(Figs. 54-69)

Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, YEMEN: Ar Rujum, 15°29′N 43°41′E, 9.iv.-5.vi.2001, Malaise trap, A. van Harten leg. Slide, dissected specimen, Cat. No. 34274, Inv. No. 14063 (NMPC). PARATYPES: 2JJ (slides, NMPC), 16.x.2000 -15.1.2001, the same data, Cat. No. 34275-34276, Inv. No. 14064-14065. Figures based mainly on the holotype, partially on paratypes.

Description. Male. Head (Fig. 54) about 1.2 times as broad as long. Vertex reduced, conspicuously low, sunken and hairy. Upper edges of eyes separated by distance of 1.2 facet diameter (Fig. 61). Frontoclypeus with patch of scars extending to upper edges of eyes on each side and in midline; medial extension stretching between eye-bridges to level of second or third row of facets. Interocular suture absent. Eye-bridges composed of four rows of facets. Ratios of distance of apices of ends of eyes to minimum width of frons 7.6: 1, to facet diameter 8.8: 1. Antennae with 15 segments (Figs. 55, 62); scape very short, somewhat widened distally, 1.3 times as long as broad; pedicel almost globular, cut distally in peripheral margin; flagellomeres amphora-shaped, distal ones with rather long necks; last three flagellomeres separated. Antennomeres 14 and 15 of almost equal size, smaller in contrast to antennomere 13, antennomeres 13 and 14 with very short necks; apical antennomere cut distally. Sensory filaments (ascoids) larger than flagellomeres (Fig. 62), paired, with three branches. Length ratios of maxillary palpomeres 1.3: 1.1: 1: 1.5, palpomere 4 not annulate (Fig. 58). Terminal lobe of labium with five digitiform projections and two long setae (Fig. 57). Maximum length of cibarium equal to 1.2 times length of epipharynx. Labrum as in Fig. 56, thoracic sclerites as in Fig. 63. Wing 1.3 mm (holotype) to 1.4 mm (paratypes) long, pointed, narrow, clear, anterior edge hardly less convex than posterior one, the latter not enlarged in cubital region (Fig. 64); following veins or their parts strengthened: Sc, R 1, base of R 4, R 5, basal part of M 1+2, M 4 and Cu; reduced R 2 recurved and jointed to R 1; inconspicuous and reduced R 2+3 connected basally to base of R 4; radial fork not developed in contrast to medial one. Basal costal nodes well visible, Sc long and bent; M 4 and Cu connected basally, M 3 free; R 5 in apex of wing; wing length equal to 2.5 times its maximum width. Maximum length of haltere equal to 3 times its maximum width. Ratios of lengths of femora, tibiae and first tarsomeres: P 1 = 2.2: 2.1: 1; P 2 = 2.3: 2.9: 1.2; P 3 = 2.5: 3.2: 1.2. Fore claws tapering and bent distally (Figs. 65, 66). Basal apodeme of male genitalia (Figs. 59, 67) compressed laterally, narrow and almost straight in dorsal view, conspicuously widened and proximally rounded in lateral view; distal part of basal apodeme forked into two caudal parts connected with aedeagal complex. Phallobasis of irregular shape with three phallomeres around gonopore; dorsal phallomeres long, thick, fused, of grooved form (lateral view), rounded on top; ventral phallomere slightly shorter, hooked and pointed, parallel to dorsal phallomeres; circular loop in basis of aedeagal complex of characteristic shape. Gonocoxite (Figs. 67, 68) very short, thick, protruded laterally. Gonostylus elongate, somewhat bent, enlarged in basal parts, longer than gonocoxite from dorsal view, setose. Epandrium (Figs. 60, 69) broad and short, with single large central opening, two large triangular patches of scars connected distally in medial line. Sclerotized remainders of tergite and sternite 10 inside of epandrium reduced to two almost triangular areas. Hypandrium narrow (Figs. 59, 67), bare. Epiproct and hypoproct in a form of hairy fold, inconspicuous (Fig. 69). Epiproct bilobed, hypoproct with one lobulus. Surstylus approximately twice as long as epandrium, slightly twisted in lateral view and inconspicuously C-shaped in dorsal view, with many scars, one long retinaculum subapically (Figs. 60, 69).

Female. Unknown.

Differential diagnosis. Psychoda obscuripennis sp. nov. differs from P. uniformata Haseman, 1907 in having the veins peculiarly ordered and the radial fork not developed (Fig. 64), R 2 and R 2+3 reduced, the rest of R 2 connected with R 1, and R 2+3 with R 4 basally; the phallobasis is bare, with the ventral phallomere conspicuously shorter than dorsal ones (Figs. 59, 67); sclerotized remainders of tergite and sternite 10 are reduced but present; and the surstyli are twice as long as the epandrium (Figs. 60, 69). In males of P. uniformata the radial fork is developed, R 2 and R 2+3 are fully present, R 2 lacks a connection with R 1, R 2+3 is not jointed with R 4; the phallobasis is provided with two tufts of long hairs, the ventral phallomere is almost as long as the dorsal one; the remnants of tergite and sternite 10 are missing; and the surstyli are as long as the epandrium.

Etymology. Obscurus (Latin, adjective) = unclear, obscure; penna (Latin, substantive) = wing – in reference to the peculiar order of wing veins.

Bionomy. Unknown. The adults were trapped in a Malaise trap at Ar Rujum from October to June.

Distribution. Yemen.

Comments on the generic classification. The diagnosis, synonymy, biology and distribution of the genus Psychoda Latreille, 1796 in a strict sense (type species: Tipula phalaenoides Linnaeus, 1758) were given by JEŽEK (1984, 1990). The taxonomical position of the genus and its relationship to other genera were discussed by JEŽEK (1983).