Aphaniosoma interispina Ebejer 2023, sp. nov.

Aphaniosoma interispina sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 7386E214-7A75-4065-A35E-9B15A465461E Figs 46–47 Diagnosis A yellow species with brown longitudinal scutal vittae appearing pale owing to dense yellowish white microtomentum; 2 well-developed fronto-orbital setae and a pair of long setae in front of anterior ocellus. Male with the 6 th tergite bearing a small black spine on its ventro-medial margin; epandrium small, round at base and shining black; surstylus broad-based, black and triangular. In general appearance and chaetotaxy, this species is similar to A. falciferum, but it does not have the long black postgonite of the other species. The three long setae on the ventral margin of tergite 6 are similar to those of A. trisetum Ebejer, 1998, but in all other respects it differs from that species. Etymology The species epithet is a combination of the Latin ‘ interior ’ (‘inside’) and ‘ spina ’ (‘spine’) and refers to the spine within the lower margin of tergite 6. Material examined Holotype ISRAEL • ♂; Western Negev, Nahal Lavan; 30°58ʹ N, 34°24ʹ E; 24 Mar. 2000; M.J. Ebejer leg.; shrubs on sand; OUMNH DIPTO801. Description MEASUREMENTS. Body length: male 1.1 mm. Wing length 1.2 mm. Male, holotype HEAD (Fig. 46B). Yellow, ocelli partly ringed with black; gena about half height of eye at middle and with scattered pale yellowish white setulae; a pair of vibrissal setae on each side; frons narrow at anterior margin about 0.5 × as wide as at level of anterior ocellus; ocellar setae about as long as anterior fronto-orbital, 2 well-developed fronto-orbital setae and 2 very short and inconspicuous setulae anterior to these; about 12 setae on frons and a longer pair in front of the anterior ocellus; 1 inner and 1 outer vertical well-developed; paravertical setae short and convergent, postocular setae strong and in one row; face short, poorly sclerotized and depressed; median carina distinct, sharp and low, reaching clypeus; antenna yellow, pedicel paler than basal flagellomere and with distinct short dark seta dorsally; basal flagellomere with fine pubescence along anterior margin a little longer than diameter of base of arista; arista all brown and minutely pilose. THORAX (Fig. 46). Mostly yellow; scutum with brown longitudinal vittae separated by narrow yellow lines and covered with dense yellowish microtomentum; scutellum yellow and pleura yellow; mediotergite brown; chaetotaxy: 1 postpronotal with fine short seta adjacent, 1 presutural with a short fine seta close and anterior to it, 1 incurved intra-postpronotal, 2 notopleurals, the anterior quite strong; 1+4 intra-alars, 1 postalar, 2+6 dorsocentrals with only posterior seta well-developed, 0+4 acrostichals, no prescutellars, 4 scutellars, anepisternal seta short and inconspicuous short, 1 very strong katepisternal at upper posterior corner and a short fine seta far anterior to it. WING. Veins all pale; distance on costa between R 2+3 and R 4+5 about 0.4 × that between R 4+5 and M 1; distance between crossveins about 1.4 × as long as posterior crossvein, which is about 0.4 × as long as apical section of M 4. Haltere pale yellow. LEGS. Numerous pale-yellow scattered setulae, with longer posterior setulae on fore femur; apico-ventral seta on mid tibia present; claws black and pulvilli normal; tarsi yellow; hind trochanter not modified. ABDOMEN. Basal tergites brown dorsally, becoming much narrower laterally; tergites 4–6 mostly yellow; tergite 6, laterally on its ventral margin with 3 close set long white setae (Fig. 47A) and on medial aspect of ventral margin (inner surface), bearing a small black spine (Fig. 47B); tergites with relatively few fine pale setulae. HYPOPYGIUM (Fig. 47). Not dissected as the holotype is the only specimen and it exhibits enough diagnostic features externally; epandrium small, round and shining black, bearing a narrow black and curved surstylus that is bluntly truncated apically; pregonite pale and with apical setulae; postgonite broad-based, shining black, curved and pointed; aedeagus not visible; cercus pale yellow, fused with the opposite side and setulose but without any exceptionally long setae. Female Unknown. Distribution Israel.Published as part of Ebejer, Martin J., 2023, The genus Aphaniosoma Becker, 1903 (Diptera: Chyromyidae) in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, with descriptions of new species, pp. 1-161 in European Journal of Taxonomy 872 on pages 83-87, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2023.872.2131, http://zenodo.org/record/801830