ZooKeys 1040: 33-48 (202 1) A peer-reviewed open-access journal
doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1040.64376 RESEARCH ARTICLE #ZooKey S

https:/ / ZOO keys. pensoft.net Launched to accelerate biodiversity research

Two new crane fly species of the subgenus Vestiplex
Bezzi, 1924 (Diptera, Tipulidae, Tipula) from Yunnan
and Sichuan, China, with a key to species
in the immota species group

Qiu-Lei Men', Pavel Starkevich?, Aidas Saldaitis?

I School of Life Sciences, Province Key Laboratory of the Biodiversity Study and Ecology Conservation in South-
west Anhui Province, Anging Normal University, Anging, Anhui 246011, China 2 Nature Research Centre,
Akademijos 2, LT-08412 Vilnius, Lithuania

Corresponding author: Pavel Starkevich (pavel.starkevic@gmail.com)

Academic editor: EL. da Silva | Received 13 February 2021 | Accepted 7 May 2021 | Published 26 May 2021
http://zoobank.org/C241D42C-1 D2E-49F6-8D1E-CC96D8B&D9I0D

Citation: Men Q-L, Starkevich P, Saldaitis A (2021) Two new crane fly species of the subgenus Véestiplex Bezzi, 1924
(Diptera, Tipulidae, 7ipu/a) from Yunnan and Sichuan, China, with a key to species in the immota species group.
ZooKeys 1040: 33-48. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys. 1040.64376

Abstract

Two new crane fly species, Tipula (Vestiplex) gongdangensis sp. nov. and T’ (V.) dechangensis sp. nov. are
described and illustrated based on materials collected in the Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, China. A
key is provided to distinguish males of the new species from those of other species in the 77 (V.) immota
Alexander, 1935 species group which is proposed here for the first time.

Keywords

Hypopygium, ovipositor, taxonomy, Tipulinae

Introduction

The World fauna of the subgenus Véestiplex Bezzi, 1924 currently amounts to 176 de-
scribed species, distributed throughout the Holarctic and Oriental regions (Ooster-
broek 2021). The Chinese fauna of Vestiplex is richly represented, with 69 species and
one subspecies (Oosterbroek 2021).

Copyright Qiu-Lei Men et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY
4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

34 Qiu-Lei Men et al. / ZooKeys 1040: 33-48 (2021)

The subgenus Véestiplex can be recognized by females having a powerfully con-
structed and heavily sclerotized cercus, usually with a serrated ventral margin, although
margins may be smooth in some of the Asiatic species (Alexander 1935, 1965; Alex-
ander and Byers 1981). The hypogynial valve is short to rudimentary, in the shape of
blades or plates, or filamentous (Starkevich et al. 2019a, 2020).

Some species of the subgenus Véestiplex have tergite 9 of the male hypopygium
forming a shallowly concave and sclerotized saucer (Alexander 1935; Alexander and
Byers 1981; Starkevich et al. 2020), while other species have tergite 9 divided by a pale
membrane at the midline, with the posterior margin of the dorsal portion simple or
bearing additional lobes, ventrally membranous or terminating in a pair of plates, scle-
rotized processes, armatures or flattened lobes (Alexander 1935; Alexander and Byers
1981; Men et al. 2017; Pilipenko et al. 2019; Starkevich et al. 2019a, b).

Two new species were detected while sorting and identifying specimens of Vestiplex
from the Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, China. In the present paper, the new species
are described and illustrated. The Tipula (V.) immota Alexander, 1935 species group
is proposed here for the first time. A key to separate all known species in this species
group Is given.

Materials and methods

Adult crane flies were collected at ultraviolet light and with an insect net, and preserved
in 96% ethanol. Specimens were studied with a Nikon SMZ800 (Nikon, Japan) and
an Olympus SZ61 (Olympus, Japan) stereomicroscopes. Images were taken with a
Canon EOS 80D (Canon, Japan) mounted on an Olympus SZX10 (Olympus, Japan)
stereomicroscope and with a KUY NICE (KUY, China) mounted on an Olympus
SZ61 stereomicroscope. The genitalia were studied after boiling in a 10% NaOH solu-
tion for 5-10 minutes.

