Thevenetimyia lanigera (Cresson, 1919), 1954

Li, Xuankun, Rodrigues, Paula Fernanda Motta, Lamas, Carlos José Einicker & Yeates, David K., 2018, A Review of the Australian Species of Thevenetimyia Bigot, 1875 (Bombyliidae, Bombyliinae, Eclimini), with Description of Four New Species and the Pupal Case of T. longipalpis (Hardy), Records of the Australian Museum 70 (3), pp. 331-375 : 371

Thevenetimyia lanigera (Cresson, 1919)

Fig. 30

Eclimus laniger Cresson, 1919: 182 . Type-locality: USA (California); holotype in ANSP.

Eclimus leechi Hall, 1954 b: 147 . Type-locality: USA (California); holotype in CAS; new synoymy given by Hall (1969: 40).

Thevenetimyia lanigera (Cresson, 1919) .– Hall, 1969: 40.

Specimens examined. USA, 1♀ pupal case, California, Los Gatos, 31 May 1918, reared, BPBM; 4 pupal cases, California, 1917, BPBM; holotype USA, of the “ Eclimus leechi Hall, 1954 ” ♀, pupal case, California, Marin Co., Mill Valley, 1 Jul 1951, H. B. Leech, emerged from Ceanothus thyrsiflorus heavily infested by Ptilinus (CAS type no. 6347).

Redescription. Pupal case. Length: 8.0– 10.6 mm. Head width: 1.4–1.5 mm. Thorax width: 1.6–2.0 mm. Abdominal width: 1.6–2.0 mm, tapering to 0.4–0.5 mm at width of anal segment. Coloration. predominantly pale yellow, spines dark brown to black. Head. Armed with 6 pairs of cephalic spines. One anterior antennal processes (aap) present, aap strong with a small anterodorsal spine ( Figs 30g, h ), base area of anterodorsal spine with one dorsal long hair, base area of aap with one lateral long hair. Two posterior antennal processes (pap) present, one large anterior pap with lateral small raise from basal area, one small anteroventral pap with ventral lobe ( Figs 30g, h ). One lateral facial spine (lfsp) present, one median facial hair (mfha) present, one frontal spine (fsp) present. Labral sheath (lsh) short, slightly rugose laterally. Proboscidal sheath (prsh) short, slightly longer than lsh, smooth. Maxillary sheath (msh) smooth, extending 0.8 length of prsh. Palpal sheath (pash) smooth, extending 0.8 length of lsh ( Figs 30c, d ). Thorax. Mostly smooth, one small and weak posterior mesothoracic callosity (pmc) present, without other spines or setae. Wing sheath (wsh) and base half of leg sheaths (lesh) smooth, apex half of lesh rugose ( Fig. 30d ). Fore leg sheath (lesh 1) not exceeding apex of wing sheath, mid leg heath (lesh 2) reaching abdominal segment 4, hind leg sheath (lesh 3) reaching abdominal segment 6. Abdomen. Eight abdominal segments visible, segments 8 and 9 fused ( Fig. 30b ). Abdominal tergites 1 and 7 with small short spines, with short setae in the middle. Abdominal tergites 1 to 6 with well-developed chitinous rods with posterior apex raised as spines, and with short setae in the middle ( Fig. 30e ). Abdominal pleurae 2 to 7 each with a transverse row of short setae. Sternites 6 and 7 with a transverse row of setae on posterior half. Anal segment rugose, one dorsal rugose plate present ( Fig. 30i ), one ventral small spine present ( Fig. 30j ). Dorsal posterolateral process (dpp) large and slightly incurved, ventral posterolateral process (vpp) vestigial, tuberculate ( Fig. 30j ).

Remarks. T. lanigera is similar to T. longipalpis , but differs by having a short lsh and prsh; and a less armed aap and pap. Both are similar to Hull’s drawing of a Thevenetimyia pupa (1973).

The only pupae described from the tribe Eclimini were Thevenetimyia lanigera (Cresson, 1919) ( Hall, 1954) and Lepidophora culiciformis Walker (Lamas & Lopes, 2004) . The pupae of Lepidophora is similar to Thevenetimyia , but differs as follows: mfha located further from middle; spines on dorsal of abdominal segment 8+9 stronger; aap and pap shorter; legs short. The characters shared by Lepidophora and Thevenetimyia are: hairs short; dpp small and blunt; vpp vestigial; pap small. Bombyliidae pupae do exhibit considerable variation and future, more extensive, comparative studies will reveal the taxonomic and phylogenetic utility of pupal characters.

Figures

Figure 30. Thevenetimyia lanigera Cresson, 1919 pupal case:(a) dorsal; (b) lateral;(c) head, ventral;(d); head and thorax, ventral; (e) abdominal segments 4 to 6, dorsal; (f) cephalic spines, dorsal; (g) cephalic spines, frontal; (h) cephalic spines, lateral; (i) anal segment, dorsal; (j) anal segment, ventral. Scale bars = 1 mm (c, e–j); = 0.1 mm (a, b, d).