Mycterodus meridionalis Gnezdilov 2021, sp. n.

Mycterodus meridionalis sp. n. (Figs 1–11)

Description (Figs 1–3). Metope slightly longer than wide, with weakly concave upper margin and distinct median and sublateral carinae (Fig. 3). Median carina of metope crossing metopoclypeal suture and slightly entering postclypeus. Sublateral carinae of metope not reaching metopoclypeal suture. Metopoclypeal suture wedge-shaped. Rostrum reaching hind coxae, apical segment narrowing apically. Ocelli rudimentary. Pedicel barrel-shaped. Coryphe weakly transverse, anterior margin quadrangular, posterior margin obtusely angulate (Fig. 1). Pronotum slightly longer than coryphe, with weak median carina, anterior margin strongly convex, posterior margin nearly straight. Paradiscal fields of pronotum rather wide behind the eyes. Paranotal lobes of pronotum wide, with bent lower margins. Mesonotum as long as pronotum, without carinae. Forewings nearly oval (Fig. 2), with wide precostal area, pressed to thorax in its basal halves, without hypocostal plate. Forewing vein sequence: R 2, furcating in wing basal fourth, M 3, firstly furcating after radius and M 1 furcating apically; CuA 1. Clavus is 2/3 of wing length. Hind wings apparently rudimentary (not visible after abdomen dissection). Hind tibia with two lateral spines in its distal half and with eight apical spines. First metatarsomere with two latero-apical and six intermediate spines in entire row; each intermediate spine with a long subapical seta. Arolium of pretarsus with straight hind margin not exceeding claw apices (in dorsal view); dorso-lateral plates narrow.

Coloration (Figs 1–3). Metope dark brown, with brown yellowish carinae. Postclypeus dark brown, with yellow basal angles and median line. Coryphe dark brown, with brown yellowish median line. Pronotum brown yellowish, except dark brown to black median part, with brown yellowish median line, and dark brown traces of larval sensory pits. Paranotal lobes yellowish brown to dark brown on its lower margins. Forewings brown, with yellow precostal area and brown to dark brown clavus. Legs brown yellowish, except brown posteriorly hind femora. Claws brown. Apices of rostrum and leg spines and dorso-lateral plates of arolium black.

Male genitalia (Figs 4–11). Anal tube rhomb-shaped, narrowed basally and apically (in dorsal view) (Fig. 5); lateral margins without processes (in lateral view) (Fig. 4). Anal column short, 0.2 as long as anal tube. Pygofer narrow, with almost straight hind margins and straight upper angles (Fig. 4). Phallobase narrow, slightly curved (in lateral view), completely covering the aedeagus, dorso-lateral lobes narrowing apically, with dentate margins; ventral margins of the lobes without processes above ventral aedeagal hooks (Figs 6, 7). Phallobase dorsally with large triangular lobe near to its middle between two dentate margins (Fig. 8). Ventral phallobase lobe long and wide, widely rounded apically (Fig. 7). Apical aedeagal process narrow, narrowing apically, not visible above upper phallobase margin. Aedeagus with a pair of long ventral hooks, acute, rising at its middle and directed downwards. Connective with wide cup (Fig. 9). Style with angularly concave hind margin and widely rounded caudo-dorsally (Fig. 11). Capitulum of style without neck, lateral tooth wide, apical tooth distinct. Capitulum of style wide, not narrowing apically (in dorsal view) (Fig. 10).

Total length. 4.0 mm.

Etymology. Species name derived from the Latin for “southern”.

Type materal. Holotype, male, Iran, Kerman Province, Rafsanjan county, Raviz rural District, Shahabieh village, 1800 m, 24.V.1996, R. Linnavuori leg.

Differential diagnosis. The new species has no close relatives within Iranian species of the genus Mycterodus and well differs from all known species of the genus by forewings with wide precostal area, pressed to thorax in its basal halves and the details of phallobase and style structure illustrated here. Forewing characters mentioned above make this species similar to the members of Iranian genera Iranodus Dlabola and Cavatorium Dlabola, however, well distinguished by the structure of male genitalia (Gnezdilov, in press).