Protomiltogramma jaxartiana ( Rohdendorf, 1927 )

Zhang, Ming, Xu, Wen-Tian, Pape, Thomas, Pei, Wen-Ya & Zhang, Dong, 2021, Flesh flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) of Kalamaili Mountain Ungulate Nature Reserve (China: Xinjiang): checklist and description of four new species, Zootaxa 5063 (1), pp. 1-95 : 22

12. Protomiltogramma jaxartiana ( Rohdendorf, 1927) *

( Figs 19–21 )

Material examined. Xinjiang, Altay, Kalamaili— 1 ♂: 26.VI.2015, MZ leg.; 23 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀: 26‒30.VI.2015, MZ leg.; 2 ♂♂: 1.VII.2015, MZ leg.

Distribution. China (Neimenggu, Xinjiang). Northwest Asia, Southwest Asia, Central Asia, Mongolia, East Asia.

Remarks. Protomiltogramma jaxartiana differs from all congeners by its abdominal pattern of extensive gray microtomentum with tergites 3 and 4 having a distinct median black spot and a broad, black hind margin laterally, and tergite 5 with gray microtomentum in at least anterior half ( Fig. 19 ). The other species of Protomiltogramma Townsend known from China — P. fasciata ( Meigen, 1824) , P. yunnanica ( Chao & Zhang, 1988) , and P. yunnanensis ( Fan, 1981) —as well as those known from Sri Lanka (2 spp.; Verves 1979), Thailand (2 spp.; Kurahashi & Chaiwong 2007), Malaysia (2 spp.; Kurahashi & Leh 2008), New Caledonia ( Johnston et al. 2019), and the easternmost Palaearctic (1 sp.; Rohdendorf 1935; Kurahashi & Kakinuma 2015; Kurahashi et al. 2017) have an abdominal pattern without a well-defined median spot (e.g., Zhang et al. 2015, fig. 15A, F; Verves & Khrokalo 2020b, fig. 12D–E) and they can hardly be confused with P. jaxartiana . We compared the specimens from Kalamaili with a male from Iran (North Khorasan, Sevaldi, 37°43’07’’N 57°45’44’’E, 21.VI.2016, Iran Expedition III, deposited in NCUT), and the Kalamaili material presents an overall slightly paler microtomentum on the thorax and a larger distance from the tip of postpedical to the vibrissa. The length of the postpedical is often of considerable diagnostic value in Protomiltogramma , but male terminalia of our material ( Fig. 18 ) showed a close match with those of P. jaxartiana illustrated by Verves (1990: 529, fig. 8δ) as well as with the terminalia of the male from Iran (K. Szpila leg.) ( Fig. 20 ).

Figures

FIGURE 18. Phrosinella zarudnoji Rohdendorf, 1971, male, Xinjiang, Altay, Kalamaili, 28.V.2010, DZ leg. A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Head, lateral view. C. Head, anterior view. D. Head, anterolateral view. E. Right wing, dorsal view. F. Abdomen, dorsal view. Scale bars: A = 2.0 mm, B–D = 0.5 mm, E, F = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 19. Protomiltogramma jaxartiana (Rohdendorf, 1927), male, Xinjiang, Altay, Kalamaili, 26.VI.2015, MZ leg. A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Head, lateral view. C. Head, anterior view. D. Head, anterolateral view. E. Right wing, dorsal view. F. Abdomen, dorsal view. Scale bars: A = 2.0 mm, B–F = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 20. Protomiltogramma jaxartiana (Rohdendorf, 1927), male (A, B, D, E, specimen from Xinjiang, Altay, Kalamaili, 26.VI.2015, MZ leg.). A. Terminalia, lateral view. B. Epandrium, surstyli and cerci, dorsal view. C. Terminalia, lateral view (specimen from Iran, North Khorasan, Sevaldi, 37°43’07’’N 57°45’44’’E, 21.VI.2016, Iran Expedition III, deposited in NCUT). D. Phallus and associated structures, lateral view. E. Sternite 5. F. Drawings of terminalia [modified from Verves (1990: 529, fig. 8δ)]. Abbreviations: cerc = cercus; dp = distiphallus; ej apod = ejaculatory apodeme; epand = epandrium; epiph = epiphal- lus; hypd apod = hypandrial apodeme; phapod = phallapodeme; pogt = postgonite; prgt = pregonite; sur = surstylus. Scale bars: 0.25 mm.

FIGURE 21. Protomiltogramma jaxartiana (Rohdendorf, 1927), female, Xinjiang, Altay, Kalamaili, 30.VI.2015, MZ leg. A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Head, lateral view. C. Head, anterior view. D. Head, anterolateral view. E. Right wing, dorsal view. F. Abdomen, dorsal view. Scale bars: A = 2.0 mm, B–F = 1.0 mm.