Revision of the Afrotropical species of Parapachycerina (Diptera: Lauxaniidae)
Author
Davies, Gregory B. P.
Author
Miller, Raymond M.
text
African Invertebrates
2008
2008-12-31
49
2
131
131
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.5733/afin.049.0208
journal article
10.5733/afin.049.0208
2305-2562
7911425
Parapachycerina bispina
sp. n.
Figs 17
,
23
Etymology: From Latin
bis
(twice) and
spina
(thorn, spine, spike); refers to the two stout setulae on the apex of the surstylus, which are characteristic of the species.
Diagnosis:
P. bispina
is broadly sympatric over much of Africa with
P. munroi
, and can be separated from that species by: (1) the black ocellar spot not extending back to touch the postvertical setae; (2) wing with light brown infuscations, shading the outer 3/4 of the costal cell, most of the marginal cell and anterior portion of the submarginal cell, anterior and posterior cross-veins (r–m; m–m) and also M
3+4
(vein 5) (
P. bispina
is the only Afrotropical species in the genus with marked wings, apart from the Malagasy
P. talea
); (3) the paired, black spines on apex of epandrial process; and (4) pale orange-yellow cerci (dark brown in
P. munroi
).
P. bispina
is also sympatric in areas with
P. infuscata
, but the deep yellow-orange coloration, gently rounded vertex, black ocellar spot and absence of a ctenidium distinguish
P. bispina
.
The wing illustration purportedly of
P. munroi
in
Stuckenberg (1971
: fig. 42) is in fact
P. bispina
(as it shows infuscation of the cross-veins and anterior portions of the wing). This specimen is noted as a
P. munroi
paratype
in the legend, but no specimen bearing these wing characteristics can be found in the
P. munroi
paratype
series (NMSA), and evidently there was some mix up in the preparation of that figure.
Description:
Colour
: Viewed with naked eye and under low magnification, impression is of uniformly rich yellow-orange fly. Occiput yellow. Ocellar spot deep black. Scape, pedicel and postpedicel all yellow, slight darkening at base of arista; pedicel may have orange tinge. Maxillary palpus yellow-orange. Thorax yellow-orange with two orange longitudinal stripes (vittae) on scutum (faint in some specimens), stripes are placed slightly mesad of dorsocentral bristles. Scutum sometimes shows darkening on humeral callus and along border of notopleuron and mesopleuron. Postnotum and postscutellum yellow-orange. Scutellum yellow with broad orange medial stripe. Mesopleuron, pteropleuron, sternopleuron, pleurotergite and meropleuron all yellow-orange. Haltere pale yellow. Legs yellowish. Abdomen yellow-orange to dark brown (generally the former).
Head
: Postfrons fairly strongly sloping, wider than long (3:2). Orbital plates weakly differentiated from surrounding postfrons. Postfrons ending in narrow lip over proximal portion of scape. Prefrons very weakly tumid. Ocellar triangle large and expanded (relative to other Afrotropical
Parapachycerina
species
), anterior ocellus nearly reaching level of posterior fronto-orbital bristle; ocellar spot encloses all three ocelli.
Thorax
: Five or 6 longitudinal, rather irregular rows of setulae between dorsocentral bristle rows. Posterior pair of acrostichals
ca
0.5× length of posteriad dorsocentral bristles. Anterior dorsocentral bristle
ca
0.5× length of posterior dorsocentral; middle dorsocentral intermediate in length. Weak, barely visible pruinosity on scutum. Two sternopleural bristles, posterior bristle more robust and longer (area around bristles generally bare of setulae; ventrally usually a patch of
ca
20 setulae). Pteropleuron, meropleuron, pleurotergite and prosternum bare of bristles and setulae.
Legs
: No ctenidium on profemur, in that area
ca
8 widely-spaced, weak setulae. Profemur posteriorly with ventral row of
ca
3 strong, widely-spaced setae and dorsal row of
ca
6 equally strong setae. 2 short spurs on posterior, distal edge of protibia, outer spur is
ca
2× length of inner spur. Procoxa has ventral row of
ca
4 or 5 setae and few scattered setulae. Mesocoxa has fan of
ca
6 setae (no setulae visible). Mesofemur strong, anteromedial row of 5 robust, proclinate setae, posteriorly largely bare. Metacoxa largely bare, but 2 strong setae on opposite margins of coxa. Metafemur with unexceptional vestiture of
ca
6 irregular rows of setulae on anterior face.
Wings
: Mostly hyaline, but distal 3/4 of costal cell, most of marginal cell and anterior section of submarginal cell, anterior and posterior cross-veins (r–m, m–m) and M 3+4 (vein 5) light infuscated (in some specimens infuscation very pale and requiring careful discrimination).