Descriptive terminology follows that of Ribeiro (2006) and Cumming and Wood
(2017). The term “appendage of sternite 9” (A9S) is adopted from Mannheims
(1963), and the terms “ventral lobe” and “dorsal lobe” of A9S were adopted from
Gelhaus (2005).

Abbreviations for institutional collections used herein: AQNU = Anging Nor-
mal University, Anqing, China; NRC = Nature Research Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania;
USNM = United States National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C.,
USA; other abbreviation: PS = slide by Pavel Starkevich.

Abbreviations for terms of the terminalia: adm, adminiculum; AIA, anterior im-
movable apodeme; ap, anal plate; A9S, appendage of sternite 9, bu, bursa; c, cercus;
CG, clasper of gonostylus; dl, dorsal lobe of appendage of sternite 9; dp, dorsal portion
of tergite 9; EA, ejaculatory apodeme; gex, gonocoxite; h, hypogynial valve; LG, lobe
of gonostylus; PIA, posterior immovable apodeme; s, sternite; sp, spermatheca; sp d,
spermathecal duct; t, tergite; vl, ventral lobe of appendage of sternite 9; vp, ventral
portion of tergite 9.

New Véestiplex crane flies from China 35

Taxonomy

Tipula (Vestiplex) immota Alexander, 1935 species group

The immota group can be distinguished from other 7: (Vestiplex) species by tergite 9
having 1) a pair of brown, inconspicuously protruded rounded lobes dorsally, located
on either side of the midline, 2) posterior margin terminating into a pair of short,
heavily blackened processes and 3) membranous, brown ventral portion with addi-
tional microscopically darkened dots.

Males of the immota group can also be recognized by the following features: gono-
coxite dorsally produced into a horn or spine; clasper of gonostylus terminating into an
extended upper beak, dorsal crest nearly rectangular or angular, with a blackened ridge
originating from the dorsal corner and a suffused black rim along dorsal surface; lower
beak absent; sternite 9 with dorsal lobe of A9S short, fused basally with ventral lobe;
adminiculum flattened basally and dilated, with median portion distinctly protruded.
The female is known only for 7’ (V.) dechangensis sp. nov. and is characterized by a
smooth cercus and a short, blackened, plate-like hypogynial valve.

The immota group is close to the bicornigera species group (Starkevich et al 2019a).
Both groups are characterized by an armed gonocoxite, tergite 9 with additional exten-
sions on posterior margin, and dorsal lobe of A9S reduced. The bicornigera group can also
be separated by the hypertrophic ventral portion of tergite 9, the absence of protruded
lobes on the dorsal surface, and posteromedian lobes having the same level of sclerotiza-
sion as the rest of the tergal surface, not heavily blackened as in the immota species group.

Tipula (Vestiplex) dechangensis sp. nov.
http://zoobank.org/59772C00-8AC4-4499-A956-AF7B340E2010
Figs 1-21, 36

Type material. Holotype: male, Cuina, Sichuan, road Dechang/Miyi, 27°05.34'N,
102°01.40'E, alt. 2100 m, 10 May 2018, R. Butvila & A. Saldaitis (NRC); preserved
in ethanol.

Paratypes: 3 males, 2 females, male genitalia slide No. PS0421m, wing slide No.
PS0440m, female genitalia slide No. PS0422f, same data as holotype (NRC); pre-
served in ethanol.

Comparative material examined. Tipula (V) bicornuta Alexander, 1920: Holo-
type, male, Cuina, Taiwan, Funkiko, 21 April 1917, pinned, T. Shiraki (USNM);
antenna, wing and genitalia on slide (USNM). Tipula (V.) immota Alexander, 1935:
Holotype, male, Cina, Sichuan, Kwanhsien, alt. 2000-4000 ft, 15-31 May 1933,
Graham (USNM); pinned; paratype, male, topotypic (USNM), antenna, leg, wing
and genitalia on slide (USNM).

