Two new genera of Phoridae (Diptera) from New Zealand
Author
Brown, Brian V.
Author
Oliver, Hugh
text
Zootaxa
2008
1933
1
11
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.184909
c08e7d43-53e3-49f0-9567-62b426246a40
1175-5326
184909
Wharia
n. gen.
(
Figs. 1–16
)
Diagnosis.
Frons lacking medial furrow except for small pit between supra-antennal setae (
Fig. 13
); one pair of reclinate supra-antennal setae present; ventral fronto-orbital setae absent (
Figs. 3
,
13
). Anepisternum without furrows (= undivided), bare (
Figs. 1–2
). Scutellum with one large and one small seta (
Fig. 4
). Wing present in both sexes, vein R2+3 absent (
Fig. 14
). Wing vein Rs with one seta near base only. One alular seta present. Midtibia with one anterodorsal and one dorsal seta near base, with one short anterodorsal seta near apex. Posterior face of hind femur often with rounded basal process covered by thin membrane (
Figs. 5–10
), although size varies greatly and absent in some specimens (
Figs. 11–12
).
Hind
tibia without dorsal, longitudinal setal palisade; with one anterodorsal seta near base and one near apex.
FIGURES 1–6.
Wharia willcocksorum
new species
, specimen from Rotopounamu [LACM ENT 223564]. 1, habitus, left lateral. 2, head and thorax, left lateral. 3, head, anterior. 4, thorax, dorsal. 5, hind femur, posterior. 6, hind femur, posterior, basal area.
FIGURES 7–12.
Wharia willcocksorum
new species
, hind femur, posterior, and hind femur, posterior, basal area. 7–8, specimen from Tree Trunk Gorge [LACM ENT 221624]. 9–10, specimen from Raglan [LACM ENT 223165]. 11–12, specimen from Desert Road at Oturere River [LACM ENT 221483].
Recognition.
Based on the structure of the male genitalia, setation of the frons, and setation of the tibiae, this genus most closely resembles
Bothroprosopa
Schmitz
, also known only from
New Zealand
. In his revision of phorid genera, Brown (1992) placed
Bothroprosopa
in his subfamily
Hypocerinae
, based in part on the strongly curved base of wing vein M1 (
Fig. 17
), which is found throughout this group. Such a strongly curved vein is not found in
Wharia
(
Fig. 14
), whose placement among other phorid genera is unknown. We have extracted DNA from
Wharia
specimens, however, and they will be included in the molecular phylogenetic analysis of phorid genera (B. Brown & P. Smith, in preparation).
FIGURES 13–16.
Wharia willcocksorum
new species
, male. 13, head, specimen from Rotopounamu [LACM ENT 223564]. 14, wing, specimen from Tree Trunk Gorge [LACM ENT 221624]. 15–16, male terminalia, right lateral and left lateral, specimen (molecular voucher) from Sandy Bay [LACM ENT 240024].
FIGURE 17.
Bothroprosopa mirifica
Schmitz
, wing.
In the latest keys to phorid genera (Disney, 1994), males of
Wharia
key to couplet 77 of the male key, which was revised by
Brown & Kung (2004)
. They do not key correctly to
Tapantia
Brown & Kung
, nor to lead 77A. To remedy this situation, we herein revise these couplets again:
76. Fork of vein 3 complete [=R2+3 fully developed]
..............................................................
Triphleba
(part) - Inner branch of fork (R2+3) partly to completely absent.........................................................................77 77. At least left side, and often both sides of male terminalia posterodorsally elongate, forming surstyluslike lobe ...............................................................................................................................................77A - Both sides of male terminalia lacking surstylus-like lobes (although
Wharia
with median process) ....... .............................................................................................................................................................77B 77A. Restricted to
New Zealand
..........................................................................................................
Kierania
- Found in Holarctic and Neotropical Regions
...................................................................
Triphleba
(part) 77B. Cerci elongate, pointing dorsally; epandrium without posteromedial, ventrally-pointed, elongate process (
Brown & Kung, 2004, figs. 3–4
); costal setae short, numerous (
Brown & Kung, 2004, fig. 2
); posterior face of hind femur unmodified; Central
America
..............................................................
Tapantia
- Cerci short; epandrium with elongate, posteromedial, ventrally-pointed process (
Fig. 15
); costal setae relatively longer and fewer (
Fig. 14
); posterior face of hind femur often with large, blunt, ventrobasal process (
Figs. 5–10
);
New Zealand
................................................................................................
Wharia
Females of
Wharia
key to
Bothroprosopa
at couplet
152 in
the female key of Disney (1994). They differ in having a shorter costa, less curved vein M1, and a much shorter proboscis than in
Bothroprosopa
. The other new genus described in this paper also keys to this couplet, so we offer modification to the key that allow identification of both new genera in the Recognition section for
Minicosta
new genus
.
Derivation of name.
Wharia
is an arbitrary combination of letters, although loosely based on the first two initials of the name of W. H. Robinson, who as been extremely helpful to both authors in the past. For Latinization purposes, we consider it feminine in gender.