Genea australis ( Townsend, 1929 )

Nunez, Enio & Couri, Márcia S., 2011, Revision Of Neotropical Genea Rondani (Diptera, Tachinidae, Tachininae, Leskiini), Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 51 (31), pp. 481-497 : 483-484

Genea australis ( Townsend, 1929)

( Figures 1-5 )

Leskiomima australis Townsend, 1929: 368 (original description based on a male, wrongly identified as female by the author); Townsend, 1939: 224-225 (genus redescription and a remark over L. australis ); James, 1947: 100-101 (key and redescription of male); Guimarães, 1971: 117 (catalogue).

Genea australis ; Wood, 1987: 1264 (combination to Genea ); O’Hara & Wood, 1998: 761 (combination to Genea formalized).

Diagnosis: Males and females alike with 2 pairs of proclinate orbital setae and 2 pairs of reclinate orbital setae; frontal setae sparse and crossed; antennal insertion little above eye middle; gena with 1/4 of eye length; palpus slightly clavate with not more than 1.2 times the length of the flagellomere; proboscis long, mentum length 1.5 times the head height; vein R 1 entirely setulose on dorsal surface and vein R 4+5 setulose from the base almost to crossvein r-m on dorsal surface; vein M 1 usually with sparse few setulae; claws and pulvilli short; yellow abdomen with median apical brown spots dorsally; T 1+2 not excavate to its hind margin; small median apical brown spots dorsally on T 1+2, T 3 and T 4; usually with 1 pair of median marginal setae on T 3; anterior margin of T 3, T 4 and T 5 with a narrow white pruinose band.

Male: Body length, 5.5-6.5 mm; wing, 4.5-5.5 mm.

Head: White colour and gold near vertex; ocellars setae divaricate; inner vertical setae long; 5-6 pairs of sparse frontal setae crossed, one pair below the level of the antennal insertion ( Fig. 1 ); frons with 0.5 of the head width at the level of the anterior ocellus; flagellomere slightly brown, yellow on the base; arista slightly plumose; proboscis long, mentum 1.5 times the head height; 6-8 pairs of subvibrissal setulae, shorter near vibrissa; 1-2 setulae above the vibrissa; palpus yellow, slightly clavate with not more than 1.2 times the length of the flagellomere; occiput slightly convex.

Thorax: Brown in ground colour with golden pruinosity; dorsocentrals 2+3; post-pronotals 1+2 or 2+2; scutellum with one pair of basal setae, one pair of subapical setae and one pair of discal setae near apex; pleura with a dense golden pruinosity. Wing and calypter slightly infuscate; vein R 1 entirely setulose on dorsal surface ( Fig. 2 ) and vein R 4+5 setulose from base almost until crossvein r-m on dorsal surface; vein M 1 usually with few sparse setulae. Legs yellow and tarsi dark brown; fore tibia with 2-3 long posterodorsal setae on middle third; 1 dorsal subapical seta; 1 anteroventral and 1 posteroventral apical seta each, claws and pulvilli short; mid femur with 1 anterior seta on middle third; 1-2 posterodorsal setae on apical third; mid tibia with 1 long anterodorsal seta on middle third; 2 sparse posterodorsal setae on middle third; 1 ventral seta on middle third; 1 anteroventral, 1 ventral, 1 posteroventral and 1 posterodorsal apical seta each; hind femur with one posteroventral and one row of anteroventral setae on basal half and 1 anteroventral apical seta; 1-2 posterodorsal apical setae; hind tibia with one posterodorsal row of setae; 2-3 ventral setae, the apicalone the largest; 1 anterodorsal and 1 posterodorsal subapical seta each; 1 anteroventral and 1 posteroventral apical seta each.

Abdomen: Yellow with small median apical brown spots dorsally; T 1+2 not excavate to its hind margin; small median apical brown spots dorsally usually on T 1+2, T 3 and T 4; usually with one pair of short median marginals on T 3; anterior margin of T 3, T 4 and T 5 with a narrow white pruinose band.

Male terminalia ( Figs. 3-5 ): Sternite 5 as described for genus; cerci not fused and large; surstyli slightly shorter than cerci; cerci with very short setulae turned upwards on its apical half; postgonite narrow and pregonite triangular in lateral view.

Female: Similar to male.

Type material: Holotype male (n57289). BRAZIL. São Paulo: Itaquaquecetuba , 13.iii.1929, Leskiomima australis, (Townsend) (USNM) .

Other material examined: BRAZIL. Paraíba: João Pessoa , 1 female, 20.x.1954, Silva, A.G.A. col. ( MZSP) ; Goiás: Jataí , 1 male, i.1955, Carrera col. ( MZSP) ; Mato Grosso do Sul: Três Lagoas, Faz. Floresta, Exp. Dept. Zoologia , 1 male, 13-20.x.1964 ( MZSP) ; Minas Gerais: Arceburgo , 1 male, iii.1945, Barreto col. ( MZSP) ; São Paulo: Lençóis Paulistas, Barra Grande, Faz. Debroado , 1 male, ii.1975, (in Diatraea ), Terán col. ( MZSP) ; 1 female, same label as previous ( MZSP) ; 1 female, 19.iv.1955, Lenko col. ( MZSP) ; 1 male, 03.ii.1962, Lenko col. ( MZSP) ; BOLIVIA. Santa Cruz: Saavedra, Exp. Sta. , 5 males and 2 females, vi.1976, [Ex. Elasmopalpus lignoselus ] Colque, E. Col. ( USNM) ; Santa Cruz, 1 female, 1.iii.1988, [Ex. Elasmopalpus lignoselus ] Pruett, C. col. ( USNM) .

Geographic distribution: Brazil and Bolivia (new record).

Comments: There are records of parasitism on the pyralid Elasmopalpus lignosellus Zeller, 1848 .

Figures

FIGURES 1‑5: Genea australis (Townsend) 1. Head, lateral view; 2. Wing, dorsal view; 3. Epandrium, cerci and surstylus, posterior view; 4. Epandrium, cerci and surstyli, lateral view 5. Aedegal complex, lateral view. Figures 6-7: Genea brasiliensis (Townsend) 6. Head, lateral view; 7. Abdomen, dorsal view. Figures 8-11: Genea gracilis James 8. Head, lateral view; 9. Epandrium, cerci and surstyli, posterior view; 10. Epandrium, cerci and surstyli, lateral view; 11. Aedegal complex, lateral view.