Clinocera spatulata, Sinclair & Plant, 2022

Clinocera spatulata View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs 12 View FIGURES 9–12 , 16 View FIGURES 15–18 , 27 View FIGURES 21–28 )

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Type material. HOLOTYPE, ♂ labelled: “ THAILAND: Chiang Mai:/ Chomthong, Doi Inthanon NP / Kiew maepan MT1 , 2210m / 18°33′29.4″N, 98°28′51.7″E / 14.xi.–1.xii.2014; QSBG2014-288 ”; “HOLOTYPE/ Clinocera / spatulata/ Sinclair & Plant [red label]” ( QSBG) GoogleMaps . PARATYPES: THAILAND. Kamphaeng Phet Province: T6304 (1 ♂, 2 ♀, CNC) ; T6305 (2 ♀, QSBG) . Chiang Mai Province: T38 (1 ♀, QSBG) ; T66 (1 ♀, QSBG) . Nan Province: T3274 (1 ♀, CNC) .

Additional material examined. BHUTAN. Thimphu, 3 km NNE Dochula, 27°31′5″N 89°45′18″E, 2360 m, MT, 19–28.viii.2017, Borkent, Hauser, NPPC team (1 ♀, CNC) GoogleMaps .

Recognition. This species is distinguished from the other Thailand species of Clinocera by the bluish pruinescence on face extending dorsally between antennal bases to ocellar triangle; face without setulae; scutum dark brown, with pale laterally from postpronotal lobe to notopleuron; pleura dark brown with whitish pruinescence, contrasting with yellow coxae and yellowish brown femora; fore femur with short anteroventral and posteroventral rows of setae.

Description (wing length 2.4–2.7 mm). Male. Head: Oval, dark brown. Face narrower than width of antennal bases, especially at mid-length, without lateral setulae; bright bluish pruinescence stripe extending to ocellar triangle, faded between antennal bases; stripe nearly as broad as face on ventral half. Ocellar triangle with pair of divergent ocellar setae, longer than pair of vertical setae. Antenna brown; arista-like stylus nearly twice length of remaining antenna. Thorax: Scutum brown, subshiny with thin pruinescence, pale laterally from postpronotal lobe to notopleuron with dark spot at base of wing; postalar ridge pale. Pleura brown with whitish pruinescence on ventral half when viewed obliquely ( Fig. 12 View FIGURES 9–12 ). Several very minute acrostichals anterior to first dc; 5 dc; 1 pprn, thin and greatly reduced; 1 presut spal; 1 strong upper npl, lower npl slender, similar to pprn; 0 psut spal; 1 pal; 2 sctl, similar to prescutellar dc. Laterotergite with numerous brownish setae. Legs: Coxae and ventral faces of femora yellowish brown, remaining segments brown. Fore femur with anteroventral and posteroventral rows of short, slender, dark setae, length less than one-quarter width of femur. Hind tibia with strong dorsal and ventral setae on distal half, length nearly subequal to width of tibia. Wing: Narrow; infuscate; pterostigma absent; single long basal costal seta present; cell dm produced distally. Halter pale brown. Abdomen: Sclerites dark brown, with thin pruinescence, similar shade to thorax. Terminalia ( Fig. 16 View FIGURES 15–18 ): Hypandrium triangular, slightly longer than epandrium, tapered distally, without lateral setae. Phallus straight with expanded apex of shaft and horn-like expansion posteriorly; distiphallus slender, arched apically with expanded tip, more than one-half length of shaft. Ejaculatory apodeme slender. Epandrium rectangular, with short setae. Clasping cercus digitiform, flattened, with broadly rounded apex; inner face with peg-like setae confined to extreme anterior and dorsal margins. Surstylus rounded, strongly tapered to slender beak-like projection; dorsal margin with subapical ridge.

Female. Similar to male, except as follows: face not as brightly pruinescent; fore femur with anteroventral row of distinct setae.

Etymology. The species is named in reference to the shape of the clasping cercus.

Distribution and Ecology. Clinocera spatulata sp. nov. is widely distributed ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 21–28 ) across northern Thailand and perhaps Bhutan (from where males are needed to confirm identity). All captures were during the monsoon wet season. In Bhutan, the species was caught at 2,360 m, whereas in Thailand it was present in EM and MHE forest biotopes between 1,306 m and 2,210 m in Chiang Mai, Kamphaeng Phet and Nan provinces.