Tenuia smirnovi Shatalkin, 1994

(Figures 1–4)

Tenuia smirnovi Shatalkin, 1994: 143. Holotype ♂, Primorsky Krai, Khasan area, “Kedrovaya Pad” Reserve, Russia [ZMMU]. Diagnosis. Small-sized flies; body-length 3.6–4.3 mm; wing-length 3.7–4.1 mm; colour black, with yellow regions on head (Fig. 1 A–C); paravertical setae present (Fig. 2B–C); 5 (rarely 6) dorsocentrals (Fig. 2D–E); acrostichals biserial, prescutellar acrostichal setae enlarged (Fig. 2D–E); costa with well-developed spinules (Fig. 2F); anterior coxa entirely black; 6 th sternite pentagonal cowl, crowned with two-horned massive prominence (Fig. 3A–C); syntergosternite 7+8 mostly bare of setae except towards posterior margin (Fig. 3A), but without an outstanding pair of setae, equal to length of 5 th –6 th tergites taken together; epandrium also without an outstanding pair of setae, equal to length of 4 th –6 th tergites taken together (Fig. 3D–F); epandrium with a pair of lobes on its posteroventral angles (Fig. 3F); surstyli displaced dorsally, slightly spoon-shaped with some setae on upper cuspidated margins (Fig. 3E); lamellar lobe present, with setae on tip and connected with base of surstylus; cerci fused, forming a structure in the shape of two-topped tent distally, and with a pair of lateral lamellar appendages directed ventrally (Fig. 3D); hypandrium divided ventrally with tusk-like anterior lobes (Fig. 3G–H); hypandrial apodeme bilobed and short (Shatalkin 1994).

Material examined. India: Jammu and Kashmir, Sopore, 34º05′30″ N, 74°33′3″ E, 1,639 m a.s.l., 10.viii.2020, S.F. Yatoo leg. (4 ♂, 10 ♀, KUIC0015 – KUIC0028).

Geographical distribution. Russia and India (first records presented here).

Ecology & behaviour. Adults were mostly observed in localities with willow, feeding on the willow sap whereas few were found feeding on rotten fig fruit (Fig. 4A) in conformity with the earlier studies (McAlpine & Shatalkin 1998). The flies demonstrated strong territoriality and chased away other insects trying to feed on the sap by raising both wings e.g., drosophilid flies, lauxaniid flies, muscid flies, and ants (Fig. 4B–C). During courtship two males, in almost all the observed cases, followed the female (Fig. 4D) and only one of them mated successfully (Fig. 4E). Male opponents approaching the female exhibited aggression by raising both wings, and expressed offensive actions such as tapping, lunging, and head-butting.