Ficiana pruthii Ghauri, 1963, by original designation.

Body robust. Head including eyes broader than maximum width of pronotum in dorsal aspect (Figs 1, 3). Crown short and broad, rounded anteriorly, anterior and posterior margins subparallel, middle length shorter than width between eyes (Figs 1, 3). Coronal suture distinct, extended onto face and terminating at level of antennal bases (Figs 1, 3, 4), transition of vertex to face rounded in profile (Fig. 2). Face broad, lateral frontal sutures convergent towards base (Fig. 4). Ocelli on margin about equidistant between eye and midline (Figs 1, 3, 4). Pronotum large with sinuate transverse depression (Figs 1–3). Scutellum with median depression. Forewing narrow, apical cells occupying nearly one-third of total length, all three apical veins arise from longitudinal m cell, veins RP, MP’ confluent for short distance pre-apically, 2nd apical cell with margins almost parallel apically (Fig. 8). Hindwing with CuA unbranched (Fig. 9). Front femur with dorsoapical pair of macrosetae, AM1 enlarged and situated on ventral margin, intercalary row with one large basal setae and eight smaller setae more distal. Hind femur macrosetae 2+1+1, row AV with 11 macrosetae near apex.

Figures 1–7. 

Ficiana aurantia sp. n. 1 male adult, dorsal view 2 male adult, left lateral view 3 head and thorax, dorsal view 4 face 5 male genitalia, left lateral view 6 male genitalia, dorsal view 7 abdominal apodemes. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (1, 2); 0.2 mm (3–7).

Figures 8–18. 

Ficiana aurantia sp. n. 8 forewing 9 hind wing 10 male genitalia, left lateral view 11 pygofer side, left lateral view 12 pygofer, dorsal view 13 anal tube and anal styli, left lateral view 14 aedeagus, left lateral view 15 aedeagus, dorsal view 16 connective 17 paramere 18 subgenital plates. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (8, 9); 0.2 mm (10); 0.1 mm (11–18).

Male abdominal apodemes developed, parallel sided (Fig. 7). Pygofer short, terminally bearing rigid microsetae on each side of lobe, ventral appendage absent, dorsal bridge short (Figs 5, 6, 11, 12). Subgenital plates large and fused throughout almost in whole length except apices, A-group setae absent, B-group setae small and rigid, C-group setae sharply terminated, D-group setae not numerous (Figs 5, 6, 10, 18). Paramere short and robust, setae and sensory pits absent (Figs 5, 6, 10, 17). Connective subtrapezoidal, closely related to aedeagus (Figs 14–16). Aedeagal shaft tubular, ventro-basally produced, dorsoatrium developed (Figs 14, 15). Anal tube appendage distinct (Figs 5, 10, 13).

The original illustrations of the type species made the male genital diagnosis of this genus hard to understand, especially the configuration of the aedeagus. Based on our additional new findings, it has a median sulcus of frons (Fig. 4); all apical veins in forewing arising from longitudinal m cell, vein CuA in hind wing unbranched (Figs 8, 9); ventral pygofer appendage absent (Figs 5, 10, 11); subgenital plates large and fused throughout almost in whole length (Fig. 18); and anal tube appendage present (Figs 5, 10, 13). All of these characters ensure the new species fit the definition of Ficiana Ghauri (1963) and it is described here.

Ghauri (1963) noted the aedeagus was “with three pairs of elaborate appendages, as shown in the figure”. However, the figures provided by Ghauri 1963 (Figs L, K) made the characters of aedeagus rather confused. After checking the genital characters of the new Ficiana species (specimens deposited in NWAFU), and also Fig. L in Ghauri’s illustrations, we believe that Fig. K (aedeagus, in lateral view) was positioned upside down. Moreover, the specimens in NWAFU show the aedeagus with only two pairs of processes [one pair near middle of ventro-basal protrusion and another pair at dorso-basal prolongation of dorsoatrium (latero-distally extended to base of anal tube)] (Figs 14, 15). This paper further defines this genus by including more morphological and revised genital characters.

China (Guangxi), India.

Body length: Male 3.75–4.05 mm.

Color. General color of male orange. Crown with a brownish shallow depression beside coronal suture, sublaterally near eyes with a narrow blackish stripe on each side which is continuously extended to base of face, the stripes curved near base of vertex (Figs 1, 3, 4). Frontoclypeus with transverse linear stripes laterally, adjacent to the lateral frontoclypeal suture brown with two meniscate, brownish patches, anteclypeus black apically, lorum sordid brownish centrally (Fig. 4). Eyes dark (Figs 1–4). Ocelli circled with whitish creamy patch (Figs 1–4). Pronotum with black, sinuate transverse depression laterally, mid-posteriorly reddish-black, laterobasal angles studded with reddish patches (Figs 1, 3). Centre of scutellum with a quadrate creamy patch anteriorly (Figs 1, 3). Abdomen black (Figs 1, 2). Fore and hindwing subhyaline, vein distinct (Figs 1, 2). Legs greyish (Fig. 2).

Basal abdominal sternal apodemes reaching the end of segment 4 (Fig. 7). Male pygofer almost triangular, distal lobe bearing 2 long and approximately 20 rigid setae, caudo-ventral margin infolded, poorly sclerotized and apically bearing irregular teeth (Figs 5, 10–12); dorsal bridge occupying almost 1/4 of the lobe, caudally membranous (Fig. 12). Subgenital plates far surpassing tip of pygofer, gradually narrowing, both lateral sides curved upwards in lateral view, B-group setae (20–22) near dorsal margin of the plate, arising near base towards subapex in 2-3 rows, C-group setae (8–9) arising in apical 2/5, uniseriate in most part but biseriate near apex, D-group setae sparsely scattered in several irregular rows (Figs 5, 10, 18). Paramere broad and sinuate in most part, with 3 teeth near apex, apically strongly narrowed, long and spine-like, and a columnar process toward base (Figs 5, 10, 17). Aedeagal in lateral view, shaft tubular, curved and gradually tapering, gonopore apical; dorso-atrium laterally flattened, longer than shaft, with wrinkles and numerous tiny strumae on surface, dorso-basal prolongation bifurcated apically; baso-ventral protrusion of aedeagus longer than the shaft and doratrium in profile, sub-basally strongly curved, apical part broadened and directed dorso-caudally, widest near apex, bearing numerous, bushy setae on the dorsal side; dorsal view, ventro-basal protrusion bifurcated sub-medially, divergent and almost same width in basal 2/3, apices narrowed and curved (Figs 5, 6, 14, 15). Connective closely related to aedeagus near base on dorsal side, posterior and lateral margins concave, anterior margin incised medially (Figs 14–16). Anal tube process strongly narrowing and branched apically, dorsal branch short and tuberculate, ventral branch smooth (Figs 5, 10, 13).

Holotype. ♂, China, Guangxi, Rongshui, 31 July, 2014, coll. Ye Xu. Paratypes. 4 ♂♂, same data as holotype.

Unknown.

The specific epithet is an adjective derived from the Latin word “aurantium”, referring to the orange body color of the new species.

This new species differs from Ficiana pruthii Ghauri by the male pygofer not truncated caudally (Figs 10, 11) (male pygofer truncated caudally in F. pruthii); anal tube appendage straight and branched apically (Figs 5, 10, 13) (anal tube appendage curved, not branched apically in F. pruthii); paramere spine-like apically, subapex with a short columnar process (Fig. 17) (paramere not spine-like apically, subapically without columnar process in F. pruthii).

China (Guangxi).