Centistidea lanka Ranjith & Priyadarsanan, sp. nov.

(Figures 9–10)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: B3E6CA1E-AC20-45E2-8A9B-C78C2822D22B

Material examined. Holotype. ♀ SRI LANKA: Sigiriya, 7°57’ N, 80°46’ E, 21.iii.1999, coll. C. J. Burwell (AIMB).

Description. Female

Body measurements. Length of body 1.7 mm, length of fore wing 1.6 mm.

Head. Antenna with 14 antennomeres, all antennomeres longer than wide (Fig. 9A). First flagellomere 1.1 × as long as second flagellomere. First, second and penultimate flagellomeres 4.0, 3.8 and 2.8 × as long as wide. Maxillary palp with four segments (Figs 9B, D), fourth segment 1.4 × as long as third segment. Face distinctly convex medially (Fig. 9B), 1.6 × as wide as long, smooth, setose. Clypeus 2.3 × wider ventrally than medially high with convex posterior margin (Fig. 9B). Malar suture distinct (Figs 9B, D). Length of malar space 1.4 × basal width of mandible. Mandible distinctly twisted (Fig. 9B), inner tooth distinctly shorter than outer tooth. Frons smooth, moderately convex medially, sparsely setose laterally (Fig. 9C). Vertex smooth, sparsely setose, setose laterally (Fig. 9C). OOL: transverse diameter of posterior ocellus: POL= 2.5: 1.0: 1.0. Length of eye 1.9 × as long as temple in dorsal view.

Mesosoma. Mesosoma 1.4 × as long as high. Pronotum and propleuron smooth laterally, lateral pronotum shallowly impressed medially (Fig. 9D). Mesoscutum granulate, setose, without carinae laterally (Fig. 9E). Notauli only impressed anteriorly (Fig. 9E). Scutellar sulcus represented only by a transverse groove, not crenulated (Fig. 9E). Scutellum evenly setose, smooth (Fig. 9E), with a pair of large pits medio-posteriorly separated by 0.25 × diameter of pit, sides of scutellum irregularly sculptured (Fig. 9F). Mesopleuron smooth, glabrous, sparsely setose ventrally (Fig. 9D). Metapleuron with a deep small pit antero-dorsally, with deep shallow longitudinal depressed line, glabrous (Fig. 9D). Propodeum with a distinct and complete medio-longitudinal carina absent behind costula, dorsal part of midlongitudinal carina associated with irregular sculpture, 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. 9F).

Wings. Fore wing: Vein r distinct, 0.3 × as long as 2RS (Fig. 10C). R1 indistinct (Fig. 10C). Vein (RS+M)b 0.8 × as long as 1m-cu. Vein 1-M 1.6 × as long as m-cu. Vein (RS+M)a 1.9 × (RS+M)b. Vein 1CUa thickened, 1.2 × as long as 1CUb (Fig. 10C). Hind wing: Vein cu-a straight. Veins M+CU: 1M: 1r-m= 1.7: 1.8: 1.0.

Legs. Hind coxa smooth, setose (Figs 9A, 10A). Tarsal claws without basal lobe. Hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 3.1, 6.7 and 3.6 × as long as wide respectively.

Metasoma. First tergite smooth, narrow medially, widening subapically, weakly narrowing apically, distinctly narrowing basally, 2.7 × as long as its maximum width (Fig. 10B). Second tergite smooth, setose, medial length 0.3 × as long as third tergite (Fig. 10B). Third tergite longitudinally striate, setose (Fig. 10B). Ovipositor straight. Ovipositor sheath 0.1 × as long as fore wing, slightly narrowing apically with long sparse setae apically (Fig. 10A).

Colour. Body yellow except antenna, apex of mandibles, propodeal carina, dorsal part of metasomal segments 1–2, apical half of ovipositor sheath brown.

Male. Unknown.

Etymology. The species is named after the country, Sri Lanka where the specimens were collected.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. Sri Lanka (Central Province, Sigiriya).

Comparative diagnosis. This new species is similar to the other species having hind basitarsus less than 4.0 × as long as wide. Centistidea lanka sp. nov. can be differentiated from the group of species by 1CUa is longer than 1Cub. Based on the additional characters the new species comes close to C. procarinator. Centistidea lanka sp. nov. differs from C. procarinator by the following characters, hind basitarsus 3.6 × as long as wide (4.5 × in C. procarinator), propodeum yellow (brown in C. procarinator), penultimate flagellomere 2.8 × as long as wide (2.3 × in C. procarinator), dorsal length of eye 1.9 × as long as temple (3.1 × in C. procarinator), metasomal tergite yellow (brown in C. procarinator) and second tergite shorter than third tergite (longer in C. procarinator).