Diagnosis. Tipula (V.) dechangensis sp. nov. can be recognized by the following
combination of characters: body yellow, abdomen with basal segments yellow, tergites

36 Qiu-Lei Men et al. / ZooKeys 1040: 33-48 (2021)

Figures |, 2. 7ipula (Vestiplex) dechangensis sp. nov. | holotype male, lateral view 2 wing. Scale bar: 2.0 mm.

trivittate, distal segments, including hypopygium, dark brown; male antenna reach-
ing base of abdomen if bent backward. Hypopygium with gonocoxite apically with
a black spine that is curved at tip; tergite 9 divided at midline by a pale membrane,
posterior margin with U-shaped notch, dorsal surface with pair of brown, inconspicu-
ously protruded, rounded lobes, posterior margin terminating with a pair of black
and short, wedge-shaped processes; adminiculum with a rounded preapical incision in
lateral view. Female with cercus nearly straight, outer margin smooth, without visible
serration, hypogynial valve in the shape of short brown plates, obtuse at apex.

Description (Figs 1-20). Adult male (Fig. 1) (n = 4). Lengths: body 11.3-
13.2 mm, wing 14.3—-15.5 mm, antenna 5.1-6.6 mm.

Head. Yellowish, vertex and occiput yellowish with dark brown median line. Ros-
trum yellowish, with short nasus. Antenna 13-segmented, elongate, if bent backward
reaching base of abdomen. Scape, pedicel and first flagellomere yellow; following flag-
ellomeres basally brown, apically light brown. Each flagellomere except first slightly
enlarged at base (Fig. 1). Apical flagellomere small, reduced. Verticils shorter than their
corresponding segments. Palpus brownish-yellow.

New Véestiplex crane flies from China oF

Figures 3-9. Male terminalia of Tipula (Vestiplex) dechangensis sp. nov., holotype 3 hypopygium, lateral

view 4 tergite 9, caudal view 5 tergite 9, dorsal view 6 hypopygium, caudal view 7 lobe of gonostylus
(left) 8 clasper of gonostylus (left), lateral view 9 hypopygium, caudal view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (10-13);
1.0 mm (14, 15).

Thorax. Pronotum light brown, with darker median line. Prescutum and presu-
tural scutum brownish, with four brown longitudinal stripes. Interspaces grey, me-
dian pair fused anteriorly, with anterior margins inconspicuously bordered by darker
brown. Scutum grey, scutal lobes each with two brown spots. Scutellum and medioter-
gite grey, with dark brown median line. Pleura yellowish, thinly grey-dusted (Fig. 1).
Leg with coxa and trochanter yellow; femur yellow, with darkened tip; tibia and tarsal
segments dark brown; tarsal claw with tooth (Fig. 1). Wing light brown (Fig. 2), cell sc

38 Qiu-Lei Men et al. / ZooKeys 1040: 33-48 (2021)

Figures 10-15. Male terminalia of Tipula (Vestiplex) dechangensis sp. nov., holotype 10 right gonocoxite,
lateral view II lobes of appendage of sternite 9 12 adminiculum, lateral view 13 adminiculum, ventral

view 14 sperm pump, dorsal view 15 sperm pump, lateral view.

not darker than ground colour, stigma dark brown, variegated by light areas including
apical area of cell c and medial area of first cell of cell fi.ta light band across apical area
of cell r,, base of cells iat and ie and median area of discal cell; remaining light area
including base and apical areas of bm. Wing venation: R, complete, R,,_, subequal in
length to R,, R, as long as Rs, R, curved in apical half, r-m as long as base of Ri discal
cell narrow, at least 3 times as long as petiole of cell iy, cell m, more than 4x longer
than its petiole. Halter pale yellow, knob brown basally, pale yellow apically.

Abdomen. Abdominal segments 1-6 yellow, tergites trivittate, rest of segments,
including hypopygium, brown (Fig. 1).

