Dacus (Psilodacus) mochii Bezzi

White, Ian M. & Goodger, Kim F. M., 2009, African Dacus (Diptera: Tephritidae); New Species and Data, with Particular Reference to the Tel Aviv University Collection, Zootaxa 2127, pp. 1-49 : 38-40

Dacus (Psilodacus) mochii Bezzi , stat.rev.

Figures 97 – 103 .

Dacus mochii Bezzi, 1917: 65

Diagnosis. As D. annulatus Becker, 1903 except: Thorax. Anepisternal stripe anteriorly almost reaching postpronotal lobe (fig. 101). Wing. Costal band filling base of cell r1 (fig. 103). Abdomen. Tergite IV with dark medial stripe (fig. 98).

Redescription. Size. Small, wing length, 5.1 mm. Head (fig. 100). Pedicel+first flagellomere not longer than ptilinal suture. Face, antennal furrow without a dark spot; upper area (under antenna base) with a transverse dark marking. Frons, frontal setae 1, orbital setae absent. Thorax (figs 97, 101). Scutum black; postpronotal lobe yellow; notopleural callus yellow; notopleural xanthine wedge shaped (connected to notopleural callus); lateral and medial postsutural vitta absent. Scutellum without any dark patterning (except for narrow basal dark margin). Anepisternum with a stripe from notopleural callus to katepisternum; anteriorly almost reaching postpronotal lobe; extended onto katepisternum. Laterotergal xanthine confined to katatergite. Thoracic setae. Anterior notopleural seta present but reduced (thin and black); anterior supra-alar seta absent. Wing (fig. 103). Basal cells bc and c without an almost complete covering of microtrichia; cell bm without microtrichia. Narrow subbasal raised section of cell br with extensive covering of microtrichia. Crossvein R-M beyond middle of cell dm. Costal band complete; shallow, not extending below vein R2+3 before wing apex, except basally filling cell r1; slightly expanded at apex. Anal streak absent (at most with a trace of colour confined to cell bcu). Cells bc and c hyaline. Crossbanding; at most with an extension of the costal band over the upper part of crossvein on R-M (recorded in type description; absent in examined specimen). Legs (fig. 102). Femora pale coloured. Abdomen (fig. 98). Tergite II black basally, fulvous apically; tergite III black basally and laterally, red-brown medially; tergite IV black laterally, red-brown medially; tergite V red-brown; terga III – V with a narrow medial black stripe. Tergites I – V all fused. Male. Tergite III without pecten (based on original description only). Female (fig. 99). Aculeus pointed; no torsion.

Type data. Holotype male, paratype male, ERITREA: Ghinda, xii.1916, A. Mochi (not examined; lost).

Material. ETHIOPIA: 1 female, Wendo Genet, 220km S. Addis, 14.xii.1989, A. Freidberg & F. Kaplan ( TAU).

Remarks. The types of this species are lost ( Munro 1984: 145) and it was erroneously placed in synonymy with D. (Psilodacus) annulatus Becker, 1903 , by White (2006: 125). However, a single female ( TAU) has since been examined which is distinct from all species described in that work and largely matches the original description of D. mochii , which is therefore removed from synonymy. The specimen runs close to D. chapini in the key of White (2006; couplet 288) but differs from that species in the more extensive yellowbrown patterning of the abdomen and the shape of the notopleural xanthine. The wing and aculeus are similar to D. chapini , a species previously confused with D. mochii by Collart (1940). The only discernable difference between the present specimens and the holotype ( Bezzi, 1917: fig. 3), is that it has no expansion of the costal band across the anterior portion of crossvein R-M. However, D. chapini and D. maynei Bezzi, 1924 a, both vary with respect to that character and it is likely that D. mochii displays similar variation (both wings forms included in revised key). The subgeneric position of this species is questionable. Its notopleural xanthine is similar to that of D. annulatus and is interpreted as being of the wedge type. Its abdomen patterning is of a form typical of many sg. Didacus , but otherwise unknown in sg. Psilodacus . The form of its wing pattern (notably the dark area in the base of cell r4+5) and trace of a dark upper facial mark suggest sg. Psilodacus , and the lack of a male pecten (as noted in the type description) would be atypical of sg. Didacus . Pending discovery of more material it is retained in sg. Psilodacus .

Figures

FIGURES 97 – 103. Dacus (Psilodacus) mochii Bezzi, female. 97. Mesonotum, dorsal view. 98. Abdomen, dorsal view. 99. Ovipositor with extended aculeus, dorsal view. 100. Head, anterior view. 101. Thorax, left lateral view. 102. Legs, left lateral view; fore, mid, hind. 103. Wing, dorsal view. Scale lines = 1 mm.