Curtonotum griveaudi, Kirk-Spriggs, 2011

Kirk-Spriggs, Ashley H., 2011, A revision of Afrotropical Quasimodo flies (Diptera: Schizophora; Curtonotidae). Part III - the Malagasy species of Curtonotum Macquart, with descriptions of six new species, African Invertebrates 52 (2), pp. 391-391 : 413-416

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5733/afin.052.0212
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03FDA115-FFC4-B34A-EBA7-9921FBC5FAD5
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Curtonotum griveaudi
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Curtonotum griveaudi View in CoL View at ENA sp. n.

Figs 11 View Figs 9–13 , 24 View Figs 14–26 , 37 View Figs 27–39 , 47, 50, 53 View Figs 46–54 , 89 View Figs 79–91 , 102 View Figs 102–104

Etymology: The species is named in honour of Paul Elexis Jacques Griveaud (1907– 1980), in recognition of his contribution to Madagascan entomology.

Differential diagnosis: This species is closely related to C. boeny , differing in the colour of the frons and antennae, the shape of the wing and the shape of the male terminalia. Both share the peculiar subtriangular form of the epandrium, with the lateral setation reduced to two long, strong setae originating from the blunt point formed by the ventral margin. Curtonotum griveaudi sp. n. differs from C. boeny , however, in having the hypandrial arm much broader apically and the surstylus considerably longer and narrower basally. The species further differ in the presence and position of the low internal bulge of the phallus, with the basal section of the phallus quite straight, and the apical shape of the basiphallus, with its reduced lateral keel and short, spine-like ventromedial projection. The ranges of the two species overlap, but it is not known whether they occur sympatrically.

Description:

Male (primarily based on ex spirit-preserved HT).

As redescribed for C. balachowskyi , differing in the following respects: Measurements: Overall length unknown; length of head and thorax combined 2.2 mm; length of thorax and scutellum combined 2.2 mm (HT); wing length 3.5 mm (n = 1, N-T).

Head ( Figs 11 View Figs 9–13 , 24 View Figs 14–26 ). Eye prominent, eye height/length ratio: 10:6 (HT); frons ( Fig. 24 View Figs 14–26 ), markedly wider at vertex than at ventral margin, frons length/width ratio: 1:5 (HT), ground colour pale brown to dark brown, darker brown towards vertex and between orbital plates forming conspicuous vittae that reach ventral margin; ocellar triangle golden-grey pruinose, ocelli clear brown; orbital plates extending from vertex of head to 0.8 length of frons, markedly wider at socket of posterior orbital seta; lateral margins with narrow silver pruinose fascia (adjacent to eye margin), slightly wider at antennal insertions; posterior orbital seta moderately strong, slightly longer than outer vertical seta; antennal scape and pedicel browngrey pruinose, flagellomere 1 yellow pruinose basally, pitchy brown, grey pruinose apically, arista with 10 long dorsal branches and 4 ventral branches in addition to terminal fork; lunule brown, face with narrow silver fascia (adjacent to eye margin); occiput grey pruinose; gena narrow, eye height/genal height ratio: 10:1 (HT), silver pruinose throughout, very slightly darker beyond basal angle; palpus pale brown, brown microtrichose.

Thorax ( Fig. 11 View Figs 9–13 ). Mesonotum as described for C. boeny ; anterior dorsocentral setae much shorter and finer than medial scutellar seta; postalar setae moderately strong, slightly longer and stronger than acrostichal setae; postpronotum silver-grey pruinose, with 7 or 8 finer blackbrown setulae; anepisternum silvergrey pruinose, with yellow pruinose patches medially, surface with 28 fine setulae, some larger and arranged in 2 groups of 3 and 4; anepimeron, laterotergite and meron silver-grey to yellow pruinose; katepisternum silver-grey to yellow pruinose, with dorsal katepisternal setae ca 0.2 length of ventral katepisternal setae, with 18 short, fine setulae at base and along posterior margin.

Scutellum. As in mesonotum, with very faint medial brown pruinose vitta basally (under some lights), slightly paler yellow pruinose at posterior margin; weak intermediate scutellar setula inserted closer to lateral than medial scutellar setae.

Legs. Fore coxa with 18 brown setulae on anterior surface; mid coxa with 16 brown setulae; fore tibia with ctenidium of 10 spinules.

Wing (as in Fig. 37 View Figs 27–39 ). Veins brown, membrane hyaline with very faint brown infuscation, very slightly darker in posterior half of r 1 and anterior half of r 2+3 and in region of dm–cu crossvein; dm–cu crossvein strongly, obliquely angled in even arc.

Abdomen. Tergite 1 simple, devoid of maculae; tergite 2 with oblique, subovoid brown-black pruinose dorsolateral macula on either side only; tergites 3–5 with large, broad V-shaped median fascia and large concolourous T-shaped dorsolateral macula, these close or adjoining, but not fully merging with median fascia; lateral margin of tergites 2–5 with subelliptical concolourous macula in basal half; sternite 4, long, rectangular, weakly sclerotised; sternite 5 same length as sternite 4, lateral margins curved, with oblong brown macula on either side, both unmodified, with very sparse brown setulae arranged in irregular rows, those along lateral margins of sternite 5 slightly longer and stronger; sternite 6 ( Fig. 89 View Figs 79–91 ) rather broad apically, narrow basally (may appear narrower than Fig. 89 View Figs 79–91 in undissected specimens), with moderately shallow, subtriangular excision apically, brown in apical 0.8, clothed in sparse, long, straight, overlapping brown setulae in apical 0.8.

