<p> <strong> A revision of Afrotropical Quasimodo flies (Diptera: Schizophora; Curtonotidae). Part IV — the continental Afrotropical species of <em> Curtonotum </ em> Macquart, with descriptions of thirteen new species and a combined phylogenetic analysis of the Curtonotidae </ strong> </ p> Author Kirk-Spriggs, Ashley H. ashley.kirk-spriggs@nasmus.co.za Author Wiegmann, Brian M. ashley.kirk-spriggs@nasmus.co.za text Zootaxa 2013 2013-07-09 3684 1 1 166 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3684.1.1 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.3684.1.1 1175-5326 5298914 E922034E-1247-400B-97F6-1778CF766B91 Curtonotum sao Tsacas, 1977 Figs 117 , 141 , 177 , 249, 253, 257 , 300 , 328 , 329 . Curtonotum sao : Tsacas, 1977: 163 ; figs 9 a–c, p. 164. Type locality: “ Nigeria : Gadau ”. Curtonotum sao : Wirth and Tsacas (1980: 672) . Curtonotum sao : Meier et al . (1997: 10) . Curtonotum sao : Kirk-Spriggs (2008c: 251) . Redescription : Male (primarily based on field-pinned N-T). As redescribed for C . campsiphallum (above), differing in the following respects: Measurements : Overall length unknown; 4.5–5 mm ( Tsacas 1977: 164 ); length of head and thorax combined 1.8–2.5 mm ; length of thorax and scutellum combined 1.7–2.2 mm ( n = 4, N-T); wing length 2.6–3.3 mm ( n = 3, N-T). Head ( Figs 117 , 141 ). Eye height/length ratio: 9:6 ( n = 1, N-T); frons ( Fig. 141 ) markedly narrow, wider than long, frons length/width ratio: 5:7 ( n = 1, N-T); arista with 8–10 dorsal branches and 4 ventral branches; 10 fine setae bordering genal groove; gena narrow, eye height/genal height ratio: 9:1 ( n = 1, N-T), silver pruinose throughout; palpus pale brown. Thorax ( Fig. 117 ). Anepisternum with 25 fine setulae 3 arranged in a group in posterior corner; katepisternum surface with 15 short, fine setulae. Legs . Fore tibia with 5 or 6 strong setae on lateral margin, with ctenidium of 7–8 short, sharp, black spinules. Wing ( Fig. 177 ). Dm–cu crossvein evenly arched. Abdomen . Tergites 3–5 with narrow, brown median fascia and weakly developed “T-shaped” brown lateral maculae, none merging with median fascia, lateral margin of tergites 2–5 with reduced subtriangular maculae in basal ⅓; sternite 6 ( Fig. 300 ) markedly expanded apically, narrowed basally with shallow U-shaped, apical excision, without maculae, clothed in very short, black irregular brown setulae, with 4 setae around apical margin longer and stronger. Terminalia ( Figs 249, 253, 257 ). Hypandrium ( Fig. 249 , hy ) short, sclerotised area of medial lobes (viewed dorsally), broadest apically, widely separated; postgonite ( pg ); epandrium ( ep ); cercus ( ce ); surstylus ( ss ); phallus (as in Figs 253 , ph , bp , dp ; 257, bp , dp ); phallapodeme ( Fig. 253 , ph ); ejaculatory apodeme ( ea ); basiphallus ( Figs 253, 257 , bp ) broad, markedly expanded apically, with brown, heavily sclerotised scale-like baso-ventral process with 1 or 2 large teeth-like serrations on posterior margin and 1 smaller spine on ventral margin; distiphallus ( dp ) long, scimitar-like (viewed laterally), membranous area broad. ♀ Similar to ♂ , except in the following respects: wing length 4.5 mm ( Tsacas 1977: 164 ). The obclavate spermatheca was figured by Tsacas (1977: 164 , fig. 9c), but as the type series was captured in the same Porcupine burrow as a series of C . saheliense and the spermathecae of these two species are virtually identical (see Tsacas 1977 , fig. 8c), coupled with intraspecific variation, this has little value in differentiating the species. Variation . No substantial variation is noted. Differential diagnosis . Curtonotum sao is probably most closely-related to a group of three species having the basiphallus relatively broad and expanded apically and the membranous area of the distiphallus broad ( C . hay sp. n., C . campsiphallum and C . tsacas sp. n. ). They are separable by use of the above key. Type material examined . NIGERIA : holotype ♂ , “Holo- / type [paper disc with red border] // GADAU, NIGERIA / 12N 10E / 3.1933 / BUXTON & LEWIS [printed & handwritten] // BURROW OF / PORCUPINE [handwritten] // Pres. by / Imp. Inst. Ent. / B.M.1934-137 // Cyrtonotum / nigripalpis , Hend. / Det. G.A.K. Marshall. [handwritten & printed] // CURTONOTUM / sao n.sp. / Holotype / L. TSACAS DET. 1976 [printed & handwritten] // Curtonotum / sao Tsacas, 1977 / A.H. Kirk-Spriggs vidit 2006” (BMNH). In excellent condition; restaged on nu-poly mount; dissected, abdomen and terminalia in micro-vial pinned beneath specimen. Paratypes (all labelled: “ Curtonotum / sao Tsacas, 1977 / A.H. Kirk-Spriggs vidit 2006”): NIGERIA : 1♀ , same data as holotype , except: “ CURTONOTUM / sao n.sp. / Allotype / L. TSACAS DET. 1976 [printed & handwritten]” (BMNH). CHAD : 1♂ , “MUSEUM PARIS / RIVE S.-E. TCHAD / BOL / (MISSION TILHO) / Dr R. GAILLARD 1910 [printed; pale blue card] // JUILLET // PARATYPE [printed; red card] // CURTONOTUM / sao n.sp. / Paratype / L. TSACAS DET. 1976 [printed & handwritten]; 1♂ , same labels except: “phallus penden // Ac. 3343” (both MNHN). Additional material examined (all labelled: “ Curtonotum sao Tsacas, 1977 ♂ det. A . H. Kirk-Spriggs 2006”): NIGERIA : 3♂ , same data as holotype ( topotypic ), except: London School of Hygeine & Tropical Medicine Coll. BMNH (E) 1996–140 ( BMNH ); 1♂ , N. Nigeria , Bauchi , Yankari Game Reserve , 24.iii.1980 , R. Dransfield , NMW.Z.1981–125, Curtonotum sao Tsacas ♂ det. J.C. Deeming 1982 ( NMWC ) . Distribution . Chad and Nigeria ( Figs 328 , 329 ). Occurs in both the Dry Savanna and Sahel (or Wooded Steppe) climatic zones, in the 1600–2000 and 2000–2400 m Potential Evapotranspiration zones. Bionomics . Occurring in the Sahelian Acacia Savanna and West Sudanian Savanna major habitat types ; Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas and Shrublands vegetation type (Appendix III). Collected resting in the burrows of Porcupine, in company with C . saheliense Tsacas , in Nigeria .