis is longer than the node (Fig. 2), which is in line with both A. antennata and A. saxonica, while A. gallicola differs in having the neck shorter than the node. As regards females, six of the specimens studied here of A. suorkensis have 21 to 27 flagellomeres (Fig. 3), which probably represents only a part of the variability of this species; this compares to 22 to 35 in A. antennata (n=9), 31 in A. gallicola (n=3), and 17 to 20 in A. saxonica (n=4). Regarding spermathecae and ovipositor A. suorkensis appears to be not appreciably different from other Antennardia, although more thorough comparative study might reveal the need to reconsider this observation. For instance, the basicercus of A. suorkensis has a posterior line of conspicuously thick, equally long setae (Fig. 4, ↓ 3), whose presence is not mentioned in descriptions of other Antennardia.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the type locality, the immediate vicinity of Suorke Nature Reserve in Swedish Lapland.

Type material. Holotype. Male, Sweden, Lule Lappmark, Arvidsjaur, Varjisån valley south of Suorke Nature Reserve, pile of felled timber of young birch and pine, 20 August 2016, aspirator, M. & C. Jaschhof (spn. CEC 2747 in NHRS). Paratypes. 1 male, 5 females, same data as the holotype (spns CEC2748 – CEC 2750 in NHRS); 4 males, 4 females, same data but 21 August 2016 (spns CEC2751 – CEC 2758 in SDEI); 1 male, 4 females, same data but 18 August 2016 (spns CEC2759 – CEC 2761 in NHRS).

Other material examined. Sweden: 1 male, Lule Lappmark, Jokkmokk, Serri NR, recently burned forest of spruce and birch, 31 July–28 August 2016, MT, MCJ (spn. CEC 2762 in NHRS); 1 male, Småland, Nybro, Bäckebo, Grytsjön NR, old-growth mixed hemiboreal forest, 12 August–6 October 2014, MT, MCJ (spn. CEC 2763 in NHRS).

Remark. This is not the Antennardia spec. referred to in our earlier treatment of this genus in Sweden (Jaschhof & Jaschhof 2009: 196). The specimen from Södermanland mentioned there remains unidentified to species.