Similsciophila Shi & Shih & Ren 2014, gen. nov.

Similsciophila gen. nov. Type species: Similsciophila singularis sp. nov.

Species included: Similsciophila singularis sp. nov. and Similsciophila sinuata sp. nov.

Body medium-sized, covered with long and dense pubescence. Mesonotum convex. Scutellum sharp and clearly projecting. Forewing Sc elongate, shorter than one-half of wing length; sc-r situated distinctly basal to Rs origin, arising near midway between h to Sc ending at margin; cell r distinctly large, longer than one-sixth of wing length; Rs furcated distad to fork of M 1+2; bRs longer than r-m; R 1 slightly curved; both R 1 and R 4+5 divergent terminally; R 4+5 arched near its mid-length; stem of M not developed and thin; M 1+2 furcated slightly distad to level of Sc ending. Tibiae and tarsi with short sparse setae.

The generic name is derived from the Latin (simil -), in reference to similar, and sciophila is from the generic name Mesosciophila.

Based on the venation, Similsciophila gen. nov. is distinguished from Mesosciophilopsis Blagoderov, 1993 and Jurasciophila Li and Ren, 2009 by the following characters: wing longer and wider; cell r distinctly larger, and longer than one-sixth of wing length. The new genus is similar to the genus Paramesosciophilodes Zhang, 2007, but differs mainly by bRs longer than r-m. It also differs from Mesosciophilina Kovalev, 1985, Mesosciophilodes Rohdendorf, 1946 and Mesosciophila Rohdendorf, 1946 in that R 4+5 arched near its mid-length.

China.

Key to genera of mesosciophilid gnats

1. Cell r distinctly small, equal to or shorter than one-sixth of wing length.......... 2

- Cell r distinctly large, longer than one-sixth of wing length............................... 3

2. bRs equal to or shorter than r-m.................. Mesosciophilopsis Blagoderov, 1993

- bRs significantly longer than r-m........................ Jurasciophila Li and Ren, 2009

3. R 4+5 arched near its mid-length.......................................................................... 4

- R 4+5 slightly arched or almost linear near its mid-length................................... 5

4. bRs equal to or shorter than r-m................... Paramesosciophilodes Zhang, 2007

- bRs longer than r-m........................................................ Similsciophila gen. nov.

5. Cross-vein r-m converges with M 1+2 at obtuse angle......................................... 6

- Cross-vein r-m converges with M 1+2 at right angle....................................................................................................................... Mesosciophilina Kovalev, 1985

6. R 2+3 straight, almost perpendicular to R 4+5...... Mesosciophilodes Rohdendorf, 1946

- R 2+3 oblique, cross with R 4+5 at obtuse angle........ Mesosciophila Rohdendorf, 1946