Centistidea burwelli Ranjith & Priyadarsanan 2023, sp. nov.

Centistidea burwelli Ranjith & Priyadarsanan, sp. nov.

(Figures 3–4)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 4FD49EDF-4241-4858-B23A-88E98D92E3DD

Material examined. Holotype. ♀ SRI LANKA: Sigiriya, 7°57’ N, 80°46’ E, 20.iii.1999, coll. C.J. Burwell. Paratype, 1 male same data as holotype.

Description. Female

Body measurements. Length of body 2.2 mm, length of fore wing 2.0mm.

Head. Antenna with 14 antennomeres, all antennomeres longer than wide (Fig. 3A). First flagellomere 1.1 × as long as second flagellomere. First, second and penultimate flagellomeres 5.3, 5.0 and 2.0 × as long as wide. Maxillary palp with four segments (Fig. 3D), fourth segment 1.2 × as long as third segment. Face distinctly convex medially (Fig. 3B), 1.6 × as wide as long, smooth, setose. Clypeus 2.0 × wider ventrally than medially high with convex posterior margin (Fig. 3B). Malar suture distinct (Figs 3B, D). Length of malar space 1.2 × basal width of mandible. Mandible distinctly twisted (Fig. 3B), inner tooth distinctly shorter than outer tooth. Frons smooth, moderately convex medially, sparsely setose laterally (Fig. 3C). Vertex smooth, sparsely setose, setose laterally (Fig. 3C). OOL: transverse diameter of posterior ocellus: POL= 2.5: 1.25: 1.0. Length of eye 1.6 × as long as temple in dorsal view.

Mesosoma. Mesosoma 1.5 × as long as high. Pronotum and propleuron smooth laterally, lateral pronotum shallowly impressed medially (Fig. 3D). Mesoscutum punctate, setose, with carinae laterally (Fig. 3E). Notauli only impressed anteriorly (Fig. 5E). Scutellar sulcus represented only by a transverse groove, not crenulated (Fig. 3E). Scutellum evenly setose, smooth (Fig. 3E), with a pair of large pits medio-posteriorly separated by a carina, sides of scutellum irregularly sculptured (Fig. 3F). Mesopleuron smooth, glabrous, sparsely setose ventrally (Fig. 3D). Metapleuron with a deep small pit antero-dorsally, with deep shallow longitudinal depressed line, glabrous (Fig. 3D). Propodeum with a distinct and complete medio-longitudinal carina absent behind costula, dorsal part of midlongitudinal carina associated with irregular sculpture, faintly crenulated near costula, sparsely setose, antero-lateral part with shallow declivity, postero-lateral part faintly crenulated, posterior part well differentiated from dorsal part, posterior transverse carina distinct (Fig. 3F).

Wings. Fore wing: Vein r distinct, 0.2 × as long as 2RS (Fig. 4C). R1 indistinct (Fig. 4C). Vein (RS+M)b 0.6 × as long as 1m-cu. Vein 1-M 1.5 × as long as m-cu. Vein (RS+M)a 2.9 × (RS+M)b. Vein 1CUa thickened, 0.9 × as long as 1CUb (Fig. 4C). Hind wing: Vein cu-a straight. Veins M+CU: 1M: 1r-m= 2.3: 2.4: 1.0.

Legs. Hind coxa smooth, setose (Fig. 4A). Tarsal claws without basal lobe. Hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 3.5, 6.8 and 3.8 × as long as wide respectively.

Metasoma. First tergite smooth, narrow medially, widening subapically, weakly narrowing apically, distinctly narrowing basally, 3.5 × as long as its maximum width (Fig. 4B). Second tergite longitudinally striate, smooth medially, setose, medial length 0.7 × as long as third tergite (Fig. 4B). Third tergite longitudinally striate, setose (Fig. 4B). Ovipositor straight. Ovipositor sheath 0.09 × as long as fore wing, slightly narrowing apically with long, sparse setae apically (Fig. 4A).

Colour. Body reddish brown except head except ocellar region and apex of mandibles, maxillary and labial palps, propleuron, mesoscutum postero-laterally, scutellum medially, mesopleuron, metapleuron, legs, pterostigma, latero-tergites of first metasomal segment, metasomal sternites yellow.

Male. Same as female.

Etymology. The species is named after the collector Dr Chris J. Burwell, Senior Curator of Insects, Queensland Museum, Australia.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. Sri Lanka (Central Province, Sigiriya).

Comparative diagnosis. The new species comes close to C. cosmopteryxi Ahmad & Pandey in having colouration of the body, first flagellomere 1.1 × as long as second flagellomere, yellow head, fore wing vein R1 distinctly vein like. However, the new species differs from the latter in having the following characters, propodeum sculptured medially near midlongitudinal carina (smooth in C. cosmopteryxi), penultimate flagellomere 2.0 × as long as wide (2.5–3.0 × in C. cosmopteryxi), hind basitarsus 3.8 × as long as wide (4.5 × in C. cosmopteryxi) and mesopleuron metapleuron yellow (brown in C. cosmopteryxi).