Tianarinha micet Irwin & Winterton 2024, gen. et sp. nov.
Creators: name: Irwin, Michael E.
name: Winterton, Shaun L.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Therevidae
Tianarinha
Tianarinha micet

description: Tianarinha micet gen. et sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 255759B6-BAFF-4386-84B7-8A4B38A44CD3
Figs 12–13, 14C–D, 15E, 16I–J, P, 19
Diagnosis
Frons with short setae dorsally only, lacking setae just above antenna; male frons wider than width of ocellar tubercle, lacking dark marking across middle of frons (Fig. 14C–D); setae absent on posterior surface of hind coxa (Fig. 12A).
Differential diagnosis
See Diagnosis.
Etymology
We are pleased to name this species after the Malagasy Non-Governmental Organisation, Madagascar Institut pour la Conservation des Ecosystemes Tropicaux (MICET), which acted as in our behalf to secure collecting permits and other legal documents from the Government of Madagascar before Malaise traps could be placed in nationally protected areas.
Material examined
Holotype MADAGASCAR – Tulear Province (Atsimo-Andrefana Region) • ♂; Ambohimahavelona, Andoharano dry forest; 23.4408° S, 43.8997° E; 45 m a.s.l.; 19–28 Jun. 2010; M.E. Irwin and R. Harin’Hala leg.; Malaise at hillside wash; CASC.
Paratypes MADAGASCAR – Tulear Province (Atsimo-Andrefana Region) • 5 ♂♂; same collection data as for holotype; various dates: 29 Jun.–10 Aug. 2009, 10 Jun.–30 Aug. 2010, 7 Jun.–10 Jul. 2011; CSCA • 36 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Tsimanapetsotsa National Park; 24.0486° S, 43.7522° E; 45 m a.s.l.; various dates: 2 Jun.–2 Sep. 2012; M.E. Irwin and R. Harin’Hala leg.; Malaise across path in Mitoho dry forest; CSCA.
Other material
MADAGASCAR – Tulear Province (Atsimo-Andrefana Region) • 97 ♂♂; 3 km E of Itampolo; Androimpano Plateau; 24.6578° S, 43.9562° E; 45 m a.s.l.; various dates: 26 Mar.–12 Apr. 2009; 28 May–11 Jun. 2009, 11 Jun.–6 Aug. 2009, 4–11 Feb. 2010, 27 May–3 Jun. 2010, 17 Jun.–14 Aug. 2010; M.E. Irwin and R. Harin’Hala leg.; Malaise across path in dry forest; CSCA.
Description
BODY LENGTH. 4.0– 5.5 mm (male), 5.0–6.0 mm (female).
HEAD. Frontal profile flat, slightly raised above antennal bases with medial furrow, pubescence silver-gray with light brown suffusion (male), silver with dark yellow-brown suffusion (female), both with brown pubescent band from antennal base to eye margin; male frons width at narrowest point wider than ocellar tubercle; frons with diverging rows of short, black setae below ocellar tubercle; ocellar tubercle flat, gray pubescent with short macrosetae; erect, black postocular macrosetae in a single row, additional setae irregularly arranged dorsomedially on occiput in both sexes; occiput pubescence silver-gray, brown suffusion medially; genal setae dark; antennal scape shorter than flagellum, cylindrical, black, overlain with gray pubescence admixed with short, dark macrosetae; flagellum conical, tapered distally, brown with gray pubescence.
THORAX. Scutum gray-tan with brown markings, broad medial stripe with narrower dark medial stripe, lateral stripes broken to tessellate, scattered short dark setae; scutellum concolorous with scutum; pleuron dark with sparse gray pubescence; katatergite with admixed pale and dark setae; scutal and scutellar macrosetae black, relatively elongate; coxae brown pubescent, minor setae mostly dark, macrosetae few in number, black; hind coxa without setae on posterior surface; femora dark yellow, suffused with dark brown, lighter apically, short dark setae admixed with longer pale setae and sparse covering of white scale-like adpressed setae; hind femur with single subapical anteroventral macroseta; tibiae yellow, dark gray-brown apically; tarsi dark yellow with apices brown; wing uniform smoky infuscate, darker along veins and in some cells; venation dark; haltere stem pale with knob mostly brown; scutal chaetotaxy (pairs): notopleural, 3; supra alar, 1–2; post alar, 1; dorsocentral, 1; scutellar, 1.
ABDOMEN. Male abdomen mostly dark brown with sparse glaucous pubescence admixed with long pale setae, darker on posterior segments and terminalia; female abdomen mostly dark brown, posterior margins pale cream, broader medially; terminalia dark yellow.
Remarks
Tianarinha micet gen. et sp. nov. is known from three coastal localities with spiny thicket habitat in southern Madagascar.
description: Published as part of Irwin, Michael E. & Winterton, Shaun L., 2024, New genera of stiletto flies endemic to Madagascar (Therevidae: Therevinae), pp. 1-33 in European Journal of Taxonomy 932 (1) on pages 21-25, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2024.932.2507, http://zenodo.org/record/11001504