Parapterogramma tokotaai, Kuwahara & Marshall & Luk, 2025

Kuwahara, Gregory K., Marshall, Stephen A. & Luk, Stephen P. L., 2025, A revision of Parapterogramma Papp and Pseudopterogramma Papp, with a review of the Parapterogramma genus group of the Pacific and Indomalayan regions (Diptera, Sphaeroceridae, Limosininae), European Journal of Taxonomy 998, pp. 1-124 : 65-70

Parapterogramma tokotaai sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:70C32D87-2212-4616-9E2B-CC337795F5A4

Figs 37–39 , 41F , 42

Etymology

This species name recognizes Moala Tokota’a, a local guide who contributed to the Malaise trap sampling for the Fiji Arthropod Survey (see Evenhuis & Bickel 2005).

Material examined

Holotype

FIJI – Viti Levu • ♂; Vuda , 1 km E of Abaca Village, Koroyanitu National Park, Savuione Trail; 17°40′ S, 177°33′ E; 800 m a.s.l.; 7–12 Oct. 2002; Schlinger and Tokota’a leg.; Malaise; BPBM.

Paratypes

FIJI – Viti Levu • 1 ♀; Vuda, Abaca Village, Koroyanitu National Park ; 17°40′ S, 177°33′ E; 400 m a.s.l.; 21 Sep.–7 Oct. 2002; Irwin, Schlinger, and Tokota’ a leg.; Malaise; BPBM • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 7–12 Oct. 2002; BPBM • 1 ♂, 6 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 6–26 May 2003; BPBM • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; Savuione Trail ; 12–19 Nov. 2002; BPBM • 3 ♀♀; Vuda, 0.5 km N of Abaca Village, Koroyanitu EcoPark ; 17°40′01″ S, 177°33′00″ E; 800 m a.s.l.; 12–19 Nov. 2002; Schlinger and Tokota’a leg.; Malaise; BPBM • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; Mount Evan’s Range ; 26 Nov.–3 Dec. 2002; BPBM • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; Kokabula Trail; DEBU • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; Vuda, 1 km E of Abaca Village, Koroyanitu EcoPark ; 17°40′01″ S, 177°33′00″ E; 800 m a.s.l.; 22 Apr.–6 May 2003; Schlinger and Tokota’ a leg.; Malaise; BPBM • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Vuda, 1 km E of Abaca Village, Koroyanitu National Park, Kokabula Trail ; 17°40′ S, 177°33′ E; 800 m a.s.l.; 19–26 Oct. 2002; Schlinger and Tokota’a leg.; Malaise; DEBU • 4 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 12–19 Nov. 2002; DEBU • 1 ♂, 8 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; BPBM • 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; 26 Oct.–5 Nov. 2002; DEBU • 3 ♂♂, 4♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; 12–19 Nov. 2002; BPBM • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; 450 m a.s.l.; 12–19 Oct. 2002; BPBM • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; 21 Oct.–18 Nov. 2003; BPBM .

Description

BODY ( Fig. 37 ). Length 1.0– 1.2 mm. Head caramel-brown, paler under silvery microtomentose areas that are limited to bases of interfrontal and orbital bristles, ocellar triangle, lunule, and around inner vertical bristle; gena yellow; antenna yellow-brown. Frontal width 1.3× interfrontal height. Eye height 2.5× genal height. Thorax brown. Scutum with pale grey and brown microtomentum forming two dark longitudinal stripes, lateral margins broadly yellow microtomentose; scutellum brown with median, dark brown microtomentose triangle. Anterior dorsocentral bristles separated by 8–9 rows of acrostichal setulae. Legs caramel-brown, femora apically paler, tarsi slightly paler. Male mid tibia with weak apicoventral bristle and one row of stout anteroventral setae; ventral face in apical third slightly concave. Male mid femur with sparse long ventral setae on apical half. Wing ( Fig. 41F ) pattern weak. CS2 0.5× CS3. R 2+3 broadly curved in apical half, angled at ~60° to costa; costa extending well beyond apex of R 4+5 (5–6 × costal width). M 1 indistinct beyond dm-m; M 4 extended beyond dm-m; CuA+CuP long. Halter whitish.

