Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) gabrielei, Whitmore, 2009

Whitmore, Daniel, 2009, A review of the Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) of Sardinia *, Zootaxa 2318, pp. 566-588 : 575-580

Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) gabrielei sp. nov.

( Figs 1–16)

Type material. Holotype ♂ ( Fig. 1): I – Sardegna (Carbonia-Iglesias [prov.]) / Iglesias, Conca Margiani, 750 m / UTM-WGS 84 32 S 0463440 4356936 / 17.VII.2006 retino [= hand net] / D. Whitmore, D. Avesani, / M. Bardiani, D. Birtele, P. Cerretti leg. / Progetto Sardegna – CNBF // HOLOTYPE ♂ / Sarcophaga / ( Heteronychia ) / gabrielei sp. nov. / det. D. Whitmore 2008 ( CNBFVR) [holotype with terminalia extended, fully visible and attached to abdomen].

Paratypes. 16 ♂: same data as holotype (10 in CNBFVR, 1 in BMNH, 1 in GDC, 1 in MZUR, 1 in USNM, 1 in ZIN, 1 in ZMUC) [1 ♂ in CNBFVR with terminalia removed from abdomen and glued to a slip of card pinned with specimen] ; 3 ♂: same data as holotype except leg. DA MB DB PC DW ( ZMUC, 2 with coated terminalia on SEM stubs) ; 5 ♂ 1 ♀: same data as holotype except 18.VII.2006 ( CNBFVR, 1 ♂ in IRSNB, 1 ♂ in SMNS, 1 ♂ in TAU) [1 ♂ in CNBFVR with terminalia removed from abdomen and glued to pin beneath specimen] ; 1 ♂ 1 ♀: same data as holotype except UTM-WGS 84 32 S 0462635 4356866, 700 m, 15.VII.2006, DA MB DB PC DW ( MNHN) [terminalia dissected, in Canada balsam on small slides pinned with specimens]; 2 ♂: same data as previous except 16.VII.2006, DW DA MB DB PC ( CNBFVR) [1 ♂ with abdomen removed and glued to a slip of card pinned with specimen]; 1 ♀: same data as previous except 17.VII.2006 ( CNBFVR) ; 1 ♂: same data as holotype except 725 m, UTM-WGS 84 32 S 0464970 4357011 ( CNBFVR) ; 1 ♀: Sardegna ( Carbonia-Iglesias ), Domusnovas, Lago Siuru, 322 m, UTM-WGS 84 32 S 0467069 4357916, 12.VII.2006, retino [= hand net], DW DA MB DB PC MM ( CNBFVR) ; 1 ♂ 3 ♀♀: same data as previous except 12–17.VII.2006, Malaise trap ( CNBFVR) ; 1 ♂: same data as previous except 20– 23.V.2006, DW MB DB PA ( CNBFVR) [terminalia removed from abdomen and glued to locality label]; 1 ♀: same data as previous except 7.IX.2006, retino, DB DA MB GN ( CNBFVR) [terminalia dissected, placed in glycerine in a microvial pinned with specimen]; 1 ♀: Sardegna ( Carbonia-Iglesias ), Domusnovas, sa Duchessa, 371 m, UTM-WGS 84 32 S 0464990 4358384, 4–18.IV.2006, Malaise trap S2, GC ( CNBFVR) ; 1 ♀: idem, 18.IV–2.V.2006 ( TAU) ; 1 ♂: idem, 30.V–13.VI.2006 ( CNBFVR) ; 2 ♀♀: idem, 13–27.VI.2006 ( BMNH, GDC) ; 1 ♂ 2 ♀♀: idem, 22.VIII–5.IX.2006 ( CNBFVR) ; 1 ♀: idem, 5–19.IX.2006 ( ZIN) ; 1 ♀: idem ,

19.IX–3.X.2006 ( SMNS); 1 ♀: same data except 12.VII.2006, retino, DA MB DB PC MM DW ( CNBFVR); 1 ♀: Sardegna (Carbonia-Iglesias), Domusnovas, dint. P.ta Planotzara , 360 m, UTM-WGS 84 32 S 0465515 4356209, 13.VII.2006, retino, DA MB DB PC DW ( CNBFVR); 1 ♀: Sardegna (Carbonia-Iglesias), Domusnovas, Valle Oridda , 592 m, UTM-WGS 84 32 S 0466973 4362228, 11.VII.2006, retino, DA MB DB PC MM DW ( ZMUC); 2 ♂ 1 ♀: Sardegna (Carbonia-Iglesias), Iglesias, dint. Colonia Beneck , 636 m, UTM-WGS 84 32 S 0462391 4355441, 30.V–13.VI.2006, Malaise trap S1, GC (2 ♂ in CNBFVR, 1 ♀ in USNM); 1 ♀: idem , 27.VI–11.VII.2006 ( CNBFVR); 1 ♀: idem , 5–19.IX.2006 ( MZUR); 1 ♂: Sardegna (Carbonia-Iglesias), Iglesias, Punta Cungiaus , 636 m, hill top (h. 12.30–14.30) , 23.V.2006, retino, DW MB DB PA ( CNBFVR) [terminalia removed from abdomen and glued to pin beneath specimen] .