Male terminalia
(
Figs 17
,
23
): Protandrium roughly ring-shaped in transverse view, having small ventral processes, in lateral view fairly narrow dorsally and tapering laterally (slightly less so than in
type
species,
P. munroi
). Epandrium moderately broad dorsally, expanding posterolaterally, before tapering to small, rounded epandrial extension, at apex of epandrial extension characteristic stout, paired, black setae, in extracted genitalia inclinate, interdigitate with opposing pair, lower seta of each pair is longer than upper seta (upper seta is
ca
0.8× length of lower seta). Surstylus hidden in lateral view, fused to inner medial margin of epandrium. Surstylus relatively large (in relation to aedeagus), flattened dorsoventrally, blade-like, tapering posteriorly to acute point and with mediolateral mucro. Surstyli closely associated with aedeagal complex (could on initial examination be considered to be gonopods). Cerci pale yellow. Hypandrium composed of broad ‘transverse band’, short, weakly lateroclinate anterior arms and longer, inclinate posterior arms that curve upward to terminate near base of gonopods and lateral edges of aedeagus (in ventral view, hypandrium resembles a ‘wobbly’ H). Hypandrial ‘transverse band’ broader than ‘aedeagal tube’.Aedeagal apodeme approximately same length as aedeagus, bifurcating beneath ‘dorsal arch’ of aedeagus. Aedeagus composed of two halves (‘wings’) that taper posteriorly, halves meet anteriorly in ‘dorsal arch’; posteriorly each ‘wing’ is bifurcate, subapically each half (wing) has ventrolateral mucro. Medially, aedeagus is membranous. Gonopods are blade-like, lightly sclerotised, broad basally, emarginate subbasally, widening medially and tapering to acute apex.
Measurements
: total length – ^(n=7) 3.6 (3.2–4.1), ơ (n=2) 3.2 (2.9–3.5); head height – ^(n=7) 0.7 (0.6–0.8), ơ (n=2) 0.7; head width – ^(n=5) 1.1, ơ (n=1) 1; head length – ^(n=7) 0.5 (0.5–0.7), ơ (n=2) 0.6, thorax length – ^(n=7) 1.4 (1.3–1.5), ơ (n=2) 1.4, wing length – ^(n=5) 3.3 (3.0–3.7), ơ (n=2) 3.0; abdomen length – ^(n=7) 1.7 (1.3–2.1), ơ (n=2) 1.3.
Holotype
: ơ
SOUTH AFRICA
:
Limpopo
:
Kruger National Park
,
Pafuri
, near
Luvuvhu R.
,
22–23.iv.1981
,
R.M. Miller
&
P. Stabbins
(
NMSA
).
Other material examined:
CAMEROON
:
2^Baigom
,
Bamoun
, no date (
MNHN
)
;
1ơ
Lake Barombi
(near
Kumba
), 1939 (
MNHN
)
.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
:
1^Walikale
(
39 km
S of),
25.xii.1957
,
E. Ross
&
R. Leech
(
CASC
)
.
GUINEA
: 1ơ
Mount Nimba
,
M. Lamotte
and R.
Roy
,
vii–xii.1951
(
MNHN
)
.
IVORY COAST
:
1^Lamto
,
Bandana
,
22.xii.1971
,
D. Lachaise
(
MNHN
)
.
KENYA
: 1ơ
Kakamega
Forest
,
Isecheno Station
,
22.vi.1995
,
Earthwatch Team
(
NMSA
)
.
NIGERIA
: 1ơ
1^Bauchi State
, nr
Tilden Fulani
,
Kogin Salla
,
9.iii.1997
,
J.C. Deeming
(
NMWC
)
.
SOUTH AFRICA
:
Limpopo
: 1ơ 2^same data as holotype (
NMSA
)
.
Mpumalanga
: 2ơ
1^Nelspruit
(
20.5 km
S of),
Noordkaap
R.,
1–2.xii.1976
,
R.M. Miller
&
P. Stabbins
(
NMSA
)
.
KwaZulu-Natal
:
1^Pietermaritzburg
,
Ukulinga Research Farm
,
13.viii.2007
,
R.M. Miller
(
NMSA
)
;
1ơ 1^same data except
22.viii.2007
(
NMSA
)
;
1^Pietermaritzburg
,
10.x.1985
,
R.M. Miller
(
NMSA
)
;
1^Ndumo Game Reserve
,
1–10.xii.1963
,
B. & P. Stuckenberg
(
NMSA
)
.
TANZANIA
: 1ơ
1^Matengo Highlands
,
WSW of Songea
,
xii.1935
–
i.1936
,
Zerny
(
NMSA
)
.
UGANDA
:
1^Budongo Forest
,
14.xi.1972
,
H. Gønget
(
UZMD
)
;
1^Kampala
,
Tank Hill
,
22.xii.1970
,
H. Gønget
(
UZMD
)
;
4ơ
1^Semliki Forest
,
27.viii–3.xi.1952
,
Fletcher
(
BMNH
)
;
1^Ankole
,
Kalinzu Forest
,
6–15.ii.1973
,
H. Gønget
(
UZMD
)
;
1 (sex unknown)
Segibwa Falls
,
29.iii.1935
,
E.G. Gibbins
(
BMNH
)
;
2^Mujenje
,
viii–ix.1913
,
K. Kittenberger
(
HNHM
)
.
Distribution: Throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa. From
KwaZulu-Natal
(
South Africa
) in the south, northwards to
Guinea
in West Africa and
Uganda
in East Africa.
Remarks: 1ơ 3^Amani, East Usambara Mts,
27.i.1977
, H. Enghoff
et al.
(
UZMD
) are notable for their expanded ocellar triangles and may potentially represent a new species.