Dacus ( Neodacus )

Dacus ( Neodacus) View in CoL sp.

( Figures 6–7 View FIGURE 6 View FIGURE 7 )

Diagnosis: A large ( 9.59 mm), yellowish brown species, face with elongated black spots apically almost reaching antennal suture, reddish brown thorax with yellow postpronotal lobe with reddish tinge dorsoapically, wing with broad, faint costal band and broad, dark apical spot covering anterior portion of cell m and reaching apex of vein R 2+3 but leaving apex of cell r 4+5 hyaline. Abdomen slightly humped on tergite IV, latter yellowish without transverse black bands but lightly brownish anteriorly. Tergite V with narrow black band not reaching lateral margins and narrow short median vitta.

Differential Diagnosis: Dacus sp. is extremely similar to D. sphaeroidalis but can be differentiated by elongate facial spots almost reaching antennal suture, infuscated area around veins, broader infuscation on cell bcu extension, entirely yellow anatergite and katatergite and longer posterior lobe of lateral surstylus. It is also similar to D. kapoori sp. nov. but can be differentiated by facial spots, narrow bands on abdominal tergites III and V, apical spot on wing reaching apex of vein R 2+3, entirely yellow anatergite and katatergite, glans and longer posterior lobe of lateral surstylus. Because of its uncertain definition, we refrain from formally naming this species until more material is available for study.

Head: Yellowish fulvous, lunule darker, setal bases not darker, face slightly fulvous with an elongate black spot in each antennal furrow ( Figure 6A & B View FIGURE 6 ), almost reaching antennal suture. Antennal segments dark brownish and 2 nd segment longer than 1 st segment. Antennae ( 1.87 mm) longer than head height ( 1.76 mm). Light black subgenal spot present. Setae: 2 frontal, 1 orbital, 2 vertical, 1 genal and row of 4–5 thin black postocular setulae.

Thorax: Reddish brown with yellow markings as follows; postpronotal lobe, notopleuron, suture, anepisternal stripe, anatergite, katatergite and scutellum ( Figure 6C & D View FIGURE 6 ). Postpronotal lobes yellow with reddish brown patch posterodorsally. Notopleuron connected to triangular yellow marking on suture. Anepisternal stripe as broad (or slightly broader in middle) as notopleuron, extended to katepisternum as a yellow spot. Pleura largely reddish brown except black stripe anterior to yellow anepisternal stripe and anepimeron darker than rest of pleura. Katatergite and anatergite entirely yellow without any black stripe. Scutellum yellow, subtriangular, with narrow light black basal band. Setae: 2 scapular, 1 anterior and 1 posterior notopleural, 1 intra-alar, 1 post-alar, 1 anepisternal and 1 apical scutellar. Fore and mid femora reddish fulvous, hind femora apical half reddish brown, the rest yellowish. All tibiae reddish fulvous except foretibia slightly lighter. Basitarsus yellowish, tarsomeres reddish fulvous.

Wing 7.64 mm long, lightly infuscated in cells c, bc, pterostigma, r 1, r 2+3 and base of cell br. Costal band yellowish, broad and faint. Infuscation darker in cell sc, base of cell r 1, middle of cell br below Rs and cell bcu. Infuscation on cell bcu extension slightly broader ( Figure 6E View FIGURE 6 ). Broad, dark brown and nearly circular apical spot, reaching apex of vein R 2+3, extending broadly into cell m and leaving apex of cell r 4+5 and extreme apex of cell r 2+3 hyaline. Rest of wing hyaline except faint infuscation around veins. Supernumerary lobe slightly rounded and weak.

Abdomen: Tergite I slightly broader than long and reddish brown. Tergite II anterior half reddish brown, rest yellowish. Tergite III with a narrow black transverse band anteriorly otherwise rest of tergite fulvous brown. Tergite IV with a narrow reddish brown transverse infuscation reaching lateral margins. Tergite V with a narrow black transverse band anteriorly, not reaching lateral margins and narrow, short medial vitta ( Figure 7B & D View FIGURE 7 ). Base of tergite V bright yellowish. Pecten present on tergite III and fulvous brown ceromata present on tergite V. Sternite V of male quadrate with a slight posterior emargination.

Genitalia: Epandrium sphaeropedunculate in posterior view, latter almost 1.8 times higher than proctiger, lateral surstylus longer than medial surstylus, latter with thick striated prensisetae. Posterior lobe of lateral surstylus longer ( 0.25 mm) than anterior lobe ( 0.026 mm), former with serrated line on inner side ( Figure 7E View FIGURE 7 ) and tip fuscous. Aedeagus 3.3 mm long excluding glans ( 0.59 mm), latter elongated, narrow and with patterned (distinct spines) preputium. Subapical lobe shorter than preputium, vesica elongate, broad and twice as long as length of preputium ( Figure 7A View FIGURE 7 ).

Material Examined: Voucher specimen 1♂, cuelure, INDIA, Himachal Pradesh, Sirmaur, Sanora , 30°53'23"N 77°13'34". 17.iv.2020, Maneesh leg. (with first author’s collection) .

Host Plant: Unknown.

Parapheromone: Cuelure.