Middle Femora Research Articles

NEW SPECIES OF BRISTLETAILS OF THE FAMILY MACHILIDAE (MICROCORYPHIA) FROM TAJIKISTAN

Two new species from the bristletai family Machilidae are described from Tajikistan, Central Asia: Allopsontus sogdianus sp. n. and Silvestrichilis perfectus sp. n. Allopsontus sogdianus sp. n. seems to be particularly similar to A. pulchellus (Kaplin 1982), a species of the subgenus Anisopsontus from the Dzhungarsky Alatau Mountains, southeastern Kazakhstan, as their males share many small, dark, specialized bristles on the ventral surface of articles 2–7 of the maxillary palps. Allopsontus sogdianus sp. n. differs from A. pulchellus by the length of the body, the structure of the antennae, the number of articles in the distal parts of the antennae, the color and structure of the eyes and paired ocelli, the maxillary palps, the sensory field on the femora of the male forelegs, the relative length of the styli on the males and females urites VIII and IX, the number of articles of the ovipositor and male parameres. Males of Silvestrichilis perfectus sp. n. are with 4–5 almost vertical, thickened, needle-like bristles on the second articles of the fore, middle and hind tarsi, this being one of the main morphological features of this genus. Silvestrichilis perfectus sp. n. differs from other species of the genus first of all by the presence of sensory fields on the fore and middle femora of males.

Aryalidonta itishreea, a new genus and species of Thoradontini (Orthoptera, Tetrigidae) from Nepal honors the Emperor of Laughter

Aryal’s Ten Avatar Groundhopper, Aryalidonta itishreeagen. et sp. nov., named in honor of the late Bhairav Aryal, an iconic Nepali satirist, is a new genus and species of Tetrigidae described as a part of the tribe Thoradontini. The species is native to Nepal, a country with a rich tetrigid fauna in need of taxonomic revisions. This monotypic genus can be easily separated from other Thoradontini genera by its enlarged proximal halves of middle femora, a peculiar lateral lobe morphology (small caudal protrusion in its caudal part and a sharp lateral tip), a triangular, anteriorly narrowing vertex, and by its unique head morphology. The species was observed in its natural habitat. It was found to harbor many color variations that are cryptic in nature. It feeds on detritus, algae, lichen, and moss. Specimens heavily infested by mites were found, as well as those in interaction with wasps (possibly Eulophidae), but the nature of the latter could not be determined.

Sangpradubina, an astonishing new mayfly genus from Thailand (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae: Atalophlebiinae).

A newly discovered representative of Leptophlebiidae is described and illustrated from Thailand as Sangpradubina thailandica, gen. nov. and sp. nov., based on larvae and reared adults. This new species presents an interesting transitional position, being close to Choroterpes s.l. in the winged stages, but closer to Thraulus s.l. in the nymphal stage. Nymphs are differentiated from those of all genera of the Thraulus lineage by the combination of gill I consisting of only a single and slender lamella, gills II-VII being fimbriate only in the distal half, each mandible having a tuft of setae only in the middle of the lateral margin, each maxilla having a well-developed anterolateral projection, fore- and middle femora each having a row of long setae on the outer margin, as well as tarsal claws having 4 denticles at the base and 9 in the apical position. Adults of the new genus barely differ from any genera of the Choroterpes lineage. The egg chorionic structure of Sangpradubina also appears to be unusual in that KCT's are concentrated on one pole.

A new species of Metopiinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) parasitizing lepidopteran larvae in China.

A new species of Metopiinae, Trieces etuokensis Sheng, sp. n., is described and illustrated. Specimens were reared from two species of Lepidoptera: Bazaria turensis (Ragonot, 1887) (Pyralidae) from Balong, Dulan, Qinghai Province, and an unidentified psychid (Psychidae) from Mukainor, Etuoke, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. The new species is characterized by a yellow face and clypeus, fore and middle femora and hind tibia mainly black, antennae slightly longer than head and mesosoma combined, with 17 flagellomeres, occipital carina entirely absent, and the hind femur being compressed, 2.5 times as its long as maximum width.

