Stenogephyra torrida, Lyneborg, 1987

Lyneborg, Leif, 1987, Notes on the Phycini of southern Africa with the description of a new genus and two new species (Diptera: Therevidae: Phycinae), ANNALS OF THE NATAL MUSEUM 28 (2), pp. 467-474 : 472-473

Stenogephyra torrida sp. n.

Figs 6-21

Etymology: dry, parched, hot, scorched. Refers to the arid places where this species is found.

Description, ♂.

Width of frons ( Fig. 7 ) at level of anterior ocellus about 3 times distance between outer margins of upper ocelli. Head polished black, with a stripe of white-grey tomentum from above antennal bases along eye-margin to gena; also a tomentose stripe from upper occiput along postocular margin. Frons with some black hairs below. Lateral parts of face and gena with black pile, which becomes whitish on lower occiput. Long, thin setae on postvertical area. Antenna as in Fig. 8 ; first flagellomere about 7 times as long as its maximal width; and about 5 times as long as scape. Flagellar style only about 5 per cent as long as first flagellomere. Mesonotum blackish and shiny, with two broad white-grey tomentose stripes; mesonotal pile short and black; np = 3, sa = 1, pa = 1, dc = 1, sc = 1. Pleura polished black, with following areas white-grey tomentose: propleuron, upper part of sternopleuron, and hypopleuron; pleural pile practically absent. Wings uniformly brownish hyaline; stigma distinct. Vein M2 usually distinctly abbreviated. Knob of halter either entirely white-yellow, or with outer/upper convex side brown-black. Legs blackish, apical third to half of mid femur, and whole mid tibia, often brownish. Abdomen shiny black, with whitish hindmarginal hems on Tl and 1'2. Pale hairs on first segments, black on last segments. Terminalia as described for the genus (cf. Figs 10-18 ). Total length: 4,0- 4,4 mm.

♀.

Very similar to ♂ 0', but larger. First flagellomere shorter than in ♂ ' ( Fig. 9 ), less than 4 times as long as scape. The main difference between the two sexes is to be found in the coloration of the legs: all coxae yellowish with thin white-grey tomentum; also femora yellowish, front femur often darkened dorsally at apex; front and hind tibiae and tarsi black; mid tibia and metatarsus yellowish, rest of tarsus black. Abdomen often brownish translucent laterally on some of the first segments, especially 1'2. Terminalia ( Figs 19-21 ) as described for the genus. Total length: 4,8-5,1 mm.

Material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Province: 1♂ (holotype), 17 mi. N. Vanrhynsdorp at fork of Geelsbek & Sout Rivers, 3118Bc, 280 ft., 10. ix.1972, M. E. & B. J. Irwin ( NM) ; 14 ♂ 11 ♀ (paratypes), same data as holotype ( NM MEI ZMC) ; 2♂ 1 ♀ (paratypes), Knersvlakte , N. of Van Rhynsdorp , 6-9.x.1964, B. & P. Stuck enberg ( NM) ; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (paratypes), Bulhoek, Klaver-Clanw . Mus.­ Exped., x. 1950 ( SAM) ; 1 ♂ (paratype), top of Botterkloof Pass, 3119Cd, 2230 ft., white sand dune assoc., 13. ix.1972, M. E. & B. J. Irwin ( NM) ; 1 ♀ (paratype), Papendorp, at mouth of Olifants River , 3118Cc, coastal dunes, ll. ix.1972, M. E. Irwin ( NM) ; 26 ♂ 3 ♀ (paratypes), 10 Mi. N. Pella, sandy bank of Orange River, 2819Cc, 940 ft., 4. ix.1972, M. E. Irwin ( NM MEI ZMC).- NAMIBIA: 1 ♀ (paratype), Kuiseb, Namib , 9.v.1959, H. Dick Brown ( BMNH) ; 18 ♂ 1 ♀ (paratypes), Namib Desert Park , Kuiseb River at Gobabeb, 2315Ca, riverine forest and sand, 12.ii.1974, M. E. & B. J. Irwin, L. Lyneborg ( NM MEI ZMC) ; 38♂ 25 ♀ (paratypes), Gobabeb, Kuiseb River Bed , 25.i.-14.ii.1978, O. Lomholdt ( ZMC BMNH) ; 1 ♀ (paratype), 5 km E. Swakopmund, 4.ii.1978, O. Lomholdt ( ZMC) ; 1 ♂ (paratype), Swakop River Mouth , 4. ii.1978, O. Lomholdt ( ZMC) .

Distribution: Desert and poor steppe areas of western Cape Province and Namibia.

Remarks: All specimens from the Namib desert park area in the north of the range differ from specimens from the western Cape Province in that the halter knob is entirely white-yellow, and not brown-black on the outer/upper convex side. In other characters, including the male genitalia, the northern and southern populations are identical.

Figures

Figs 6-22. Stenogephyra gen. n. 6-21. S. torrida sp. n. 6. 7. Male head in frontal view. B. Male antenna. 9. Female antenna. 1O-1B. Male terminaha. 10. Male genitalia in lateral view. 11. Epandrium and cerci in dorsal view. 12. Epandrium, cerci and ventral epandrial sclerite in ventral view. 13. Gonocoxites with gonostyli in ventral view. 14. Left gonocoxite with ~onostylus and aedeagal complex in dorsal view. 15. Right gonocoxite with gonostylus in mterior view. 16. Aedeagus in lateral view. 17. Sternite B. lB. Tergite B. 19-21. Female terminalia. 19. Sternite B. 20. Subgenital plate and vaginal apodeme. 21. Tergite B, tergite 10 and cerci in dorsal view. 22. S. minuta sp. n., male antenna. Scale: 1 mm for 6 and 7,0,5 mm for the rest.