Bezzia (Homobezzia) sharjahi Alwin-Kownacka & Szadziewski & Szwedo 2017, sp. nov.

Bezzia (Homobezzia) sharjahi Alwin-Kownacka & Szadziewski sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 07610F8D-C955-4FD8-851A-395BA06AFB87

Fig. 2

Diagnosis

This new species differs from all other Middle East congeners in having the following combination of characters: thorax orange-brown with distinctly paler scutellum; legs uniformly brownish; fore femur with 6–9 ventral spines; male gonostylus long, with pointed apex; parameres long, slender, slightly curved dorsally; female with 2 subspherical seminal capsules with very long necks.

Etymology

The specific name refers to the Sharjah Desert, where most of the type series was collected.

Material examined

Holotype

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: ♂, adult, Sharjah Desert Park, 18 Jan. 2005, A. van Harten leg. (CEIUG).

Paratypes

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: 3 ♀♀, 3 ♂♂, same collection data as holotype except 18–25 Jan. 2005, light trap; 3 ♀♀, 1 ♂, same collection data except 9 Mar. 2005; 1 ♀, same collection data except 30 Apr. 2005; 1 ♀, same collection data except 30 Jun. 2005; 1 ♀, 1 ♂, same collection data except 21 Jul. 2005; 1 ♀, Wadi Wurayah, light trap, 15 Jan.–22 Feb. 2009, A. van Harten leg. (CEIUG).

YEMEN: 2 ♀♀, Al Mukalla, light trap, 1. Feb. 2003, A. van Harten leg. (CEIUG).

Description

Male

HEAD. Uniformly pale brown. Antenna (Fig. 2B) pale brown; flagellar plume poorly developed; flagellomeres 2(3)–13 with paler basal halves; flagellomeres 10–13 short; total flagellum length 0.50– 0.70 mm; antennal ratio 0.50–0.70. Palpus yellow, slender; third palpal segment short, with distinct capitate sensilla; palpal ratio 2.00.

THORAX. Orange-brown; scutellum paler. Wing pale, with barely visible veins; 1 poorly marked long radial cell; wing length 0.90–1.30 mm; costal ratio 0.70–0.80. Legs uniformly pale brown, tarsi slightly paler, coxae dark brown; claws small and equal on all legs; fore femur armed with 4–8 short ventral spines; tarsal ratio of fore leg 1.60–1.90, of mid leg 1.80–2.30, of hind leg 2.10–2.20.

ABDOMEN. Orange brown.

GENITALIA (Fig. 2 D–F). Tergite IX short, reaching apex of gonocoxite; sternite IX short. Gonocoxite short, stout; gonostylus long, narrow, distal half curved, with sharp apex. Parameres (Fig. 2E) fused, tongue-like, slightly curved dorsally, with blunt apex. Aedeagus (Fig. 2F) triangular, with low basal arch and barely visible rounded apex.

Female

HEAD. Brown. Antennal flagellum (Fig. 2C) with short flagellomeres, brown, proximal portions yellow; total flagellum length 0.50–0.70 mm; antennal ratio 0.80–1.10. Palpus slender, yellow; third palpal segment short, rather stout, without sensory pit; palpal ratio 2.00–2.50. Mandible with 6–8 massive distal teeth and numerous smaller proximal teeth.

THORAX. Orange brown; scutellum paler. Wing (Fig. 2A) venation similar to that of male; wing length 1.70–1.80 mm; costal ratio 0.80. Femoral coloration as in male; fore femur armed with 6–9 ventral spines; fore and mid tibiae with slightly dark bases, occasionally with slightly darker central areas, and dark apices; hind tibia with slightly darker base; tarsal ratio of fore leg 1.80–2.10, of mid leg 1.90–2.50, of hind leg 2.00–2.50.

ABDOMEN. Two subspherical seminal capsules (Fig. 2G) with long, thick necks; measuring 0.04–0.05 × 0.03–0.04 mm and 0.05–0.06 × 0.04–0.05 mm.

Distribution

United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Remarks

This new species is a typical member of the subgenus Homobezzia. It most closely resembles B. kuhetiensis, which has similar male genitalia and seminal capsules. However, B. kuhetiensis differs from B. sharjahi sp. nov. by its whitish legs with distinct, dark bands, the fore femur has only 2 ventral spines, and the parameres are straight.