Thevenetimyia spinosavus Maass & Bertone

Maass, Natalia, Larmore, Zachary, Bertone, Matthew A. & Trautwein, Michelle, 2016, Description of a new species of Thevenetimyia (Diptera: Bombyliidae) from Madagascar, with a revised checklist of Madagascan bee fly fauna, Zootaxa 4175 (1), pp. 57-66 : 59-65

Thevenetimyia spinosavus Maass & Bertone , sp. nov.

Material examined. Holotype ♂: MADAGASCAR, Tuléar Province: Zombiste National Park near road, 22°50.43'S, 44°43.87'E, 822 m, 16–31 October 2002 (M. Irwin & R. Harin’Hala colls.), MAO 2-13 B-40.

Diagnosis. Features that distinguish this fly from the only other Afrotropical Thevenetimyia species include: smaller size (~ 6.2 mm), terminal flagellomere with blunt tip, spine-like tubercles on scutellum ( Fig. 4 B), body setae white or black (not golden), and features of the wing venation.

TABLE]. ƂOmbyliiđae kŊOwŊ fľOm Mađagascaľ (MOđifieđ fľOm ŧhe World catalog of bee flies ( Diptera : Bombyliidae ), ( EveŊhuis & Gľeaŧheađ, 2015b) aŊđ Tľue flies: The

Ŋaŧuľal hisŧOľy Of Mađagascaľ, IľwiŊ et al., 2003)

Subfamily Genus Species Afrotropical Types Available: Described by: Distribution

EclimiŊae (buŧ see Thevenetimyia spinosavus Mađagascaľ HOlOŧype iŊ CAS Maass and Bertone, ŧhis sŧuđy

Yeaŧes, 1995,

TľauŧweiŊ 2011)

TOxOphOľiŊae Geron candidulus Mađagascaľ HOlOŧype iŊ NHMƂ ƂOwđeŊ, 1974 dilutus Alđabľa, AsŧOve Is , HOlOŧype iŊ MNHN ƂOwđeŊ, 1974 COsmOleđO Is,

Mađagascaľ

varicapillis Mađagascaľ HOlOŧype iŊ NHMƂ ƂOwđeŊ, 1974 arcuata Mađagascaľ Type iŊ uŊkŊOwŊ cOllecŧiOŊ (OľigiŊally iŊ Macquaľŧ, 1847

đe Villeľs COllecŧiOŊ)

flammicoma Mađagascaľ HOlOŧype iŊ MRAC FľaŊçOis, 1964

madagascariensis Mađagascaľ HOlOŧype iŊ ƂMNH Macquaľŧ, 1850

melanaspis Mađagascaľ 3 syŊŧypes iŊ ƂMNH Ƃezzi, 1924

nigrispina Mađagascaľ HOlOŧype iŊ ƂMNH Ƃezzi, 1924

vayssierei Mađagascaľ SyŊŧype iŊ MNHM Séguy, 1934 Heteralonia dolichoptera Mađagascaľ HOlOŧype iŊ ƂMNH Ƃezzi, 1924 (as Exoprosopa

dolichoptera ) Villa unifasciata Mađagascaľ , LecŧOŧype iŊ MNHN; Type iŊ uŊkŊOwŊ Macquaľŧ, 1840 (as Anthrax

Mauľiŧius, RéuŊiOŊ, cOllecŧiOŊ (OľigiŊally iŊ đe Villeľs unifasciata )

