Limnophora bipunctata

Limnophora bipunctata (Stein)

(Figs 1D‒G)

Calliophrys bipunctata Stein; Becker 1908a: 103 (Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma); Becker 1908b: 195 (Madeira); Frey 1936: 131 (Gran Canaria, La Gomera, La Palma).

Limnophora (Calliophrys) bipunctata (Stein); Hennig 1960: 385; Báez 1981: 632, pl. 1 figs 9, 10, pl. 2 Figs 1, 2 (Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma).

Limnophora (Melanochelia) bipunctata (Stein); Santos Abréu 1976: 106 (La Palma).

Limnophora bipunctata (Stein); Pont 1986: 179; Couri & Pont 2020: 6, 50 figs 230‒233 (male syntype, terminalia).

Material examined. [MZH, NHMD]: CANARY ISLANDS: FUERTEVENTURA: Chilegua, 1♂, 1♀ 20‒23.v.1951 (B. Pettersson). GRAN CANARIA: Maspalomas, 3♂, 3♀ 9‒10.iii.1950 (H. Lindberg); Bco. Virgin, Moya, 400m, 1♂ 20.vii.1984 (Olsen, Skule & Stadel); El Risco, 28°02´N 15°43´W, 150‒200m, 4♂, 1♀ 7‒12.i.2014 (V. Mi- chelsen); Aldea, 27°58´N 15°43´W, 8km E, 250m, 1♀ 30.xi.2014 (V. Michelsen). LA GOMERA: Cumbre, 2♀ 1931 (R. Frey); Las Toscas, 28°04´N 17°12´W, 720m, 1♂, 2♀ 19.xi.2002 (V. Michelsen); La Laja, 480‒600m, 4♂, 4♀ 23.xi.2002, 8♂, 4♀ 22‒29.i.2016 (V. Michelsen); Las Carretas, 28°11´N 17°14´W, 80m, 3♂, 1♀ 10‒12.i.2006 (V. Michelsen); Los Loros, 28°09´N 17°16´W, 520‒770m, 1♀ 1‒7.ii.2008 (V. Michelsen); Bco. Arure, 28°06´N 17°19´W, 200‒265m, 7♂, 3♀ 4.ii.2008 (V. Michelsen); Alojera, 28°10´N 17°19´W, 100‒120m, 2♂ 5.ii.2008 (V. Michelsen); Bco de Aguajilva, Lomito Fragoso, 28°07´N 17°10´W, 220‒250m, 6♂ 19‒24.i.2019, 4♂, 2♀ 24‒ 29.i.2020 (V. Michelsen). MADEIRA: São Vicente, 2♂, 1♀ 1‒2.vii.1957 (H. Lindberg); Poiso-Arieiro, 1♂, 2♀ 19.vi.1957 (H. Lindberg); Ribeira Brava, 1♂, 1♀ 1.vii.1957 (H. Lindberg); Porto Santo, 1♂ 6‒12.vii.1957 (H. Lindberg); Canical, 1♀ 29.iv.1959 (H. Lindberg).

Diagnosis. Small, wing length 2.8‒4.0mm. Male: Arista short-pubescent, longest branches c. 1.5 times greatest width of arista. Frons nearly horizontal, broad and flat, in dorsal view with brownish black frontal vitta contrasting with silvery white fronto-orbital plates; frontal triangle dark brown, not quite reaching lunule. Fronto-orbital plate with 1 orbital and 3‒4 frontal setae. Silvery white parafacial plate with a golden brown patch on upper part. Frons lying behind moderately produced facial margin. Mesonotum for most part brownish pruinose, but postpronotal lobes, pairs of spots immediately in front of the suture and the scutellum, and often basal disc of scutellum whitish grey pruinose; occipital declivity of mesonotum and notopleura yellowish grey pruinose. Dorsocentral setae 3 behind the suture; acrostichal field with setulae only, arranged in 2 close-set rows. Scutellum with fine setulae notably dense on apical third. Vein R 4+5 on basal half between radial node and crossvein r‒m with 1‒2 dorsal setulae. Mid femur with 1 subapical pd seta, without pv setae; mid tibia with 1 pd seta at middle. Hind femur with 1 av seta near apex, without pv setae. Sternite I with setulae at hind margin (Fig. 1F). Sternite V and hypopygium as in Figs 1D, E, G

Female: Similar to the male, but frons slightly convex and declining. Parafacial plates without light brown patch on upper part. See Table 1 for ovipositor characters which coincide with those of L. nitidithorax.

Distribution. Canary Islands: Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma; Madeira. Widespread in the Mediterranean subregion.