Diagnosis. Lower facial margin visible in profile below vibrissa; thorax with several strong presutural acrostichal setae; scutellum of male usually with a pair of apical setae; mid tibia of male without anteroventral setae; female without a midfemoral organ; mid femur of male without a posteroventral subapical comb; hind trochanter of male with a brush of short spine-like setae; hind femur of male without any anteroventral setae in addition to subapical one; hind tibia of male with long hair-like setae on ventral surface; wing-vein R 1 bare dorsally; abdominal tergite 3 without median marginal setae (rarely with a pair of weak, appressed setae); ventral sides of tergite 5 of female partly red; tergite 6 of female divided into two hemitergites; protandrial segment very elongate, lacking marginal setae; epandrium red; male cerci with a pronounced dorsal keel; pregonite with a rounded tip, widening apically, with numerous setulae on dorsal surface; phallus with harpes well developed and perpendicular to main axis of distiphallus; base of harpes with numerous sensilla on ventral surface; juxta without membranous appendages or expansions at base.

Description. Length: 7.5–13.3 mm.

Male. Colour. Head black, with dense grey microtrichosity on parafacials and fronto-orbital plate, changing with the incidence of light; frontal vitta black; gena, face and occiput grey-microtrichose; pedicel black, brownish at tip, postpedicel black; prementum black, palpus dark brown; thorax black in ground colour, grey-microtrichose with three longitudinal dark vittae; legs black; tegula black, basicosta light yellow; abdomen black, grey-microtrichose, with typical checkered pattern changing with the incidence of light; protandrial segment shiny black with a small median strip of grey microtrichosity approximately on distal 1/5; epandrium dark red; cercus black; surstylus, phallus and gonites dark brown. Head. Arista thickened on basal 1/3–2/5. Postpedicel 1.80–2.15 x as long as pedicel. Frons at its narrowest point 0.52–0.63 x as wide as an eye in dorsal view. Frontal vitta about half as wide as frons at its narrowest point, visibly widening towards antennal insertion. Lateral vertical seta 1.1–1.5 x as long as longest postocular setae, distinct from the latter. Six to 10 frontal setae, not descending below level of middle of pedicel. Fronto-orbital plate with a row of fine setulae near eye margin and some additional scattered setulae. Parafacial with a row of fine setae close to eye margin, the lower 4–5 stronger than the upper ones. Parafacial at its narrowest point 0.21–0.39 x as wide as eye width. Lower facial margin visible in lateral view. Facial ridge above vibrissa with decumbent setulae on approximately basal 1/3–2/5. Gena, in profile, 0.34–0.54 x the vertical height of eye (measured in the same vertical plane as height of head); gena entirely covered with black setae; postgenal setae white. Two rows of black occipital setulae behind postocular setae, remaining occipital setulae white. Prementum about 3.5 x as long as wide. Thorax. Postpronotum with 3 stronger setae forming a triangle. Scutum with 4–6 short + 1 (prescutellar) acrostichal, 4–5 + 3 dorsocentral, 2–3 postsutural intraalar, 2 posthumeral (outer one shorter), 1 presutural, 4 notopleural and 3 supraalar setae; postalar callus with 2 setae. Katepisternum with 3 setae. Katepimeron with fine setulae on posterior half. Scutellum with 3 (rarely 2) pairs of marginal setae: basal, subapical, apical (sometimes lacking) and 1–2 pairs of discal setae. Legs. Fore tibia with 2–3 anterodorsal and 1 posterior setae. Mid femur with 4–5 anterior setae near middle, 3–4 to several short anteroventral setae, 2–3 subapical posterodorsal setae, no strong setae on ventral surface; mid femur without a subapical posteroventral comb of spine-like setae but with a row of short stout setae on distal 1/4. Mid tibia with 2–3 anterodorsal, 2–3 posterodorsal, 1 dorsal and 0 anteroventral setae (except for 1 anteroventral seta on left leg of one paratype). Mid femur and tibia with long wavy setae on posteroventral surface. Hind trochanter with a ventral brush of tightly spaced spine-like setae. Hind femur with a strong subapical seta but no additional anteroventral setae, and with only hair-like posteroventral setae. Hind tibia with a row of anterodorsal setae of irregular length, 2–3 posterodorsal and 1 anteroventral seta; hind femur and hind tibia with numerous long wavy setae on ventral surface. Wing. Costal spine short, usually about 1/3–1/2 x as long as crossvein R-M, sometimes indiscernible. Vein R 1 bare dorsally. Setae on dorsal surface of vein R 4+5 extending over halfway to crossvein R-M. Second costal section 1.20–1.54 x fourth costal section. Small spines on costa reaching about 1/2 to 4/5 of the way across fourth costal section. Wing cell r 4+5 open at wing margin. Abdomen. Syntergite 1+2 and tergite 3 without median marginal setae; sometimes a weak pair of setae present on tergite 3. Tergite 4 with a pair of strong median marginal setae and several lateral marginal setae. Tergite 5 with a complete row of marginal setae. Terminalia. Sternite 5 ( Fig. 2) strongly indented, v-shaped, with brushes of tightly spaced stout, short setae along each of its processes and a row of long, thick setae along inner margin of each process. Protandrial segment without a row of setae along posterior margin. Epandrium with a gently curved external edge, about 1.5 x as long as high. Cercus ( Fig. 3) with a pronounced dorsal keel, downcurved and apically pointed. Surstylus ( Fig. 3) of irregular shape, with rounded edges and widening posteriorly. Pregonite ( Fig. 4) tongue-shaped, widening apically and with numerous setae on dorsal surface. Postgonite ( Fig. 4) with a hooked tip. Distiphallus: apical process of harpes ( Fig. 5) long, projecting ventrally (curving downwards in dead specimens), gradually tapering into a blunt tip when viewed apically ( Fig. 6); base of harpes appearing elbow-shaped in lateral view ( Fig. 5) and flattened in a dorso-ventral direction ( Fig. 7), ventral surface covered with microscopic sensilla ( Fig. 8); juxta well developed ( Fig. 5), about half as long as rest of distiphallus, and straight with respect to the latter; in lateral view with three tooth-like processes ( Fig. 5), in apical view with six visible tooth-like processes disposed symmetrically on either side of a longer central process ( Fig. 6); lateral styli narrow, hidden by juxta ( Fig. 7); vesica as in Fig. 9.

