Phthinia mikmaqi
In the Nearctic region, P. mikmaqi is most similar to P. neptunei, but can be distinguished by the bilobate gonostylus in P. mikmaqi and trilobite gonostylus in P. neptunei. P. mikmaqi is most similar to the Eastern Palearctic species P. amurensis Zaitzev (1994) and, based on available information, is indistinguishable from this species. The illustration of the male terminalia of P. amurensis
provided by Zaitzev (1994: plate 56, fig. 5) is in ventral view, and does not show the structure of the gonostylus, which is often diagnostic for Phthinia species. Zaitzev’s description also makes no mention of the structure of the gonostylus.
Male. Head dark brown, abdomen brown, remainder light brown except for coxa light brown to cream colored. Body length: [5.4] mm (n=1).
Head. First flagellomere longer, approximately 1.6 times the length of flagellomere 2.
Thorax. Laterotergite bare. Scutellum with 2 stronger bristles.
Legs. First tarsomere of anterior leg about 1.5x length of foretibia, first tarsomere of midleg about 0.9x as long as midtibia, and first tarsomere of hind leg about 0.7x as long as hind tibia. Hind tibia with 9–11 minute anterior setae, 34 minute dorsal setae (n=1), and posterior setae absent (n=1); midtibia also with minute setae.
Wings. Length: [4.6] mm (n=1). Membrane with microtrichia present between dense macrotrichia. C extending about 1/4 of the distance between R5 and M1; Rs about 1/5-1/4 length r-m; medial fork complete; M1 not faint basally; stem of medial fork approximately 3/5 length of r-m. A1 diverging greatly from stem of CuA.
Abdomen. Terminalia previously dissected making color indeterminable. Cerci and hypoproct forming two pairs of setose lobes dorsal to parameres. Gonocoxites with dense brush-like setae on inner dorsoapical surface beyond gonostylar articulation. Gonocoxites ventroapically developed into a pair of dark, heavily-sclerotized, short, stout, apically broadly-rounded, medially curved lobes. Gonostylus articulating dorsally on gonocoxite; gonostylus elongate, slightly curved, bilobate; the smaller sub-basal lobe short, thumb-like, apically tapered, narrowly apically rounded, and the longer (primary) lobe apically expanded, spatulate, with a single strong preapical seta just anterior to spatulate expansion. In ventral view aedeagal complex triangular, strongly tapered apically, apically acute. Posteroventral margin of gonocoxites difficult to discern, but apparently with median, mound-like, hypandrial lobe.
Female. Unknown.
(after Fitzgerald & Kerr, 2014)