Hypopygium (Figs 3-15). Tergite 9 and sternite 9 totally separated. Tergite 9 com-
pletely divided at midline by a pale membrane (Fig. 5). Dorsal portion of tergite 9 lat-
erally pale yellow, medially with a pair of brown, inconspicuously protruded, rounded
lobes located on either side of midline; posterior margin covered with setae, medially
with a U-shaped notch and a pair of black and short, wedge-shaped processes; poste-
rolateral margin rounded (Figs 4, 5). Ventral portion membranous, brown, each half
triangular at margin (Fig. 5). Gonocoxite not fused with sternite 9, posterior part
produced into a dorsally-directed spine (Figs 3, 6, 10). Lobe of gonostylus narrowed,

New Véestiplex crane flies from China bx,

t10

20

Figures 16-20. Female terminalia of Tipula (Vestiplex) dechangensis sp. nov. (paratype) 16 ovipositor,
left lateral view I7 eighth sternite with hypogynial valves, ventral view 18 sternite 9 with bursa 19 furca

20 spermatheca with spermathecal duct. Scale bars: 1.0 mm (16, 17); 0.5 mm (18-20).

slightly curved, finger-shaped (Fig. 7). Clasper of gonostylus yellow, terminating in
an extended upper beak; dorsal crest nearly rectangular with short, blackened ridge
generated from the dorsal corner; a suffused black rim along dorsal surface; lower
beak absent; base with short lobe and covered with setae (Figs 3, 6, 8). Sternite 9 with
ventral lobe of AOS dark brown, nearly triangular, covered with setae (Fig. 11). Dorsal
lobe of A9S yellow, densely covered with setae, short, finger-shaped, fused with ventral
lobe at base (Fig. 11). Adminiculum triangular in ventral view, basally flattened and
dilated (Fig. 12); median portion, before apex, distinctly protruded with margin raised
at base; with a rounded preapical incision in lateral view, apex narrowed (Fig. 13).
Sperm pump with ejaculatory apodeme fan-shaped, with a small V-shaped notch me-
dially (Fig. 14). Posterior immovable apodeme of same length as ejaculatory apodeme,
with paired arms curved dorsally, terminating in an acute apex in lateral view (Fig. 15).
Anterior immovable apodeme broad, flattened, obtuse in dorsal view. Aedeagus more
than 3.5 times as long as sperm pump (Fig. 15).

Female. Adult (n = 2). Lengths: body 18.4—20.1 mm, wing 15.1-16.8 mm, an-
tenna 2.9—3.1 mm.

40 Qiu-Lei Men et al. / ZooKeys 1040: 33-48 (2021)

Figure 21. Type locality of Tipula (Vestiplex) dechangensis sp. nov. China, Sichuan, road Dechang/Miyi,
alt. 2100 m.

Generally similar to male. Antenna yellow, if bent backward reaching presutural
scutum. Flagellar segments, except first, slightly enlarged at base. Abdomen yellow,
tergites trivittate, with distinct dorsal stripe.

Ovipositor (Figs 16-20). Tergite 10 shiny yellow. Cercus yellow, nearly straight,
with tip obtuse and outer margin smooth (Fig. 16). Sternite 8 yellow, with hypogynial
valve brown (Figs 16, 17).

Hypogynial valve in the shape of short plate, brown (Fig. 17). Posterior margin
of hypogynial valve medially incised, terminating in an obtuse apex in ventral view.
Posterior part of sternite 9 covered with short filaments, shovel-shaped, medially with
a groove, posterior margin rounded (Fig. 18). Anterior part of sternite 9 narrow, nearly
straight (Fig. 18). Furca long, posteriorly flattened, anteriorly narrow (Fig. 19). Three
spermathecae, spherical (Fig. 20).

Biology and distribution. The new species is known from the Dechang, located
at the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau in Sichuan Province, China (Fig. 36). Two
males and three females were collected at ultraviolet light at the beginning of May,
at an altitude of around 2100 m. The new species was collected in the dry valley
of a small river, with slopes covered by mixed forest dominated by various broad-
leaved trees such as oaks (Quercus dentata Thunberg, Q. glauca Thunberg), poplars
(Populus cathayana Rehder, P simonii Carriére), elm (Ulmus parvifolia Jacquin),

New Véestiplex crane flies from China 41

thododendrons (Rhododendron brachycarpum G. Don, R. dauricum Linnaeus), and
bamboos (Phyllostachys ssp., Borinda ssp., Fargesia spp.) (Fig. 21).

