Guang Zhang

Taxonomy of the Hirtodrosophila melanderi species group (Diptera: Drosophilidae), with descriptions of four new species from southwestern China

The Hirtodrosophila melanderi species group contains nine known species recorded from either the Old or the New World. All these species were thought to be strict fungivorous drosophilids. In the present study, we give supplementary descriptions for three of these known species, all recorded from Yunnan, southwestern China, H. furcapenis, H. furcapenisoides, and H. longifurcapenis, by examining respective type specimen(s). We then describe four new species of the same group, H. seticlasper Katoh Gao, sp. nov., H. spinicerca Katoh Gao, sp. nov., H. serratifurcapenis Katoh Gao, sp. nov., and H. truncifurca Katoh Gao, sp. nov., all discovered recently from high altitudes (ca. 3,500 to 3,800 m a.s.l.) in Tibet (Xizang), southwestern China. The delimitation of these new species is firstly performed in light of morphology and further with the aid of DNA sequences of the mitochondrial COI (cytochrome c oxydase, subunits I) gene. In addition, a key to all the species of the species group is provided.

The Lordiphosa denticeps species group (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in China, with redescriptions of four known species and descriptions of nine new species

Based on specimens collected from Yunnan, Xizang, and Taiwan in China, nine new species of the Lordiphosa denticeps species group, L. mikioides sp. nov., L. kimurai sp. nov., L. anthophilia sp. nov., L. yangi sp. nov., L. tibetica sp. nov., L. medogensis sp. nov., L. hamatispina sp. nov., L. secula sp. nov., and L. spatulata sp. nov., were described and four known species, L. denticeps (Okada Sasakawa), L. neokurokawai (Singh Gupta), L. ramula Zhang, and L. tripartita (Okada), were redescribed. In addition, we provided a key to all species of this species group. Males of three new species, L. mikioides, L. kimurai, and L. anthophilia, have distinct sex-combs consisting of black, stout teeth on the 1st and 2nd tarsomeres of foreleg; the large, longitudinal sex-comb on the 1st tarsomere is similar to those seen in the L. miki species group and the subgenus Sophophora Sturtevant of the genus Drosophila Fallén. Two of these and another new species were collected at flowering Impatiens L. (Balsaminaceae) stands: all specimens of L. anthophilia and L. medogensis directly from flowers, and some specimens of L. kimurai by net sweeping. The presence of large, longitudinal sex-combs and the flower-visiting habit were reported for the first time in the L. denticeps group.