Leptocera marginata ( ADAMS, 1905 )

Papp, L., 2012, A Review Of The Afrotropical Species Of Leptocera Olivier (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 58 (3), pp. 225-258 : 243-246

Leptocera marginata ( ADAMS, 1905)

( Figs 45–56 )

Limosina marginata ADAMS, 1905: 200 . Type locality: Zimbabwe, Salisbury. Lectotype male, designated by RICHARDS, 1973: 304 (SEMC).

Limosina [as “ Limosa ”] (Paracollinella) decisetosa VANSCHUYTBROECK, 1950: 11 . New synonymy. Type locality: Zaire, Île de Mateba (holotype male in the ISNB).

For detailed synonymy see ROHÁČEK et al. 2001: 155.

Material studied: 2 female paratypes of L. decisetosa (HNHM) : 1) f – 2) Mateba (île), 3-ii–1949, P. Vanschuytbroeck. P. Vanschuytbroeck det. 1950: “ Paracollinella decisetosa Vanschuytbr. ” – [red] Para-type – cf. Bull. Inst. Sc. Nat. Belg. T. XXVI, n° 25, 1950, p. 11–12. Other specimens, HNHM: R.S.A., leg. L. Papp & M. Földvári 2007 : 5 males 1 female: farmlands nr Happy Lands, Jan 11, S 33° 28’ 38.1’’ E 25° 35’ 49.7’’, 51 m, No. 15 ; 1 male 1 female: Sandvlakte Farm nr Paterson, cattle pasture, Jan 12, S 33° 26’ 14.2’’ E 25° 56’ 54.8’’, 300 m, No. 18 ; 1 male: KwaZulu Natal, S Drakensberg, Garden Castle, along Mlambonja River , Jan 22, GPS21, S 29° 44’ 59.4’’ E 29° 12’ 42.1’’, 1811 m, No. 33 ; 2 males 2 females: KwaZulu Natal, N Drakensberg, along eNdumeni River , on sedge and on mud, Jan 31, 2007, No. 45, leg. L. Papp. Tanzania : 1 male 1 female: Morogoro region, Mikumi National Park, Mikumi Tented Camp – Netting over excrement of elephant, Feb 1, 1987, leg. S. Mahunka – T. Pócs – A. Zicsi, No. 8 .; 8 males 3 females: Meru , 1979. II.-III., leg. Eőry – Sipos. Ethiopia : 1 female: Ambo , 23. 11. 1980., leg. Demeter. Other specimens, NMSA : 4 males 6 females: South Africa , Barberton , 16. 5. [19]13., H.K. Munro ; 7 males 1 female: Heidelburg , 20. I. 21., H.K. Munro ; 3 males, 3 females: SOUTH AFRICA : Natal, Rietspruit farm, 13km NE Pietermaritzburg, 29° 32’ 27’’S 30° 29’ 04’’E, 13. iii. 1990, Wetland & Dam, A. Whittington . 1 male 1 female: S AFRICA: KZ-Natal #21, Itala Game Reserve , 27° 31’ S: 31° 15’ E, 800m . Date : 27–29. iii. 1996. Coll: D.A. Barraclough, Woodland / Thomveld . 1 male: SOUTH AFRICA : Natal #93, Merrivale, at light, 29° 31’ S: 30°15’ E, 1000m, Tehwalabenyoni farm. Date : 2. ii. 1994. Coll: B. R. Stuckenberg .

Redescription of this species is given by RICHARDS (1973), so only postabdominal structures of both sexes are described here.

Male postabdomen and genitalia. Sternite 5 ( Figs 49–50 ) large (long) with numerous long setae. Posteromedial desclerotized part of sternite 5 rather broad, microtrichia apparently born on small tubercles. Synsternite ( Fig. 51 ) very characteristic: right half of sternite 6 greatly narrowed, sternite 7 extended towards the right side as a curved, heavily sclerotised dark sclerite. Medial and right portions of sternites 6 and 7 forming a distinct pocket. Sternite 8 part also larger than usual; male terminalia therefore larger than usual. Epandrium ( Fig. 54 ) with a large transparent and less sclerotised posteroventral part bearing shorter setae, epandrium otherwise with numerous long setae. Hypandrium with apodeme shorter than phallapodeme ( Fig. 53 ). Subepandrial sclerite slightly higher than broad, with a more sclerotised narrow median part. Cercus desclerotised, with hairs but no bristles ( Fig. 54 ). Anterior part of surstylus ( Figs 54–55 ) with large, ventrally directed anterior part and a relatively small posterior part, which bears a thin transparent lamella medially. Posterior part of surstylus deeply bifid ( Figs 54–56 ): the longer, ventral part with very short apical and a long subapical seta, the shorter dorsal part bare. Basiphallus ( Figs 52–53 ) extended caudally. Distiphallus ( Fig. 53 ) with both dorsomedial and ventromedial rib, which are united basally into a strong wide sclerite. Distiphallus microtrichose between the sclerotised ribs. Postgonite ( Fig. 52 ) robust, without basal caudal projection; basal part broader and rounded caudally. Apical part rather stout with a minute anteriorly curved apex. Ejaculatory apodeme ( Fig. 52 ) distinct but irregular in form.

Female postabdomen and genitalia. Tergite 8 ( Fig. 47 ) rather large with numerous thick setae along entire caudal margin (easily seen in undissected specimens). Sternite 8 ( Fig. 48 ) not divided into posterior lobes, sparsely microtrichose, medial part slightly darker. Tergite 10 ( Fig. 46 ) not fused to cerci, with a pair of long setae. Cerci ( Fig. 46 ) short with a pair of very long setae (easily seen under lower magnification). Spermathecae ( Fig. 45 ) ovoid with somewhat narrowed base; apically curved spicules present on basal 2/5. Sclerotised part of duct about as long as spermathecae.

Distribution – Rwanda and Zaire (occurrence data for L. decisetosa , see

ROHÁČEK et al. 2001, PAPP 2008 and MARSHALL et al. 2011); Ethiopia, South Af-

for Fig. 54, 58, 60 , 0.1 mm for Figs 55–57, 59

rica, Botswana, Zimbabwe; Australia ( NSW, QLD). Newly recorded from Tanzania. Locality data from outside the Afrotropical region require confirmation.

Figures

Figs 41–48. Leptocera spp., female postabdomen and spermathecae: 41–44. L. kovacsi DUDA: 41 = spermathecae, 42 = tergite 10 fused with cerci, dorsal view, 43 = tergite 8, lateral view, 44 = sternite 8, ventral view.45–48. L. marginata (ADAMS): 45 = spermathecae (single one slightly flattened), 46 = tergite 10 and cerci, dorsal view, 47 = tergite 8, lateral view, 48 = sternite 8, ventral view. Scale bars:

Figs 49–53. Leptocera marginata (ADAMS, 1905), male postabdomen: 49 = sternite 5, ventral view, 50 = caudal part of sternite 5, ventral view, 51 = synsternite, subventral (slightly caudal) view, 52 = postgonite, left lateral view, 53 = phallus, phallapodeme and medial part of hypandrium, right lateral

Figs 54–60. Leptocera spp., male postabdomen.54–56. L.marginata (ADAMS, 1905): 54 = right half of epandrium and genitalia, caudal view, 55 = anterior and posterior part of surstylus, lateral view, 56 = posterior part of surstylus, posterior view. 57–60. L. melanaspis (BEZZI): 57 = anterior part of surstylus, lateral view, 58 = right half of epandrium and genitalia, caudal view, 59 = posterior part of surstylus, posteroventral view, 60 = phallus and phallapodeme, left lateral view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm