Stratiomys brunettii sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 64AD3057-6EA2-47B8-9EEC-C5C3B63F3A0C

Figs 4–5

Diagnosis

The new species appears distinct among its congeners in having upcurved scutellar spines nearly perpendicular to the body axis. The species is somewhat similar to the Oriental species S. micropilosa (Brunetti, 1920) but has upcurved scutellar spines nearly perpendicular to the body axis, all tibiae are nearly completely yellow, the postocular area is relatively expanded, and black sternites with wide yellow margins are joined laterally, as opposed to the scutellar spines not upright, all tibiae are nearly completely black, the postocular area is not expanded that much, the sternites are yellow-orange with lateral dark spots and no dark continuous bands in addition to the other characters stated below.

Etymology

This species is named in memory of Enrico Adelelmo Brunetti (1862–1927), for his valuable contributions to our knowledge of the systematics of the Indian Diptera.

Type material

Holotype

INDIA • ♂; Jammu and Kashmir, Dist. Kulgam, Kongwattan Meadow; 33°36′03″ N, 74°46′50″ E; alt. 2346 m; 28 Jul. 2020; A.A. Wachkoo leg.; GCSI A_Wachkoo00044.

Paratypes

INDIA – Jammu and Kashmir • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Dist. Kulgam, Aharbal; 33°38′56″ N, 74°46′55″ E; alt. 2266 m; 18 Jun. 2021; A.A. Wachkoo leg.; GCSI A_Wachkool00045 to A_Wachkool00047 • 1 ♂; Dist. Baramulla, Gulmarg Nagbal; 34°03′09.5″ N, 74°24′00″ E; alt. 2697 m; 10 Aug. 2020; S.F. Yatoo leg.; CUZM S_Yatool00012 • 1 ♀; Dist. Baramulla, Ladi Angan; 34°13′47.02″ N, 74°16′27.64″ E; alt. 2274 m; 18 Aug. 2020; S.F. Yatoo leg.; CUZM S_Yatool00013 • 1 ♀; Dist. Baramulla, Rafiabad, Hamam Forest; 34°16′45″ N, 74°11′35.03″ E; alt. 2174 m; 15 Aug. 2021; A. Maqbool leg.; CUZM A_Maqbool00014.

Additional material

INDIA • 1 ♂; NW Himalayas, Kashmir, Sonamarg; alt. 9000 ft; 17–23 Jun. 1921; stn 7 Kashmir Survey Collection; ZSI 9824 /H2 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; ZSI 9826 /H2. Images match our specimens, but we have not examined the actual specimens.

Description

Male (Fig. 4)

MEASUREMENTS. Body length, 12.35–13.26 mm; wing length, 9.85–11.33 mm.

HEAD. Black, dorsally hemispherical, elliptical in anterior view, suboval in lateral view, ocellar triangle black (Fig. 4E–F); eye bare, facets markedly smaller in lower third; antenna long, black, flagellum with 5 flagellomeres, flagellum longer than scape and pedicel combined, apical flagellomere dull, relative lengths of scape: pedicel: flagellum = 3: 1: 5 (Fig. 4G); face smooth with fine punctations, rugulose in lower middle portion (Fig. 4D); oral margin broadly black with black colouration continuing on gena below eye; face with long whitish yellow pilosity; lower frons above antenna shiny black, finely punctate with long whitish yellow pilosity; median line between eyes with tuft of small black setae longer and brownish behind ocellar tubercle; vertex with brownish yellow pilosity (Fig. 4E–F); face yellow with broad median stripe, narrowing toward oral margin and there merging into black oral margin (Fig. 4C– E); postocular rim narrow, yellow and swollen in lower third; back of head mainly black only with some yellow from postocular rim continuing to back of head; occiput pilose (Fig. 4F).

THORAX. Entirely black and coarse with yellowish white, woolly pilosity (Fig. 4H); pilosity longer and denser on sides (Fig. 4I); scutellum mostly yellow with yellowish or brownish yellow upcurved scutellar spines nearly perpendicular to body axis (Fig. 4J); wing hyaline, large veins brownish with slightly bronze tinge, smaller veins dark brown; veins R4 and R5 ending well before wing apex; veins M 2, M 3 and M 4 curved, ending far before wing margin; vein r-m <M 2 (Figs 4K, 5K); lower calypter haired, with usual fan-like process.

LEGS. Bicoloured (Fig. 4C); coxa, trochanter and femur black, apical portion of femur, tibia and tarsus yellow; tarsal claws black with basal half yellow; yellowish white pilosity on legs, finer on tibia and tarsi, and longer on femur and trochanter.

ABDOMEN. Rounded, broader than thorax, predominantly black; angled pale yellow spots at edges of abdomen (Fig. 4L–M); wider spots on II and III tergite, narrow posterior-lateral spots on tergite IV, lateral margins of tergite II–IV yellow; narrow longitudinal medial stripe on tergite V not reaching anterior margin and partly extending along posterior margin; abdomen mostly black ventrally with yellow bands, black sternites with wide yellow margins joined laterally; longer brownish yellow pilosity on tergites, finer, whitish pilosity on sternites.

MALE TERMINALIA (Fig. 4N–P). Epandrium convex and semioval, posterior margin obtuse, arcuate anteriorly with short fine setae, denser towards lower and lateral margins and sparsely distributed towards centre (Fig. 4N); proctiger resembling low triangle with subquadrangular cercus having posterior margin obliquely transverse with slightly produced posteromedial lobe, margins with large and small setae; cercus totally covering terminalia in lateral view; synsternite subquadrate, with short and thick setae on middle portion and longer setae on lower middle and lateral margins; distal margin of synsternite medially obtuse, laterally produced into oval processes with round margin; gonostylus longer than wide, placed on distal third of synsternite, ending in two pointed edges, one smaller and short pointed edge and a longer gradually tapering pointed edge; gonocoxal apodemes reaching beyond anterior margin of genital capsule (Fig. 4O); phallus smooth, tripartite and slightly longer than genital capsule, lobes dilated in distal third, distinctly narrowing in apical one third; lateral lobes slightly incurved, medial lobe straight and shorter than lateral lobes (Fig. 4O–P).

Female (Fig. 5)

MEASUREMENTS. Body length, 12.60–13.7 mm; wing length, 10.85–11.9 mm.

Differs from male in the following aspects: body pilosity less dense than male (Fig. 5A–C); frons broad and black with two yellow spots extending towards middle but not joined (Fig. 5D); vertex wide and prominent, with areas densely covered with short black pilosity; area around base of antenna black, black pattern narrowly extending along frontal depression and continuing as broad medial stripe on face (Fig. 5D, G); oral margin broadly black with black colouration continuing on gena below eye (Fig. 5G); postocular rim contrasting yellow and continuing on posteroventral margin of eye; median occipital sclerite with large yellow spots (joined in most specimens); occiput yellow smooth with fine yellow pilosity (Fig. 5F); scutellar spines pale yellow with brownish apical region (Fig. 5I–J); pale yellow abdominal spots on tergite III (Fig. 5L–M) slightly narrower than in male, spots on tergite IV joined in the middle forming continuous band.

FEMALE TERMINALIA (Fig. 5N–O). Tergite 9 nearly square-shaped, emarginate base with deep notch medially; circus 2 very small, appearing as bud on cercus 1 (Fig. 5N); tergite 10 triangular, distal apex rounded; genital fork nearly uniformly wide, with slightly arcuate anterior margin; posterior bridge without projections; posterolateral process wider basally, narrower and strongly convergent towards apex (Fig. 5O).

Distribution

India (Kashmir).