ROđľiguez COllecŧiOŊ); SyŊŧype iŊ NHRS

Male. Head ( Fig 3 ): Head slightly wider than thorax. Ocellar tubercle pronounced, rounded, covered in long black setae. Eyes holoptic. Antennae with three segments, length approaching length of head, black, and dusted with grey pollinosity; pollinosity dense on scape and pedicel, more diffuse on flagellum. Scape covered in black setae of varying lengths; pedicel covered in short black setae; flagellum without setae. Scape approximately two and one-half times length of pedicel. Flagellum slightly longer than scape, about as wide as previous segments, width even throughout, and with blunt tip. Buccal cavity deep, with setose swelling under anterior rim. Palpus halflength of proboscis, covered in gray pollinosity and black setae. Terminal segment of palpus slightly swollen at about midlength and with shorter setae than previous segment. Proboscis black, about two times as long as head. Face and occipital area with long black setae. Gena and lower portions of postgena with white setae ( Fig. 4A ). Thorax ( Fig 4A and B): Mesothoracic scutum and scutellum dull black. Ground color of remaining thorax similar to scutum and scutellum, but with a dense dusting of grey pollinosity, especially on the pleura. Scutum with sparse, long black setae. Sparse, irregularly spaced, prominent spines on anterior half of scutum, becoming much smaller and sparser posteriorly (need high magnification to observe on posterior half). Anterior scutal spines often with an associated seta attached to base. Scutellum prominent, projecting over first abdominal tergite, and with numerous, small, spine-like tubercles, becoming more dense on posterior face ( Fig. 4 B). Anepisternum densely covered with long black setae. Anepimeron, katepisternum, and ventral portion of anepisternum with patches of long white setae of varying density. Notopleural area just before wing base with three prominent black bristles ( Fig. 4A ). Wings ( Fig. 5): Wings smoky brown, darker along costal margin and gradually fading posteriorly. Venation typical for genus Thevenetimyia . Costa with two rows of evenly spaced, spine-like setae along length, becoming more densely spaced but individually finer beyond intersection of veins C and R2+3. M1 ending in the wing margin. CuA and A each terminating separately at wing margin. Crossvein r-m placed before middle of cell dm. Calypter with mixture of long black and white setae. Halter elongate with light stem and dark brown knob. Legs: Coxae of front, mid and hind legs dull black with even gray pollinosity and covered sparsely with long white hairs ( Fig. 4A ). Front leg: Femur dark brown, bare, with long setae on the underside near trochanter. Tibia brown with sparse setae and spines becoming more dense apically. Tarsi dark brown and with dense black bristles. Mid leg: Femur dark brown, bare with very few long setae near trochanter. Tibia lighter brown with evenly distributed black bristles. Apex of tibia with prominent spurs. Tarsi dark brown and densely packed with black bristles. Hind leg: Hind legs notably longer than front and mid legs (similar to other members of genus Thevenetimyia ). Femur dark brown with sparse black bristles and setae. Tibia lighter brown with evenly distributed black bristles. Apex of tibia with prominent spurs. Tarsi dark brown and densely packed with black bristles. All pulvilli well developed, slightly more than half the length of claws, white and with dense hairs. Claws simple ( Fig. 6 ). Abdomen: About twice the length of thorax. Ground color of tergites dark brown with gray pollinosity on the lateral portion. Tergite I with predominantly long white hair. Tergite II with long dark brown hair. Amount of hair decreases drastically on lateral portion posteriorly to tergite IV. No other remarkable hairs on tergites V–VII. Sternites brown with white hair of varying lengths, predominantly short, found evenly throughout all sternites. Long black bristle-like setae present on epandrium and sternite VII. Black bristles do not continue onto cerci, although cerci have shorter hairs. Dissection of male genitalia was not conducted due to only one specimen being known ( Fig. 6 ).

Etymology. The name is a noun in apposition based on a combination of spinosus (Latin = “thorny”) and avus (Latin = “grandfather”), referring to the spines present on the scutum and scutellum, and the fly’s “elderly” appearance (many white hairs found on the body and grey pollinosity).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Anterior view of the face of Thevenetimyia spinosavus Maass & Bertone, sp. nov.

FIGURE 6. Ventrolateral view of posterior abdominal segments, external male genitalia, and tarsal claws of Thevenetimyia spinosavus Maass & Bertone, sp. nov.

FIGURE 4. A. Lateral thoracic region of Thevenetimyia spinosavus Maass & Bertone, sp. nov. showing pleural pollinosity and setae, as well as the diagnostic spine-like scutellar tubercles (black arrow). B. Close-up of scutellar tubercles.