Alavesia pankowskiorum Sinclair & Grimaldi 2020, new species
Creators: name: Sinclair, Bradley J.
name: Grimaldi, David A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Atelestidae
Alavesia
Alavesia pankowskiorum

description: Alavesia pankowskiorum, new species   Figures 1I–K, 3C–F, 7A–B, 8B, 10B, 15C–F  
 DIAGNOSIS: Relatively small species (fig. 15C–F), wing length 1.0 to 1.4 mm. Males with postpedicel lanceolate to slightly narrow-triangular L/ W 4.3 –3.4x, arista ~0.43 × length of postpedicel; cell cua slightly acute to truncate; M 1+2 and R 4+5 parallel (but slightly curved), diverging slightly at wing margin; M 1+2 and M 4 widely divergent; acrostichals in uniserial (vs. biserial) row; 2 (vs. 3) pairs scutellar setae.   
 DESCRIPTION: Male. Coloration: notum, abdominal tergites, terminalia evenly light brown, without bold markings; legs and postpedicel lighter. Head: Scape elongate, about as long as width of broadest portion of pedicel. Postpedicel lanceolate to slightly narrow-triangular, gradually and evenly tapered (fig. 1I–K), L/ W 4.3 –3.4x; stylus ~0.43 × length of postpedicel, with two basal articles. Palpus short and narrow (fig. 8B).   
 Thorax: Macrosetae thickened: acrostichals fine, short, in uniserial row; dorsocentral setae similar to acrostichals, ending in pair of long prescutellar dorsocentral setae; 1 anterior and 1 posterior postpronotal seta; 4 anterior notopleural setae of variable lengths, 1 posterior notopleural seta; 1 postsutural supraalar seta; 1 postalar seta; 2 pairs of scutellar setae.   
 Legs: Forecoxa with short erect anterior setae; anteroapical setae longer and stouter. Forefemur with anteroventral row of short, spinulelike setae; shorter rows near apex of mid and hind femora. Mid and hind coxae with 2–3 stout lateral setae on apical half. Tibiae with biserial row of short, stout ventral setae; apex of tibiae with long, apical ventral seta(e): (1-2-2). Hind tibia with dorsal row of stout setae, length about half width of tibia.   
 Wing: Length 1.0– 1.4 mm (fig. 3C–F). Costa terminating slightly beyond M 1+2; Sc nearly reaching costal margin; R 4+5 parallel to M 1+2, diverging slightly near wing margin, veins straight to slightly or obviously curved; crossvein r-m at midlength to apical quarter of cell dm; M 4 straight to wing margin; apex of M 4 approximately equidistant between M 1+2 and CuA+CuP; M 1+2 and M 4 widely divergent; CuA slightly convex; apex of cell cua slightly convex to virtually truncate, length of cell cua slightly shorter than cell bm; CuA+CuP mostly straight, slightly curved subapically to wing margin. Anal vein present; anal lobe very narrow.   
 Abdomen: Setae short, posteromarginal setae of tergites and sternites hardly differentiated. Segments 1–5 broad, remaining segments retracted with segment 5. Terminalia (fig. 7A,B): cercus finely setose; truncate apically. Epandrium U-shaped with broad dorsal bridge anterior to cerci; long setae along posterior margin, half length of epandrium. Surstylus very narrow and elongate, projecting nearly vertically from epandrium, as long as apical epandrial setae. Phallus slender, sclerotized projection; strongly and evenly (vs. abruptly) bent subapically, hooklike, with apex arched ventrally, apex minutely feathered, probably bifid. Female terminalia like that of Alavesia sp. (JZC Bu-1729: fig. 10C) and A. zigrasi (AMNH Bu-KL9-21: fig. 10D).   
TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype, male, AMNH Bu-1554 (other 2 males, 2 females paratypes). Paratypes, male AMNH Bu-888; male AMNH Bu-KL7-19; male USNM PAL 726869.  
ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet is named in honour of Pankowski family who donated several specimens used in this study.
description: Published as part of Sinclair, Bradley J. & Grimaldi, David A., 2020, Cretaceous diversity of the relict genus Alavesia Waters and Arillo (Diptera: Empidoidea: Atelestidae), pp. 1-40 in American Museum Novitates 2020 (3961) on pages 29-30, DOI: 10.1206/3961.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5370399