Microphorella subacroptera sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 009C4AAA-CAD2-4F84-9B69-D962E7FEE3A8

(Figs 1, 16, 56, 57,102)

Type material. HOLOTYPE, ♂ from South Fork Santa Ana River, California, labelled: “SFKSSTAANA | 18/6/45CAL| ALMELANDER”; “ ALMelander | Collection| 1961”; “HOLOTYPE| Microphorella | subacroptera | Brooks & Cumming” [red label] (CNC). PARATYPE: USA: California: San Bernardino County: same data as holotype [34°10'N 116°49'W] except, CNC1155816 (1♂, USNM) .

Other material examined. USA: California: Kern County: Mt. Pinos [34°48'46"N 119°08'43"W], 2550 m, 3–4.vi.1992, A. Goering, J. Skevington, Malaise, Iris meadow (1♂, DEBU).

Diagnosis. Males of this species can be distinguished from other members of the M. acroptera species group by the following combination of characters: hind basitarsus with upturned basiventral spur-like seta (Fig. 57); halter brown (Fig. 56); hind trochanter with cylindrical tubercle (similar to Fig. 8); antenna with stylus longer than bulb-shaped postpedicel; hypopygium very similar to M. acroptera (see Figs 11–16).

Description. Male (Figs 16, 56, 57): Wing length 1.8–1.9 mm. Similar to M. acroptera except as follows: Head (Fig. 56): Face and clypeus apparently narrower, about 1.3× width of anterior ocellus; antenna with arista-like stylus slightly shorter, 1.45× length of postpedicel. Thorax: Blackish and shiny in lateral view, dorsum blackish-bronze and shiny; acrostichals weak, biserial or mostly absent; 5–6 dorsocentrals. Legs: Hindleg: Basitarsus (Fig. 57) with tiny, upturned, basiventral spur-like seta. Wing: As in description of M. acroptera . Abdomen (Fig. 56): Sternite 5 apparently with ventral projection, membranous medially (damaged in dissections and not readily observable on holotype). Hypopygium: Dorsal lobe of left surstylus with dorsolateral tubercle bearing thick seta (not developed as blade-like prensiseta), subtended by thin medial flap-like lobe with triangular dorsal edge. Dorsal lobe of right surstylus (Fig. 16) broad, with tuberculate prensiseta proximal to small thumb-like lobe bearing a pair of lateral setae and 1 medial seta. Phallus identical to M. acroptera except, with smaller inflated loop in middle portion. Hypoproct larger, left and right lobes symmetrical, with rounded apicolateral projection. Cercus with longer process ventromedially.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution and seasonal occurrence. This new Californian species is known from the South Fork of the Santa Ana River (Fig. 1) in San Bernardino County and Mount Pinos in Kern County (Fig. 102). Specimens were collected in June.

Etymology. This species is named for its similarity to M. acroptera .

Remarks. This species is apparently closely related to M. acroptera and M. triangulata sp. nov., based on their very similar hypopygial morphology.