Female ( Fig. 10). Differs from male as follows: Head. Frons at its narrowest point 0.91–1.20 x as wide as an eye in dorsal view. Frontal vitta about 0.4 x as wide as frons, only slightly widening anteriorly. Lateral vertical seta strong, about twice as long as longest postoculars. Two proclinate fronto-orbital setae present. Thorax. Scutellum always without apical setae. Legs. Fore tibia with 3–4 anterodorsal setae. Mid femur with several strong setae on posteroventral surface. Mid femur lacking mid-femoral organ. Mid tibia with 3 anterodorsal and 1–2 anteroventral setae. Hind trochanter without modified setae. Hind femur with several anteroventral and posteroventral setae. Hind tibia with 3–4 anteroventral setae. All femora and tibiae without long wavy hairs on posteroventral surface. Wings. Costal spine well developed, approximately the same length as crossvein R-M. Terminalia. Ventral sides of tergite 5 partly red, tergite 6 red ( Fig. 11). Tergite 6 divided into two hemitergites ( Fig. 12), each folded longitudinally at approximately a right-angle ( Fig. 13). Sternites 6, 7 and 8 as in Fig. 14. Vaginal plate present, contiguous with hypoproct, elongate and subtriangular ( Fig. 15). Spermathecae in Fig. 16.

Etymology. Dedicated to the memory of my dear friend and entomologist Graziano Gabriele.

Distribution. Sardinia.

Biology. Unknown.

Ecology. The new species was collected in seven localities of the Marganai forest. It was most abundant at Conca Margiani, a relatively open part of a N-NE-facing limestone hillside otherwise densely covered by holm-oak forest ( Fig. 17). In July, when most specimens of Sarcophaga gabrielei were collected (both males and females), the area was covered by many flowering bushes of Euphorbia pithyusa cupanii (Euphorbiaceae) and Bupleurum fruticosum (Apiaceae) . The flies were attracted mainly to the yellow flowers of the latter plant and were collected either on the flowers or on the surrounding limestone rocks.

Remarks. In general appearance, Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) gabrielei resembles S. (H.) porrecta Böttcher, 1913 from southern and eastern Europe (cf. Pape 2004a), with which it shares the absence of anteroventral setae on hind femur in addition to the subapical one, the presence of numerous long, black, hairlike setae on posteroventral surface of hind tibia and the relatively long protandrial segment. Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) gabrielei differs from S. (H.) porrecta in lacking an anteroventral seta on mid tibia, in the much greater length of the protandrial segment and in the shape of the cercus and phallus (cf. Povolný 1996). The new species can also be distinguished by the absence of marginal setae on the protandrial segment. The external appearance of the female terminalia of Sarcophaga (Heteronychia) porrecta is also very similar to that of S. (H.) gabrielei .