The Asteioinea of Fiji (Insecta: Diptera: Periscelididae, Asteiidae, Xenasteiidae)
Author
Grimaldi, David A.
text
American Museum Novitates
2009
2009-11-30
3671
1
60
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1206/685.1
journal article
10.1206/685.1
0003-0082
5358027
Asteia vanuaensis
,
new species
Figure 28
DIAGNOSIS: Externally virtually identical to
Asteia vitiensis
, exceptions being a thinner inner vertical seta and a dark (vs. light) palp. Best distinguished from
vitiensis
on basis of male terminalia (as figured): epandrium slightly asymmetrical (right side slightly thicker), aedeagus long, usually extensively protruding in undissected specimens, mostly sclerotized, with about 6 twists; apices of surstyli acute, left surstylus with apical tooth.
Fig. 27. Male terminalia of
Asteia pleurovitta
(
A
), and
A. pleurovittata
(
B
).
A.
Epandrium, surstyli, and aedeagus, oblique posterior view.
B.
Epandrium, surstyli, aedeagus, and ejaculatory apodeme, oblique posterior view.
DESCRIPTION: ThL 5
0.51 mm
. As for
vitiensis
, with exceptions as noted above in diagnosis.
TYPES
:
Holotype
, male:
FIJI:
Vanua Levu
:
VII
.7.08,
Road
up
Mt. Ndulaikoro
,
1000 m
, in rolled leaves of wild ginger,
D. Grimaldi. Not
dissected
.
Paratypes
:
Same
data,
3 males
(2 dissected: nos. 42, 44),
2 females
.
In
AMNH
. Other specimens:
Vanua Levu
, VII.
2.08, 16
°
329210S, 179
°
329500E,
402 m
, D. Grimaldi, in rolled banana leaves (
3 females
,
2 males
: in
AMNH
)
.
ETYMOLOGY: Species epithet from Vanua [Levu], in reference to the distribution.
COMMENTS: There is little question about the close relationships of
A. vitiensis
and
vanuaensis
, based on the apomorphic features listed in the diagnosis of the former. They seem to be endemic to each of the two big islands. The thickened stigmata at the end of Sc and R
1
occurs sporadically throughout
Asteiidae
and
Asteia
: in two species from
Costa Rica
(
Asteia spinosa
Sabrosky
,
Asteimyia antennata
Sabrosky
), in
Asteia nudiseta
Sabrosky
from Hawaii, in
Asteia atrifacies
Sabrosky
from
Guam
, in an undescribed species from
Australia
, and in
Bryania bipunctata
Aldrich
from the Hawaiian Islands. The species that most closely resemble the new Fijian species in most other features are
Asteia atrifacies
and the new species from
Australia
, though neither of these has the greatly expanded face of the
Fiji
species.