Edenophorus hiemalis Sinclair 2002, sp. n.

Edenophorus hiemalis sp. n.

(Figs 3, 5, 8)

Etymology: From the Latin hiemalis (of winter), in reference to the season in which the holotype was collected.

Holotype male labelled: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: ‘RSA: KwaZulu Natal / Prov.Karkloof Ra. / 2000m, Howick Distr. / Benvie Farm (Geekie’s)/ 8.vii.2001, Podocarp / for., B.J. Sinclair’ (NMSA).

Recognition:This species is distinguished by the absence of cell dm, proboscis subequal to height of head, and yellow antenna and proboscis.

Description:

Male:

Head: Eyes closely approximated, less than width of scape; facets not enlarged; face and frons with dense mat of fine pale setulae. Antenna yellow, except extreme tip of postpedicel and style; scape and pedicel almost subequal in length; postpedicel conical, clothed in fine pubescence, ca 3 times length of pedicel (Fig. 3), gradually tapered to style; style slightly longer than pedicel. Occipital setae pale, biserial, slightly stouter than surrounding setae. Proboscis yellow, slightly shorter than height of head; palpus one-third length of proboscis, slender bearing long, pale setae.

Thorax: Dusted entirely with grey pruinescence.Thoracic setae generally short, slender, pale, reduced to numerous rows: Acr biserial; more than 10 dc, uniserial, gradually increasing in length posteriorly with prescutellar dc stout and similar to pprn; inter-alar setulae scattered, extending to wing base; 2 pprn (lower directed anteriorly, upper directed posteriorly) and several short setulae; 1 ph; 3 npl, upper shortest; 1 pal; 4 sctl, inner pair stouter and twice length of outer pair. Antepronotum with 1 pair of short, slender setae; upper half of anepisternum with several pale setulae; precoxal bridge with 1 stout seta above fore coxa.

Legs: Pale yellow (concolorous with halter), apical tarsomeres darker. Fore coxa with with 4–6 stout, long, lateral pale setae; segments clothed in fine setulae, lacking modified setae.

Wings (length 2.0 mm) (Fig. 5): Stigma indistinct. Venation similar to other species, except crossvein dm-cu absent; M vein reduced in strength, medial fork U-shaped, petiole or stem slightly shorter than fork; M 1 not strongly arched towards wing margin, slightly divergent from R 4+5. Halter yellow.

Abdomen: Dusted greyish brown, pale brown, paler than thorax. T8 broad, one-half length of preceding tergite; S8 divided into pair of rounded, lateral sclerites, articulated posteriorly to anterolateral corner of S7.

Terminalia (Fig. 8): Held horizontally, cercus dorsal; partially retracted into segment 8. Cercus finely sclerotised, finger-like. Apex of epandrium with pair of finger-like lobes projected medially. Hypandrium reduced. Phallus with enlarged basal sperm chamber; ejaculatory apodeme inverted T-shaped, broad, stout, articulated at base of chamber, subequal to length of terminalia. Postgonite cylindrical, with rounded tip, arising ventrally from near base of phallus, extended to tip of phallus.

Female: Unknown.

Remarks:A photograph of the type locality is found in Smith (1969, fig. 415). Much of the slope is now planted with exotic trees, but the Podocarpus forest remains, although reduced in size, surrounding a small stream. This site supports a rich empidoid fauna, but it is most diverse in the early summer months. The holotype was swept from short vegetation growing over the stream bank.