Pachycerina nigrivittata, Davies & Miller, 2009

Davies, Gregory B. P. & Miller, Raymond M., 2009, Revision of Afrotropical Pachycerina Macquart (Diptera: Lauxaniidae), African Invertebrates 50 (2), pp. 295-295 : 312-313

Pachycerina nigrivittata sp. n.

Figs 1 , 22 , 34 , 40

Etymology: From Latin niger (black) and vitta (stripe), in reference to the black longitudinal stripes along ventral edges of abdominal tergites.

Diagnosis: P. nigrivittata is sympatric with P. vaga in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. They are very similar in coloration and chaetation, but P. nigrivittata (of both sexes) may be distinguished easily from P. vaga by having black vittae along the ventral margins of the abdominal tergites (these areas are uniformally yellow-orange in P. vaga ). A further clear difference is in the shape of the male S5. P. nigrivittata has straight posterior processes with a tiny medial spur ( Fig. 40 ), whereas P. vaga has incurved posterior processes with a more prominent medial spur ( Fig. 39 ).

Description:

Head: Ocellar spot large, black. Fronto-orbital plates not infuscated. Prefrontal spots large and black, touching edge of prefrons laterally. Scape and pedicel weakly infuscated orange-brown, postpedicel yellow.

Thorax: Scutal striping not distinct, but acrostichal, dorsocentral and presutural orange-brown vittae present. Scutellum yellow to orange. Postnotum orange-yellow. Upper lateral thoracic vitta present, but indistinct posterad of mesopleuron. Lower lateral thoracic vitta more pronounced in intensity. Meropleuron all yellow. Procoxa to profemur yellow, protibia to protarsus dark brown. Other legs yellow-orange. Wing anteriorly strongly fumose (costal cell, stigma, marginal cell and anterior part of submarginal cell infuscated). Haltere yellow, knob orange-brown.

Abdomen: Yellow, longitudinal black or dark brown vitta along ventral margin of syntergite 1+2 through T6.

Male terminalia ( Figs 22 , 34 , 40 ): S5 with straight posterior processes and small medial spur. Surstyli slightly longer than epandrium. Paired black spots on T6. Gonopods asymmetric, about equal in length and with distinct lateral spinules.Aedeagal apodeme long, thin and tapering anteriorly.

Measurements: ơ (n=3), ^(n=2): head length – ơ 0.8, ^0.8; thorax length (incl. scutellum) – ơ 2.2, ^2.0; abdomen length – ơ 1.6, ^1.6; wing length – ơ 4.4, ^4.2.

Holotype:1ơ SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: Pietermaritzburg, Town Bush [29°34'S: 30°21'E], vii.1976, Malaise trap, R.M. Miller ( NMSA).

Other material examined: CAMEROON: 1^Mt Cameroon [04°13'S: 09°10'E], Musake, 13.i.1932, M. Steele ( BMNH) . KENYA: 2^Kakamega Forest [0°15'N: 34°52'E], 18.xii.1970, A.E. Stubbs ( BMNH) ; 1^Maguga [01°11'S: 36°39'E], viii.1969, C.F. Dewhurst, at light ( BMNH) ; 2^same locality, x.1969, C.F. Dewhurst ( BMNH) . SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: 1ơ Cathedral Peak [28°57'S: 29°19'E], 14– 16.i.1985, Malaise trap, R.M. Miller ( NMSA) ; 1^same locality, 14–16.xii.1984, R.M. Miller ( NMSA) ; 1ơ same locality, 1.i.1954, B.R. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 2^Cathedral Peak, Indumeni Forest , 5.xi.1965, B.R. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1ơ Royal Natal Nat. Park [28°40'S: 28°50'E], 11.ix.1963, montane forest, B.R. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1ơ Pietermaritzburg , University of KwaZulu-Natal golf course [29°38'S: 30°24'E], 15.viii.1991, R.M. Miller ( NMSA) ; 1^Pietermaritzburg, Ashburton [29°40'S: 30°27'E], ix.2004, Malaise trap, R.M.Miller ( NMSA) ; 3^Pietermaritzburg, Town Bush [29°34'S: 30°21'E], ix.1976, Malaise trap, R.M. Miller ( NMSA) ; 1ơ same locality, x.1976, Malaise trap, R.M. Miller ( NMSA) ; 3^same locality, xi.1976, Malaise trap, R.M. Miller ( NMSA) ; 2^same locality, xii.1976, Malaise trap, R.M. Miller ( NMSA) ; 1ơ Albert Falls Dam, nr Crammond [30°24'S: 30°25'E], 17.vii.2001, R.M. Miller ( NMSA) ; 1^ Howick [29°28'S: 30°13'E], 23.xii.1990, A.E. Whittington [ NMSA] ; 1^Rietvlei [29°09'S: 30°16'E], Karkloof forest , 31.v.1977, Malaise trap, I. Bampton ( NMSA) ; 1^Karkloof Mts, nr Mt Alida [29°12'S: 30°20'E], 24.xii.1961, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1ơ Lion’s Bush [29°24'S: 29°55'E], Nottingham [Road], 9.viii.1954, B. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1ơ Richmond [29°52'S: 30°17'E], 19.vii.2001, citrus orchard, R.M. Miller ( NMSA) ; 3^Richmond, Enon Farm [29°49'S: 30°13'E], i.1964, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1ơ Deepdale [30°33'S: 29°54'E], Umkomaas River Valley , v.1959, B.R. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1^ Umtentweni [30°43'S: 30°28'E], vii.1951, A.L. Capener ( NMSA) .

Figures

Fig. 1. Habitus of Pachycerina nigrivittata. Note the bulging prefrons, black prefrontal spots, and elongated antennae.

Figs 17–22. Posterior view of male terminalia: (17) Pachycerina potentilla sp. n.; (18) Pachycerina pellocera sp. n.; (19) Pachycerina atrimela sp. n.; (20) Pachycerina obscuripennis Lamb; (21) Pachycerina seychellensis Lamb; (22) Pachycerina nigrivittata sp. n.Abbreviations: pro – protandrium, epa – epandrium, sur – surstylus. Scale bar = 0.8 mm.

Figs 34–38. Dorsal view of male inner genitalia: (34) Pachycerina nigrivittata sp. n.; (35) Pachycerina vaga Adams; (36) Pachycerina crinicornis (Thomson); (37) Pachycerina micropunctata sp. n.; (38) Pachycerina seychellensis Lamb. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

Figs 39–48. Sternite 5 of male Pachycerina species: (39) P. vaga Adams; (40) P. nigrivittata sp. n.; (41) P. gabela sp. n.; (42) P. atrimela sp. n.; (43) P. pellocera sp. n.; (44) P. stuckenbergi sp. n.; (45) P. crinicornis (Thomson); (46) P. potentilla sp. n.; (47) P.seychellensis Lamb; (48) P. micropunctata sp. n. Abbreviation: post proc – posterior process. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.