Etymology. The new species name is derived from the type locality, Dechang, in
Sichuan, China.

Disscussion. 7ipula (V.) dechangensis sp. nov. is most similar to 7’ (V.) gongdangen-
sis sp. nov. in body and antenna colouration, and in the shape of the gonocoxite, the
clasper of the gonostylus and the dorsal lobe of A9S. These two species can be separated
by following details of tergite 9: posterior margin with U-shaped notch, black process-
es wedge-shaped, and posterolateral corner without extension in 7’ (V.) dechangensis sp.
nov.; posterior margin broadly emarginated, without U-shaped notch, black processes
nearly triangular, and posterolateral corner extended in 7’ (V.) gongdangensis sp. nov.
Both species can be also separated by differences in the adminiculum, which has a
preapical incision in 7’ (V) dechangensis sp. nov. that is absent in 7’ (V.) gongdangensis
sp. nov., and by the ventral lobe of A9S, which is well developed in 7’ (V) dechangensis
sp. nov. and indistinct in 7’ (V.) gongdangensis sp. nov.

Tipula (Vestiplex) gongdangensis sp. nov.
http://zoobank.org/ D6CD9F93-8220-424 1-8979-3C7453D7C492
Figs 22-36

Type material. Holotype: male, Cuina, Yunnan, Gongshan County, Bingzhongluo,
Gongdangshenshan, 27.97°N, 98.66°E, 12 June 2019, leg. Men QL & Lv L(AQNU),
preserved in ethanol.

Paratypes: 23 males, topotypic (AQNU), preserved in ethanol.

Diagnosis. Tipula (V.) gongdangensis sp. nov. can be recognized by the following com-
bination of characters: body yellow, abdomen with basal segments yellow, tergites trivit-
tate, distal segments, including hypopygium, dark brown; male antenna reaching base
of abdomen if bent backward. Hypopygium with gonocoxite armed with a black spine;
tergite 9 divided at midline by a pale membrane, broadly emarginated at posterior margin,
dorsal surface with a pair of brown, inconspicuously protruded, rounded lobes, posterior
margin terminating with a pair of short, black, triangular processes. Adminiculum with
median portion before apex distinctly protruded, apex curved, acute in lateral view.

Description (Figs 22-34). Adult male (Fig. 22) (n = 24). Lengths: body 10.5-
11.2 mm, wing 14.0-14.2 mm, antenna 5.6-5.9 mm.

Head. Yellowish, vertex and occiput yellowish, medially with narrow dark brown
line. Rostrum yellowish, with short nasus densely covered with black setae. Antenna
13-segmented, elongate, if bent backward reaching base of abdomen. Scape, pedi-
cel and first flagellomere yellow; following flagellomeres basally brown, apically light
brown, producing an indistinct bicoloured appearance (Fig. 22). Each flagellomere,
except first, slightly enlarged at base, segments progressively shortened and narrowed.
Apical flagellomere small, reduced. Verticils shorter than their corresponding segments.
Palpus brownish-yellow.

42 Qiu-Lei Men et al. / ZooKeys 1040: 33-48 (2021)

Figure 22, 23. Tipula (Vestiplex) gongdangensis sp. nov. 22 holotype male, lateral view of holotype

23 wing. Scale bar: 2.0 mm.

