Porricondyla pumila, Jaschhof, 2024

Porricondyla pumila sp. nov.

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Fig. 28 View Fig

Diagnosis

Morphology

This unusually small species is tentatively classified in Porricondyla (see the remarks below). It differs from other representatives of the genus in several regressive characters: the number of flagellomeres is reduced from the ordinary 14 to 11, the eye bridge is only 0‒1 ommatidium long dorsally, and vein M 4 is missing. The construction of the terminalia is absolutely Porricondyla -like and includes tusk-shaped parameres and large, albeit completely membranous gonocoxal processes. A peculiarity is that the gonocoxa has a small, setose lobe near the gonostylar base (↓ 1, Fig. 28A View Fig ). Larvae and females of P. pumila sp. nov. are unknown.

DNA barcode

The CO1sequence(640bp)of the paratype specimen detailed below is available in BIN BOLD:ADW3592. Search on BOLD’s BIN Database retrieved a further two matches for this BIN, both as Cecidomyiidae sp. from Bavaria, Germany (accessed 27 Aug. 2023).

Etymology

The Latin adjective ‘ pumila ’ means ‘dwarfish’. The name refers to the unusually small size of this species.

Type material

Holotype

GERMANY • ♂; Bavaria, Weilheim, Pähl , Hartschimmelhof ; 47°94′24″ N, 11°18′33″ E; 20 Jun.‒12 Jul. 2020; D. Doczkal and K. Grabow leg.; Malaise trap; nutrient-poor pasture; ZSM-DIP-42303-B01 .

GoogleMaps

Paratypes

GERMANY • 1 ♂; same data as for the holotype but 47°94′30″ N, 11°18′29″ E; 9‒23 Jun. 2021; GBOL and R. Albrecht leg.; Malaise trap; ZSM-DIP-42471-G04 • 1 ♂; Baden-Württemberg, Malsch, Luderbusch ; 48°91′31″ N, 8°33′25″ E; elev. 117 m; 21‒28 Jun. 2020; D. Doczkal and K. Grabow leg.; Malaise trap; south-facing hill slope; BOLD GBDTA10125-21 ; ZSM-DIP-42305-E07 GoogleMaps .

GoogleMaps

Other characters

Male

BODY LENGTH. 1.0‒ 1.4 mm.

HEAD. Antenna markedly shorter than body; scape and pedicel somewhat brighter than flagellum; slightly sinuous circumfila present on flagellomeres 1‒8; neck of fourth flagellomere 0.7× length of node ( Fig. 28B View Fig ). Palpus 4-segmented, as long as head height, apical segment longest of all.

THORAX. Scutal windows absent. Pronotum with 1 seta, anepisternum glabrous, anepimerum with 1‒2 setae.

WING. Markedly shorter than body. Length / width ratio 2.6.

LEGS. Foreleg with femur and tibia equally long, tibia 1.3 × as long as T 2. Claws slightly bent, toothless. Empodia nearly as long as claws.

TERMINALIA ( Fig. 28A View Fig ). Gonocoxal synsclerite: ventral emargination shallow, with darkly pigmented margin; processes straight, rounded apically; a small portion ventroanteriorly devoid of setae; ventroanterior margin broadly rounded. Gonostylus: outside convex, with setae of various sizes; inside slightly concave, with fewer and finer setae, including 1 subapical bristle; apical tooth plate-like. Parameres slender, with narrow transverse bridge at about half length; apices directed posteriorly, not crossing each other. Aedeagal apodeme shorter than gonocoxae, moderately sclerotized; apex slightly bent ventrally.

Remarks

My decision to assign P. pumila sp. nov. to the genus Porricondyla rests upon three arguments: (1) the terminalia structures of males are completely Porricondyla -like, (2) a better classification alternative is wanting, and (3) regressive morphology per se is in my opinion not a cogent reason for defining a separate genus. On the assumption that my classification is correct, P. pumila is the first representative of the genus Porricondyla with fewer than 14 male flagellomeres, which means a significant extension of the generic definition ( Jaschhof & Jaschhof 2013: 209).