A revision of Afrotropical Chyromyidae (excluding Gymnochiromyia Hendel) (Diptera: Schizophora), with the recognition of two subfamilies and the description of new genera
Author
Ebejer, Martin J.
text
African Invertebrates
2009
2009-12-31
50
2
321
321
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.5733/afin.050.0208
journal article
10.5733/afin.050.0208
2305-2562
7910603
Genus
Gymnochiromyia
Hendel, 1933
Gymnochiromyia
:
Hendel 1933: 43
; Ebejer 2008
b
: 81.
Type
species:
Peletophila minima
Becker, 1904: 133
(=
Anthophilina flavella
Zetterstedt, 1848
), by original designation.
This genus was recently reviewed (Ebejer 2008
b
) and 14 new species were described, bringing to 15 the total number of confirmed species from the Afrotropical
Region
.
Diagnosis: Oval eyes lying horizontal or oblique;
fr
protruding beyond anterior eye margin and above antennae, visible in profile to greater or lesser extent; setae and setulae on
scut
absent except for usual basal and subapical pairs;
pra
and strong
post ia
setae absent; apicoventral seta on mid tibia absent; habitus of most species appearing more slender and less setulose than
Oroschyromya
and
Notiochyromya
, with which genera
Gymnochiromyia
could be confused.
Distribution: Afrotropical (
Fig. 68
), Holarctic.
Bionomics: Species of
Gymnochiromyia
appear to prefer vegetated dunes and drier, warmer areas within a generally temperate climatic region. In Europe, for example, at least two species, namely
G
.
homobifida
Carles-Tolrá, 2001
and
G
.
inermis
(
Collin, 1933
)
, exhibit an affinity for open oak woodland (Ebejer, pers. observ.).
Genus
Notiochyromya
gen. n.
Type
species:
Notiochyromya tripunctata
sp. n.
, here designated.
Etymology: From Greek
notios
(southern), referring to the occurrence of the majority of species of the genus south of the equator, and
Chyromya
. Gender feminine.
Diagnosis:
fr
measured at level of anterior
oc
narrower than 1/3 width of head, with margins strongly convergent towards lunule, inclination of
fr
more toward vertical than horizontal, thus maximum length of head when seen in profile closer to lower eye margin than upper,
ocp
flat,
pra
seta present,
post ia
and
prsut dc
setae absent;
scut
usually with additional marginal or discal setae (not setulae) or both; a short apicoventral seta usually present on mid tibia; head usually narrower than thorax;
ep
relatively small in comparison to remainder of abdomen (similar to
Somatiosoma
, but in contrast to
Oroschyromya
and
Gymnochiromyia
); thorax robust, covered with dense fine setulae over whole of scutum; strong
prscut acrs
(often 4 setae in one transverse row),
dc
,
post ia
and
pa
setae close to
scut
suture and usually brown or black;
tg
frequently with matt or shiny brown or black spots.
The autapomorphies that characterize this genus are: a smaller head, longer in lower half than above, always higher than long, narrow
fr
strongly sloping such that it is inclined much more towards the vertical than the horizontal; a distinct
pra
seta, broad
prg
and large
ej apd
. In other respects, the habitus of the fly and the appearance of the scutum are similar to
Somatiosoma
.
Description:
Head
: Higher than long, also a little broader than long;
ocp
flat in profile or only slightly convex;
fr
narrow at vertex, not more than 0.3 width of head, and eyes strongly convergent;
orb
plate distinct throughout. Chaetotaxy: 3 strong
orb
, 2 hind
orb
reclinate, anterior inclinate,
pvt
distinct and crossed, 1
vti
and 1
vte
, postocular setulae distinct, generally short, more or less in one row, lower postgenal seta present or absent; mouthparts normal, palp rather broad, almost disc-shaped; antenna with third segment round and arista bare.
Thorax
: Broader than head and robust relative to remainder of fly. Chaetotaxy:
prpl
setula absent, 1 strong postsutural
dc
, often with 1 shorter seta anterior to this,
acrs
not differentiated from other scutal setulae, between
dc
lines in 8–12 rows with 2–4 distinct
prscut
; 1–2
pprn
, 1
posthu
, 2
ntpl
, 1 distinct
pra
behind transverse scutal suture; 1
sa
and 1 long
pa
, 1 short
post ia
, 2–4 pairs of marginal
scut
setae; sometimes with setulae on disc; anepisternum with 1 strong seta directed backwards at middle of posterior margin, katepisternum with 1 strong seta at upper posterior corner, each with a variable number of short setulae in front; tuft of numerous, fine, long setulae at ventral aspect of katepisternum.
Wing: Hyaline, R
4+5
and M
1+2
parallel towards wing apex or very slightly convergent at tip; discal cell wide beyond middle, about 2–3 times as wide as anterior basal cell; costal setulae short with variable number of stouter and darker setulae along anterior edge; costa, just beyond
hu
crossvein, narrowed but without distinct break. Haltere pale.
Legs: Yellow with fine setulae scattered on all pairs, in addition, a few longer setae usually present posterodorsally on fore femur; mid tibial apicoventral seta present or absent, but not longer than diameter of tibia at apex; femora, especially middle and posterior, slightly dilated; hind trochanter and tarsomeres not modified.
Abdomen
: More or less compressed dorsoventrally; usually short but densely setulose, with longer setae along hind margin and lateral aspect of
tg
especially towards apex of abdomen; 6 visible
tg
in male and
7 in
female,
tg
6 normal;
st
sclerotized in both sexes, pollinose except for central part of
st
2; pregenital
st
variably modified; female
tg
frequently with large brown to black shiny spots laterally.
Postabdomen:
ep
not usually as large as in other
Chyromyinae
; relatively large posteroventrally directed opening;
cerc
small, separated and poorly sclerotized with fine short setulae;
hyp
distinct and broad;
ph apd
broad and free from
hyp
for a short distance (cf.
Gymnochiromyia
);
ej apd
very large and well sclerotized;
distiph
complex as usual for the family, with sclerotized and membranous components;
prg
rather broad and flattened and variably sclerotized;
psg
of various forms in the species described.
Distribution: Afrotropical (
Fig. 66
); Pantropical.
Ecology: Species of
Notiochyromya
seem to prefer hot and wet (at least seasonally) environments. The genus is widespread in the tropics and subtropics of the Old World as well as the New World (New World species are undescribed), both on the continents and on islands. To date, most species are known from the Southern Hemisphere. Too little is known about their habits to make deductions on preference for vegetation cover, but by inference from data labels most appear to inhabit forests, or at least the edges of them. This includes forests encroaching on the seashore.
N
.
sexspinosa
was collected from entrances to caves in
Nigeria
(J.C. Deeming, pers. comm.).