Ceratoculicoides propinquus Fasbender 2023, sp. nov.

Ceratoculicoidespropinquus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: E8A43CD5-482E-4376-8AAB-FBC676694752

Figs 5c, 10i–k

Male

Ceratoculicoides propinquus sp. nov. can be separated from congeners by the following combination of characters: femora and tibiae brown; wing length ~ 0.95 mm; apices of parameres acute, tapering distally; aedeagus lateral margins straight, apical and posterolateral points adjacent, without accessory spines, posterolateral point subtriangular, apex directed anteriorly (Fig. 10k).

Female

Unknown.

The specific epithet ‘ propinquus ’ is a Latin adjective expressing ‘closeness’ or ‘kinship’, which refers to the similarity of this species with C. sp. M1 and C.moravicus.

Holotype

USA • ♂; California, Los Angeles Co., Pine Canyon; 13 Jun. 1953; W.A. McDonald leg.; USNM.

Paratype

CANADA • ♂; British Columbia, 23 km NW of Port Renfrew, Upper Carmanah Valley; 16–30 Aug. 1991; N. Winchester leg.; CNCI.

Description (male)

MEASUREMENTS (n = 2). Head width 270–286; flagellomeres 44–47, 21–26, 21–25, 25, 21–22, 19–22, 22– 23, 27–30, 27–28, 29–32, 77, 51–63, 64–71; AR 0.74–0.76; FR 1.68–1.7; wing length 0.94–0.96 mm; wing width 0.29–0.31; costal ratio 0.53; GCR 1.58–1.7; GSR 1.04–1.05; aedeagus ratio 1.26–1.35.

THORAX. Dorsocentral punctations possibly absent, at most a few spots of thinned cuticle among dorsocentral setae. Legs with femora and tibiae yellow or very lightly infuscate.

GENITALIA (Fig. 10i–k). Distal portion of parameres tapering gradually to acute apex. Aedeagus lateral margins straight, becoming slightly divergent at apex; posterior margin a smooth concave arc, hyaline medial incision broadest posteriorly, tapering anteriorly; base of posterolateral point directed laterally, apex rounded, directed anterolaterally; apical point subacute, directed posterolaterally, adjacent to posterolateral point, without accessory spines between apical and posterolateral points, similar in size and shape to apical point.

British Columbia (Canada), California (USA) (Fig. 13).

This species belongs to the C. moravicus group, and is very similar to C. aliciae, C. sp. M1 and C. moravicus. It can be recognized by the straight lateral margins of the aedeagus (vs distinctly tapering at midlength in C.aliciae and C.moravicus) and the apical and posterolateral points being adjacent but without accessory spines between them (spines present in C. sp. M1 and C.moravicus), and the posterolateral point apex rounded and directed anteriorly (Fig. 10k). The posterior margin of the aedeagus forms an evenly concave arc, while C. aliciae has a distinct acute medial notch along its posterior margin (Fig. 10e). Females have not been associated for this species.