Three new species of Leptohyphes Eaton (Ephemeroptera: Leptohyphidae) from Colombia

Three new species of Leptohyphes Eaton 1882 (Ephemerotera: Leptohyphidae) are described, diagnosed and illustrated from nymphs collected in Colombia. Geographical ranges and ecological notes relating important environmental variables are given for each species. Leptohyphes andina sp. nov. is characterized by: forefemur length / maximum width 1.8-1.9, fore and hind margin of middle and hind femora with strong spines on elevated sockets, femoral surface covered by small pale spots, apex of femora with anterior margin roundly projected distally, tarsal claw only with 3-4 marginal denticles, pronotum with triangular lateral projection, hind wing pads present in female, gill formula 3/5/5/5/2, gill V with ventral extension on dorsal lamella. Leptohyphes quimbaya sp. nov. presents the following characters: body covered by hair-like setae, with paired short and blunt tubercles on abdominal terga V-IX, femora wide (forefemur length/ maximum width 1.6), fore and hind margin of femora with tiny spines, tarsal claws with 2-3 marginal denticles, pronotum with triangular (but apically blunt) lateral projection, hind wing pads present in females, gill formula 3/7/7/5/2, gill V without ventral extension on dorsal lamella. Leptohyphes calarca sp. nov. is distinguished by: pilose body, slender femora (forefemur length / maximum width 2.3), foremargin of middle and hind femora without spines, tarsal claws with 5 marginal denticles and 1 submarginal subapical denticle, pronotum strongly projected laterally, fore wingbuds blackish, hind wing pads present in females, gill formula 3/4/4/3/1, gill V with ventral extension on dorsal lamella.

One new species of the subgenus Hexatoma (Eriocera) Macquart (Diptera, Limoniidae) from China with a key to Chinese species.

One new species of the subgenus Eriocera Macquart, 1838, Hexatoma (Eriocera) cleopatroides Men, sp. n. (Southern China: Anhui) is described and illustrated. A key to all of 78 known species from China in the subgenus is provided, which was solely based on literatures. The new species is similar to Hexatoma (Eriocera) cleopatra Alexander, 1933, but distinguishes from the latter by the prescutum entirely black with two ill-defined gray stripes, by the legs with fore and middle femora brown in basal half, black in apical half, with hind femora brown in basal one-fourth, and by the wings with cells c and sc more yellowish brown than the ground color.

Platyonitis oberthueri Janssens, 1942 and Epionitis tarsatus Balthasar, 1942 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Onitini) — synonymy confirmed

The genus Epionitis Balthasar, 1942 and species Epionitis tarsatus Balthasar, 1942, were described from a single female from “Ost-Afrika, Ussambara” [= NE Tanzania] (Balthasar 1942). Earlier the same year, Janssens (1942) established the new genus Platyonitis for P. oberthueri Janssens, 1942 based on two specimens (holotype male and paratype female) from “Manica” [= Manica, Mozambique]. Krikken (1974) synonymized both these names based on study of Janssens’s types and Balthasar’s description. However, he was not able to study the holotype of E. tarsatus, so he could not fully confirm the synonymy of both type species. Krikken (1974) stated on p. 202: “Several descriptive details of E. tarsatus, based on a single female, are strongly indicative of a synonymy, but since no information on the characteristic shape of the middle femora is given by Balthasar, I prefer to postpone my final decision on the matter”.

A taxonomic study of the genus Austrohancockia Günther (Orthoptera:Tetrigoidea: Tetrigidae)

Eleven species of Austrohancockia Günther were systematically researched in this paper. One species, Austrohancockia tuberfemora sp. nov., is described as new to science. This new species can be distinguished from Austrohancockia guangxiensis Zheng et Jiang, 1998, but differs in vertex and frontal ridge forming a right-angle; midkeel of pronotum interrupted, not conspicuous; pronotum reaching the knee of hind femur; width of fore femora equal to the width of middle femora; lower margins of fore and middle femora with one big teeth; third pulvillus of first segment of hind tarsi longer than first and second, apices of first and second sharp, apices of third obtuse. An updated key to the species of Austrohancockia is presented. The type specimens are deposited in the Institute of Zoology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China.