Terminalia ( Figs 47, 50, 53 View Figs 46–54 ). Hypandrium ( Fig. 47 View Figs 46–54 , hy) long, with broad-based rounded-truncate dorsobasal lobe, posterior bridge dorsally and ventrally produced (subtriangular in profile); hypandrial arms expanded apically, with sclerotised ventrally-directed arc (viewed laterally), setulae absent, sclerotised area of medial lobes (viewed dorsally), with slightly rounded margins, not overlapping (not convex); postgonite ( Fig. 47 View Figs 46–54 , pg) long, thin and straight; epandrium ( Fig. 47 View Figs 46–54 , ep) subtriangular (in lateral view), with deep, oblique semicircular excavation along ventral margin, ventral lobe forming a blunt point, from which two very strong, long setae originate; cercus ( Fig. 47 View Figs 46–54 , ce) not prominent, longest setae as long as medium setae on dorsal margin of epandrium; surstylus ( Fig. 47 View Figs 46–54 , ss) drawn out, very long and narrow, slightly wider basally and curved in apical 0.8; phallus (as in Figs 50 View Figs 46–54 , ph, bp, dp, 53, bp, dp) C-shaped, weakly sclerotised, pale brown; phallapodeme ( Fig. 50 View Figs 46–54 , ph) fused to basiphallus, subtriangular (viewed laterally), with basal margin developed into two flat, broad, subtriangular projections in basal 0.4, bifurcated at point of connection with hypandrium; ejaculatory apodeme ( Fig. 50 View Figs 46–54 , ea) free, duct inserted at junction of phallapodeme and basiphallus; basiphallus ( Fig. 50 View Figs 46–54 , bp) broad and straight in basal half, broadest at first bend, with slight internal bulge, then markedly narrowed (narrowest at second bend); apical section ( Fig. 53 View Figs 46–54 , bp) very broad, right margin laterally expanded and evenly rounded, with slightly raised margin, left lateral margin with distinct raised fold, projecting medially as short, spinelike ventromedial projection; distiphallus ( Figs 50, 53 View Figs 46–54 , dp) long, evenly curved, scimitar-like (viewed laterally), narrow (viewed dorsally). Variation: The frons is darker in some specimens, almost chestnut-brown; even in specimens with a paler brown frons the two longitudinal brown vittae are strikingly apparent.

Holotype: ♂ “ Madagascar: Majunga / Prov., Maintirano District / Asondrodava dry forest / 15km N of Maintirano / 17°57.92’S 44°2.13’E / 24–31 xii. 2007, 200 ft / M.E. Irwin & R. Harin’Hala / Malaise trap, dry forest / at dune, MG43B13 // HOLOTYPE ♂ / Curtonotum / griveaudi sp. n. / A.H. Kirk-Spriggs 2011 [red card]” ( CAS). In good condition, right foreleg missing; card-pointed; dissected, abdomen and terminalia in micro-vial pinned beneath specimen. GoogleMaps

Paratypes (all labelled: “ PARATYPE ♂ [or ♀] / Curtonotum / griveaudi sp. n. / A.H. Kirk-Spriggs 2011 [blue card]”): 1♂ “ Madagascar: Tuléar / Province, Mikea Forest , / NW of Manombo / 22°54.22’S, 43°28.53’E / 6–17.vii.2003, 30 m / M.E. Irwin & R. Harin’Hala / Malaise trap in deciduous / dry forest / MA-02-18A-61” GoogleMaps ; 1♂ “ Madagascar: Province / Fianarantsoa, near Isalo / National Park , in dry wash / east of Interpretive Center / 22°37.60’S: 45°21.49’E / 6–14 xii. 2002, 885 m / M.E. Irwin & R. Harin’Hala / Malaise trap in open area / MA0211B49” GoogleMaps ; 1♂ “ Madagascar: Tuléar / Province, Beza Mahafaly / Reserve , Parcelle I near / research station / 23°41.19’S: 44°35.46’E / 9–20.ix. 2002, 165 m / R. Harin’Hala, Malaise / trap in dry deciduous forest / MA0214A35 // BMSA(DNA)#0047” (all CAS) GoogleMaps ; 1♂ 2♀ “ Madagascar NE, Sambava Beach , 14.iv.1991, A. Freidberg & Fini Kaplan” [♂ with phallus missing from vial; left wing detached and glued to card] (all TAU) .

Other material examined (labelled: “ Curtonotum / griveaudi ♂ / sp. n. / A.H. KirkSpriggs 2011”): MADAGASCAR: Majunga Prov. : 1♂ Maintirano District, Asondrodava dry forest 15 km N of Maintirano, 17°57.92'S: 44°2.13'E, 10–17 xii. 2007, 200 ft, M.E. Irwin & R. Harin’Hala, Malaise trap, dry forest at dune (MG-43B-11) [in spirit], BMSA(DNA)#0054 ( BMSA) GoogleMaps .

Distribution ( Fig. 102 View Figs 102–104 ): Occurs in the Wooded Grassland-Bushland and South Western Dry Spiny Forest-Thicket vegetation types, in the Arid Spiny Bush, Central Highlands and Dry Deciduous Forest biomes. In the West and South biogeographical zones and Dry and Subarid bioclimatic zones ( Figs 105–107 View Figs 105–107 ; Tables 1–3; Appendix II).