Empidideicus kettaniae Evenhuis & Maamri 2026, sp. nov.

Abstract

Empidideicus kettaniae Evenhuis & Maamri, sp. nov. (Figs. 8, 10) Types. Holotype ♀ and paratype ♀ from Morocco: Rif, Larache, Taghzout, Adrou, 556 m, 35.523333°N, 05.62861°W, 14 Jun–5 Jul 2013, K. Kettani, Malaise in Quercus suber forest (MNHNR). Other paratypes. Morocco: 1♀, Rif, Ben Karrich, Oued Mhajrat, 5.4873000°N, - 5.4392000°W, 16 Aug–13 Oct 2016, K. Kettani, Malaise in Pinus pinaster forest. Holotype and paratypes in MNHNR. Diagnosis. Similar to Empidideicus (E.) hackmani in having a black prescutellar area but can be separated from it by the scutellum being all yellow (scutellum black with yellow stripe medially in E. (E.) hackmani). Description Female (Fig. 10a). Length: 1.8–2.0 mm. Wing: 1.6–1.8 mm. Head (Figs 10a, b): slightly longer than high; eyes dichoptic, separated at vertex by 1× distance between lateral ocelli; occiput dorsally and medially black, laterally along posterior eye margin; frons yellow with brown spot medially; face white, tip of oral margin brown; antennae with scape yellow, short, subtrapezoidal; pedicel yellow, subconical, wider than long; first flagellomere conical, length 2× width; second flagellomere [broken off in all specimens]; mentum membranous, white; clypeus brown, as long as oral margin; proboscis dark black, length 2× head length; labrum sclerotized, stiff, pointed apically, length 1.5× head height. Thorax (Figs. 10a, b). Mesonotum matte black; yellow dorsolaterally from humeral callus to post alar callus; yellow interhumeral marks not coalesced with yellow humeral calli; scutellum yellow, brown at extreme lateral margin; prescutellar area black; mesonotal disc and dorsum of scutellum with short fine white hairs; pleura bare, yellow, with black to on following:anteroventral corner of anepisternum and anepimeron, lower half of katepisternum; propleuron white; halter stem and knob white. Legs. Fore coxa yellowish brown, mid and hid coxae brown; femora predominantly yellow, brown basally; tibiae and tarsal segments 1–2 yellow; tarsal segments 3–5 brown. Wing (Fig. 8). Elongate, length 3.5× width; subhyaline; veins brown to pale brown; costa ends beyond end of R 4+5; vein Sc incomplete; Rs faded basally at connection with R 1; R 4+5 straight to wing margin; vein M 1 curved toward wing margin; M 2 straight; cell dm open apically; CuP thick, straight to wing margin; CuA evanescent; anal cell open at wing margin; fringe of hair on posterior margin of wing. Abdomen. Dorsum brown, concolorous with mediotergite color; tergites II–VII predominantly brown with yellowish white along posterior margin, band becoming successively broader on successive segments; lateral margins broader white than posterior bands; sternites white; tergites with sparsely scattered minute white hairs. Genitalia. Not dissected. Male: Unknown Remarks. This species occurs only in the Rif Mountains (Map 1), where it inhabits forested environments such as cork-oak forest under a humid bioclimate, dense shrubland with herbaceous vegetation, and pine stands along riverbanks. Etymology. The specific epithet is named for Dr. Kawtar Kettani, who generously provided the first author with much material for study from Morocco, and for her efforts at increasing our knowledge of the Moroccan Diptera fauna. Distribution. Morocco.