A New Species of the Genus Tetrix Latreille and A Newly Reported Male of Bolivaritettix luochengensis Deng, Zheng et Wei, 2006 (Orthoptera:Tetrigoidea)

One new species of the genus Tetrix Latreille, Tetrix xiangzhouensis sp. nov. is described, and the male of Bolivaritettix luochengensis Deng, Zheng et Wei is reported for the first time. New species is similar to Tetri fuchuanensis Zheng,1998, but differs in a number of ways. Width of vertex equal to or slightly narrower than width of an eye, anterior margin of vertex not protruding beyond eyes, length of a segment in middle of antenna about 7-8 times longer than width, lateral keels of prozona constricted backward, hind process of pronotum reaching two thirds of hind tibia, lower margins of anterior and middle femora ornate with sparse hairs.

Lamnatibia, a new genus of the Polysphincta group of genera from Colombia (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae; Pimplinae)

A new genus and species of the Polysphincta group of genera (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae; Pimplinae), Lamnatibia andina Palacio & Sääksjärvi, is described from the cloudforests of the Colombian Andes. The new genus can be easily separated from other genera of the Polysphincta group by the specialized shape of the fore and middle femora, the presence of a thin, longitudinal ridge in the inner face of the fore and middle tibiae, and the combined absence of occipital and epicnemial carinae. The new genus’s potential affinities with other genera of the Polysphincta group and its distribution are discussed.

TWO NEW SPECIES OF MICROGASTER LATREILLE (HYMENOPTERA: BRACONIDAE) FROM CHINA

The present paper describes two new species of Microgaster Latreille, 1804, viz: M. longiterebra sp. nov. (♂) and M. longicaudatus sp. nov. (♂). M. longiterebra sp. nov. is described from Kunming, Yunnan Prov. in China closely related to M. subcompletus, but differs from the latter in the combination of the following features: 1) APOL as long as OD; 2) Mesonotum strongly punctate on anterior 2/ 3) r shorter than width of stigma; 4) cu-a of hind wing medially curved; 5) Apex of hypopygium ending far beyond apex of abdomen. M. longicaudatus sp. nov. is described from Tianmushan, Zhejiang Prov. in China closely related to M. ductilis, but differs from the latter in the combination of the following features: 1) middle and hind femora reddish yellow only with apical 1/4 blackish; 2) 1-SR 0.5 times as long as 1-M; 3) the hairy part of ovipositor sheath 0.5 times as long as hind tibia; 4) tergite 3 with slightly weaker rugosity. The type specimens are deposited in Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.

New and Little Known Dolichopodidae from Indiana (Diptera)

Male.-Length, 1.3 mm.; length of wing, 1.5 mm. Ground color of face dark blue, covered with grayish-white pollen. Front metallic, steel-blue, somewhat dulled with white pollen along the orbits. Lower orbital cilia white; the upper cilia are black and descend to the middle of the eye. Antennae black; third ioint rounded at apex, densely pubescent. Arista dorsal, long and tapering, pubescent, inserted at base of third joint. Palpi black, pubescent, bristly at tip. Dorsum of thorax and the scutellum blue-green, lightly dusted with whitish pollen; pleurae dulled with grayish pollen. Abdomen metallic green, the lateral portions with bronze reflections, the bristles short, black. Hypopygium small, black; outer lamellae minute, black, oval, clothed with delicate pale hairs; inner appendages yellow, directed backward. Coxae and legs yellow; all tarsi infuscated from near the tip of second joint as are also the posterior femora on upper apical portion. Fore and middle coxae with delicate pale hairs on anterior surface and a few black bristles at tip. Fore femora without noticeable bristles. Middle femora with a prominent black bristle near the base on lower edge, this bristle being nearly twice as long as the width of femora; slightly nearer to the base of middle femora is another, smaller bristle placed in line with the larger one. Hind femora with a few delicate pale hairs along lower edge and a row of black bristles on upper basal half. Fore tibiae of ordinary structure, without noticeable bristles. Middle tibiae with two prominent black bristles near the middle on anterior surface. Hind tibiae slightly thickened, bearing a peculiar black, spur-like appendage near the bisal third on inner side, the posterior edge with a row of about eight short, sharp bristles on apical half and a strong bristle on inner edge near the apex. First joint of fore tarsi bearing a row of short bristles on plantar surface. Middle and hind tarsi of plain structure. Joints of fore tarsi as 20-7-6-5-6; of mid tarsi as 23-9-7-6-6; of hind tarsi as 16-16-9-7-5. Halteres yellow, calypters yellow with black cilia.