MALE ABDOMEN ( Fig. 38 ). S5 broad with a very large, posteromedial emargination, and dense but not very long posterolateral setae. S6 with an elongate, sinuate ventrolateral apodeme extending underneath the medial part of S5; S7 broad. Epandrium small, wedge-shaped and sparsely long-setose laterally; cercus flat, rectangular, ventrally emarginate, with a medial patch of setulae; subepandrial sclerite rectangular, indistinct but medially darkened. Surstylus long but low, bilobed: anterior lobe larger, subtriangular but bulging anteriorly, setulose on the inner ventral surface with pointed anteroventral apex, posterior lobe triangular, apex curved posteroventrally, with setulae along anterior margin. Postgonite elongate, curved, evenly tapered with apex blunt, basal half with a stout, tooth-like anterior lobe. Phallapodeme elongate, gently curved with distinctly bent apex; basiphallus flattened laterally, fused to base of distiphallus. Distiphallus stout, largely membranous, basal half with a broad, diamond-shaped upper sclerite, apex supported by pair of curved dorsolateral sclerites, lower surface with short patch of dense papillae.

FEMALE ABDOMEN ( Fig. 39 ). T6 and T7 rectangular, slightly desclerotized posteromedially and long-setose along posterior margin; T8 desclerotized medially and split into two large lateral plates with long lateral setae. Epiproct membranous, indistinct but with two small, lateral setae. S6 rectangular, desclerotized posteromedially; S7 broadly emarginate anteriorly and long-setose along posterior margin; S8 semicircular and long setose posteriorly. Hypoproct reduced, subrectangular, relatively densely setose with a posteromedial row of small, stout, tooth-like setae. Spermathecae stout, subcylindrical, slightly wider at base, lightly grooved with deep invaginations at both ends, stem very short and membranous.

Remarks

Parapterogramma tokotaai sp. nov. is externally similar to Pa. peckorum sp. nov. and Pa. matau sp. nov. Males of Pa. tokotaai differ from those of Pa. peckorum in mid tibial chaetotaxy, including a weak apicoventral bristle and a conspicuous row of stout anteroventral setae; both sexes can be distinguished from Pa. matau by the M

4

that extends distinctly beyond dm-m.

Parapterogramma tokotaai sp. nov. is known only from Vuda Province of Viti Levu, where it occurs with the relatively infrequently collected Pa. peckorum sp. nov.

Figures

Fig. 37. Parapterogramma tokotaai sp. nov., paratype (DEBU). A. Male habitus, lateral view. B. Male head, anterodorsal view. Scale bars: A = 0.50 mm; B = 0.25 mm.

Fig. 38. Parapterogramma tokotaai sp. nov., paratype (DEBU). A. Male terminalia, posterior view. B. Male terminalia, lateral view. C. Aedeagus and associated structures, lateral view. D. Male S5–8, ventral view. Scale bars: A–D = 0.10 mm.

Fig. 39. Parapterogramma tokotaai sp. nov., paratype (DEBU). A. Female terminalia, dorsal view. B. Female terminalia, ventral view. C. Female terminalia, lateral view. D. Single spermatheca. E. Paired spermathecae. Scale bars: A–C = 0.30 mm; D–E = 0.01 mm.

Fig. 41. Parapterogramma Papp, 2008, left wings, ventral views. A. Parapterogramma ofiensis sp. nov., holotype (DEBU). B. Parapterogramma peckorum sp. nov., paratype (DEBU). C. Parapterogramma pollex sp. nov., paratype (DEBU). D. Parapterogramma pugioformis sp. nov., paratype (DEBU). E. Parapterogramma simplex sp. nov., paratype (CNCI). F. Parapterogramma tokotaai sp. nov., paratype (BPBM). Scale bars: A–F = 0.50 mm.

Fig. 42. Distribution map of Parapterogramma Papp, 2008.