Thorax. Pronotum light brown, with darker median area. Prescutum and presutur-
al scutum brownish, with four brown longitudinal stripes. Interspaces between median
and lateral stripes grey, with light and short setae. Median pair with anterior margins
and inner margins on apical 1/4 suffused with black. Scutum grey, scutal lobes grey-
pruinose, each with two brown spots. Scutellum and mediotergite grey-pruinose, with
dark brown median line. Pleura yellowish, thinly dusted with brown (Fig. 22). Leg with
coxa and trochanter yellow; femur yellow with tip dark brown; tibia and tarsal seg-
ments dark brown; tarsal claw with a tooth. Wing light brown (Fig. 23), cell sc darker
than ground colour, stigma dark brown with a light area at base, variegated by light ar-
eas, including apical area of cell c and median area of 1* cell of cell fea! light band across
apical area of cell Ey base of cells hk and i and median area of discal cell; remaining
area light, including base and apical areas of cell bm, and median and apical areas of

New Véestiplex crane flies from China 43

31

Figures 24-34. Male terminalia of Tipula (Vestiplex) gongdangensis sp. nov., holotype 24 hypopygium,
dorsal view 25 tergite 9, caudal view 26 hypopygium, lateral view 27 hypopygium, ventral view 28 lobe
of gonostylus (left) 29 clasper of gonostylus (left), lateral view 30 lobes of appendage of sternite 9 31 ad-
miniculum, lateral view 32 ejaculatory apodeme 33 sperm pump, dorsal view 34 sperm pump, lateral

view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (23=30); 0.8 mm (31=33).

44 Qiu-Lei Men et al. / ZooKeys 1040: 33-48 (2021)

4
Figure 35. Type locality of Tipula (Vestiplex) gongdangensis sp. nov. China, Yunnan, Gongshan County,
Bingzhongluo, Gongdangshenshan.

cells cua and cup. Wing venation: R, atrophied in basal half, R, , , slightly shorter than
Regs distinctly shorter than Rs, R, curved in apical half, r-m distinctly longer than
base of R, discal cell narrow, 3x as long as petiole of cell m. cell m, more than 4x as
long as its petiole. Halter with stem yellow, knob brown, with apical part lighter.

Abdomen. Abdominal segments 1-6 yellow, with brown lateral and median stripes;
remaining segments, including hypopygium, brown (Fig. 22).

Hypopygium. (Fig. 24-34). Tergite 9 and sternite 9 totally separated (Fig. 24).
Tergite 9 completely divided at midline by a pale membrane (Fig. 24). Dorsal portion
of tergite 9 medially with a pair of brown, inconspicuously protruded, rounded lobes,
located on either side of midline; posterior margin emarginated, with a pair of black,
short, nearly triangular processes, posterolateral margin extended into rounded lobes
that are covered with setae. Ventral portion membranous, brown, with darker areas
provided with brown microscopic dots; anal plates narrowed, attached to rounded
margins of ventral portion (Fig. 25). Gonocoxite entirely cut off from sternite 9, ba-

New Véestiplex crane flies from China 45

Tae é

Figure 36. Collecting sites of Tipula (Vestiplex) in China: Sichuan, Tipula (V.) dechangensis sp. nov. (tri-
angle); Yunnan, Tipula (V.) gongdangensis sp. nov. (circle).

gonocoxite, lobe of gonostylus and clasper of gonostylus 38 Tipula (V.) immota, paratype, gonocoxite,

lobe of gonostylus and clasper of gonostylus. Scale bar: 0.05 mm (37, 38).

sally covered with setae, dorsally produced into a slightly curved spine with an acute
tip (Figs 26, 27). Lobe of gonostylus slightly flattened in middle (Fig. 28). Clasper
of gonostylus yellow, upper beak extended, dorsal crest angular, with a black ridge
originating from the dorsal corner; with a suffused black rim along dorsal surface;
lower beak absent; base with triangular lobe and covered with setae (Figs 24, 26, 29).
Sternite 9 with ventral lobe of A9S dark brown, nearly triangular, covered with setae
(Figs 27, 30). Dorsal lobe of A9S yellow, densely covered with setae, short, narrowed
towards apex, fused with ventral lobe at base (Fig. 30). Adminiculum triangular in ven-
tral view, basally flattened and dilated (Fig. 27); median portion, before apex, distinctly
protruded; apex curved, acute at tip (Fig. 31). Sperm pump (Figs 32-34) with ejacula-

46 Qiu-Lei Men et al. / ZooKeys 1040: 33-48 (2021)

tory apodeme V-shaped, each arm expanded and rounded apically (Fig. 32). Posterior
immovable apodeme with strongly curved paired arms, terminating in an acute apex in
lateral view (Fig. 34). Anterior immovable apodeme broad, flattened, round in dorsal
view (Fig. 33). Aedeagus more than 4x as long as sperm pump (Fig. 34).

