Asynapta falcata Jaschhof, 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Jaschhof, Mathias
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Cecidomyiidae
Asynapta
Asynapta falcata

description: Asynapta falcata sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: FB552245-A2D2-4D27-805B-0622FFC5DF1C
Fig. 9
Diagnosis
Morphology
Male terminalia characters to distinguish Asynapta falcata sp. nov. from congeners are as follows (Fig. 9A). The ovoid, setose gonocoxal processes of considerable size are almost completely surrounded by membranes, rendering them strangely separated from the sclerotized gonocoxal portions farther below (↓ 1). The gonocoxal ventral emargination resembles a small, sharply outlined U (↓ 2). The ventral parameres are sickle-shaped, with their apices slightly overlapping (↓ 3). Larvae and females of this new species are unknown.
DNA barcode
The CO1 sequence (652bp) of the paratype specimen listed below is available in BIN BOLD:AEX1610. Search on BOLD’s BIN Database retrieved no further result for this BIN (accessed 26 Aug. 2023).
Etymology
The specific epithet, the Latin adjective for falciform, refers to the outline of the parameres characteristic of this species.
Type material
Holotype
GERMANY • ♂; Baden-Württemberg, Malsch, Luderbusch; 48°91′17″ N, 8°33′20″ E; elev. 114 m; 3‒10 May 2020; D. Doczkal and K. Grabow leg.; Malaise trap; windthrow of aspen trees; ZSM-DIP-42473-F08.
Paratypes
GERMANY • 1 ♂; same data as for the holotype but 48°91′20″ N, 8°33′22″ E; elev. 112 m; 26 Apr.‒3 May 2020; ZSM-DIP-42478-E07 • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding but 10‒17 May 2020; BOLD DTIII8818-22; ZSM-DIP-42477-G06.
Other characters
Male
BODY LENGTH. 2.3 mm.
HEAD. Eye bridge dorsally 9‒10 ommatidia long. Scape and pedicel nearly concolorous with flagellum. 15‒16 flagellomeres; neck of fourth flagellomere 0.9 × as long as node (Fig. 9B). Palpus 4-segmented, longer than head height.
THORAX. Metepisternal setae absent.
WING. Slightly shorter than body. Length /width ratio 2.5.
LEGS. Claws with large tooth basally. Empodia almost as long as claws.
TERMINALIA (Fig. 9A). Gonocoxal synsclerite broader than long; ventral surface with large glabrous area around emargination, anterior margin pointed; medial bridges with numerous setae arising from large sockets; dorsoposterior portions subtriangular, protruding markedly beyond ventroposterior portions. Gonostylus nearly 3× as long as high, slightly bent, with pectinate tooth of moderate size. Dorsal parameres (tegmen) subrectangular, slightly longer than broad, lateral margins reinforced by sclerotization. Aedeagal apodeme longer than parameres, moderately sclerotized, beyond the junction of the accessory gland ducts a large, partly sclerotized broadening.
Species comparison
The only other Asynapta in Europe with sickle-shaped parameres is A. furcifer Barnes, 1932, known from Italy and Cyprus (Gagné & Jaschhof 2021) as well as Israel (unpublished data). In specimens of A. furcifer I studied from Israel, the parameres are markedly longer compared with A. falcata sp. nov., and angled rather than evenly bent. Interestingly, A. furcifer has the same kind of isolated gonocoxal processes as found in A. falcata, making it even more likely that the two species are closely related. According to descriptions in the literature, A. mira Mamaev & Zaitzev, 1997 from Somalia and A. northi Spungis, 2006 from the Seychelles belong to the same kin (Mamaev & Zaitzev 1997; Spungis 2006a), along with an unnamed Asynapta I have seen from Israel. Asynapta falcata appears to be the northernmost representative of a species group with predominantly Mediterranean/Afrotropical distribution.
description: Published as part of Jaschhof, Mathias, 2024, New taxa and new records of Winnertziinae and Porricondylinae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from Germany, pp. 1-134 in European Journal of Taxonomy 953 on pages 38-39, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2024.953.2649, http://zenodo.org/record/13749629