A new Long-horned Grasshopper damaging Coconut Palms in New Britain

♂. Pale greyish stramineous. Antennae clothed with short hairs, and with indefinite brownish rings. Face smooth. Fastigium of vertex cylindrical, sulcate above, with the apex rounded, and slightly inflated, viewed in profile almost truncate. Pronotum callosely rugulose; its discovery feebly saddle-shaped, with the median carina scarcely perceptible near the hind margin, which is roundly truncate; the two transverse sulci deep, the anterior one feebly bisinuate, the posterior one broadly arched; anterior margin rounded; lateral lobes sloping, somewhat longer than broad, with the anterior angle obtuse, the posterior one very obtuse and rounded, and the hind margin strongly sinuate, with a deep humeral sinus. Elytra nearly twice as long as the abdomen, with the veinlets whitish green. Prosternum armed with two not long, pointed, somewhat divergent spines. Mesosternal lobes small, rounded; metasternal lobes forming together an equilateral triangle with the angles broadly rounded. Front and middle femora armed with 0–3 small black spinules on the inner lower margin (hind legs missing in the type). Cerci (fig. 1, C) round, feebly incurved, with the apex attenuate, distinctly incurved, pointed. Subgenital plate (fig. 1, A, B) very long and narrow, slightly recurved; the lower surface almost flat, with an incomplete median ridge and two more distinct sublateral ridges running throughout the plate to the bases of the styli; the latter short, cylindrical; hind margin of the plate acutely and deeply excised between the styli.

The Dipterous Genus Drapetis Meigen (Family Empididæ).*

The species of Drapetis are to be distinguished from the remainder of the Empididæ by the following summarized combination of characters. Thorax robust, the humeri not swollen and constricted. Eyes closely approximate on the face, but on the front diverging above; palpi broad, incumbent on the very short proboscis; antennæ three-jointed, with terminal or subterminal arista; one pair each of vertical and ocellar bristles. Legs hairy and often furnished with bristles or setæ, the middle femora however rarely armed and not thicker than the front pair. First basal cell of the wings shorter than the second which is united with the discal cell, anal cell completely wanting, only two posterior cells before the anal area.

Some Colorado Species of the Genus Lachnus.

Adult Stem Mother .—General color black, with more or less rufous upon the head, thorax and legs; the anterior and nearly all of middle femora, the proximal portion of hind femora, and the basal portions of all tibiae rusty brown, the hind tibiae being black nearly to the base; all tibiae black at extreme base; antennae pale with distal ends of joints 3, 4 and 5 black. The black of the dorsum is mostly dull, but with polished lines running across between each two segments, and a larger polished area on joints 7 and 8. In some specimens there is somewhat of a rufous tinge over most of the dorsum; cornicles black, mammiform, terminating in a slightly projecting nipple; cauda scarcely apparent; vertex prominent and convex. Length of body 4.25; antenna 1.90. Joints of antenna: III, .50; IV, .26; V, .30; VI, .23; hind tibiae, 3.10; beak attaining hind margin of third abdominal segment; sternum and first two abdominal segments rusty brown; head small, convex in front; one sensorium near distal ends of joints 3, 4 and 5, besides the permanent one on joint 5, and sometimes there are two on joint 4. (See Plate X, figures 1–3).