Female. Unknown.

Biology and distribution. A total of 24 males were collected with insect nets
around the middle of June, 2019 on Gongdang Mountain, located in the south of
Bingzhongluo town of Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province
(Fig. 36). The new species was collected at altitudes of approximately 2000-2400 m,
in mixed mountain forest dominated by various deciduous trees and bushes (Fig. 35).

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the type locality, Gongdang Mountain,
Yunnan, China.

Discussion. Tipula (V.) gongdangensis sp. nov. and T! (V.) dechangensis sp. nov. are
closely related to 7’ (V.) dashahensis (Yang et al. 2005: p. 381, fig. LA—C) based on the
shape of the clasper of the gonostylus and of the dorsal lobe of A9S, but they differ
by the shape of gonocoxite, which is stout, horn-shaped in 7’ (V.) dashahensis and is
slender, spine-shaped in 7’ (V.) dechangensis sp. nov. and T’ (V.) gongdangensis sp. nov.
The two new species can also be separated by the intermediate stripes on the prescutum
and presutural scutum, which are fused in 7’ (V.) dashahensis and separated, except at
the anterior margin, in both of the newly described species.

Key to species (male) of the immota species group

1 Gonocoxite apically stout, horn-shaped, broad at base, gradually narrowing
toward apex (Figs 37, 38; Yang et al. 2005: p. 381, fig. LA)... eee 2
Gonocoxite apically with a slender spine (Figs 3, 26)... es cesessesecereeseeseeees 4

pi Prescutum and presutural scutum with fused intermediate stripes (Yang et al.
7A 010s ea antec ee nm. T. (V.) dashahensis Yang, Zhu & Liu, 2005

— Prescutum and presutural scutum with intermediate stripes separated, con-
HUET HOP VEALANTELI OP MATT uh.5.3.cruan. sh aut esssnede Hoa beeevis naa teeters athenearamle 3

5 Flagellum bicolorous. Femora brownish-yellow, blackened at tip, preceded by
a slightly brighter ring. Clasper of gonostylus slightly curved, beak broadened,
rounded at tip; dorsal margin extended into indistinct teeth (Fig. 37) ...........
Pee See ee el ae 9 ee eee, oe a ee ee Oe T. (V) immota Alexander, 1935

- Flagellar segments black basally and dark brown distally. Femora brown, tip
broadly dark brown. Clasper of gonostylus bent almost at a right angle, with
beak narrowing toward apex; dorsal margin extended into two distinct teeth
(Feige SB) sae 0 eee sit ce. ee eet a T. (V.) bicornuta Alexander, 1920

- Gonocoxite with curved, spine-shaped tip (Fig. 3). Tergite 9, at posterior
margin, with median U-shaped notch; posterolateral margin of tergite 9 not
403 03/3 Kl Ons ota) eee VO T. (V.) dechangensis sp. nov.

— Gonocoxite with tip not curved (Fig. 26). Tergite 9 broadly emarginated at
posterior margin, without median U-shaped notch; posterolateral margin of

tergite 9 extended into short lobes (Fig. 24) ... 7 (V.) gongdangensis sp. nov.

New Véestiplex crane flies from China 47

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Dr. S. Podénas of the Nature Research Centre (Lithuania) and Dr.
J. K. Gelhaus of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (USA) for
their valuable help and their assistance in obtaining specimens from the Smithsonian
Institution. We also express our thanks to Rimantas Butvila (JJoniskis, Lithuania) for
his enthusiastic camaraderie during the China trips. This study was supported by the
National Natural Science Foundation of China, China (31300551), and the Anhui
Outstanding Young Talent Support Program, China (gxbjZD2020073).

References

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